“The 11.5% increase in new vehicle sales in March is a notable achievement for the industry and reflects the ability of franchised dealers to diversely engage with their customers. There is still significant pent-up demand and dealers are ready to deliver when lockdown eases on 12 April.
For the past year, many British cars have seen very little use as lockdown restrictions have drastically reduced commuting and leisure travel. Now, with restrictions beginning to ease from today, it is predicted that many people will be using their cars as safe, private transport as life slowly returns to normal.
One year ago today, the government introduced an MOT extension in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, allowing motorists to postpone the due date of their vehicle’s compulsory annual assessment by six months if they had a test expiring between 30th March and 31st July 2020.
Lexus has retained its title as the top-rated new car retail franchise in the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) Winter Survey for 2020/21. It achieved an overall rating of 9.5 out of 10 against a survey average of 6.3. The score matched its achievement in the previous, summer 2020 survey.
Evidence continues to mount that dealers should brace for a car-buying 'gold rush' as Covid-19 restrictions are eased further, according to the online car supermarket buyacar.co.uk.
Stoneacre Motor Group, one of the most successful and fastest growing motor groups in the UK, is to offer past, present and future customers the option of having a Stolen Vehicle Recovery (SVR) device from Tracker fitted to their new or used car or light commercial vehicle (LCV). This value-added service reflects the Group’s commitment to
Nine in 10 shoppers say they will continue doing the bulk of their shopping online – despite high street stores looking set to open in April.
This edition of the survey was conducted in January 2021 and asked franchised dealers a series of questions covering key business issues affecting the relationship with their respective manufacturers. Responses are scored from 1 (extremely dissatisfied) to 10 (extremely satisfied).
Demand for combined MOT and service procedures increased almost 50% last month, according to BookMyGarage.com.
“The decline of 35.5% in February was expected as the national lockdown continued, but looking ahead, with showrooms due to reopen soon and significant pent-up demand, dealers are optimistic”, said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle retailers in
FEWER motorists than ever before rule out buying a car entirely online, while those who are comfortable with the approach have reached a majority for the first time.
This was the headline on a consumer website recently. Another suggested that from January 28th consumers could save a typical £1,100 on their car finance. Dealers need to be ready for greater levels of consumer interest in a dealer's finance commission.
This is the question raised by a real-world monetisation for dealers funding an average of just 22 used cars switching to MotoNovo Finance's new Supplier Direct Funding (SDF) platform. If the number of cars were higher, so would the level of time and cash flow savings which already equate to over £1000 p.a. savings.
Traditional face-to-face banking is shrinking as the digitisation of personal finance accelerates. People are more engaged, in control and financially informed than ever before. To compete in this digital finance landscape, dealer finance needs to be price competitive and customer controlled.
Workshops are being urged to maximise market share as the six-month boon resulting from the MOT extension fades.
The Hyundai division within the Canterbury based Motorline Group claimed Dealer of the Year 2020 at Hyundai Worcester; Aftersales Dealer of the Year 2020 at Hyundai Maidstone and the number one overall ranking for Hyundai Dealer Group of the Year 2020.
“It is extremely encouraging that the vast majority of car buyers feel comfortable about visiting a showroom when the lockdown ends; the fact that most respondents are confident that dealerships can be run in a covid-safe way pays testament to the efforts dealers have been making over the past months to follow covid-secure guidelines and protect
"In the 'new normal' used car dealer finance can break through into the finance mainstream, but we need to wins hearts and minds, addressing some of the deep-seated perceptions of the industry."
There was a time when customers used to spend precious hours of their weekends criss-crossing out-of-town retail parks to visit multiple showrooms before buying a car. Then, with the advent of car websites, online evening research became the default. The impact of lockdown and the resultant flexibility of working from home has changed everything.
“Following our requests, it is extremely positive that the Scottish Government has confirmed that amendments to the current operation of click & collect for dealerships in Scotland mean that accessing the showroom to conclude the purchasing of the vehicle would be permissible using an appointment system”, said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the
“It is extremely positive to see the NFDA’s Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) scheme continue to develop paying testament to the efforts and investments automotive retailers are making to meet the fast-growing demand for electric vehicles: congratulations to the first accredited dealers of 2021” said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National
DEALERS should brace for a new surge in car sales when Britain emerges out of lockdown, according to the specialist online car supermarket buyacar.co.uk.
One in four car buyers don't understand finance jargon used in dealerships, even as new FCA rules clamp down on dealers selling what's better for them than the customer. Motorists demand more transparent advice on the best way to finance a car than they get in the typical dealer environment
One of the UK’s oldest and largest franchised dealer groups, Marshall Motor Group, has extended its partnership with AX by three years.
A yougov study commissioned by The Motor Ombudsman has found that the majority of drivers remain hesitant to swap bricks-and-mortar for the internet when it comes to buying either a new or used car in 2021. The poll of 1,873 UK drivers by the Ombudsman dedicated to the automotive sector revealed that, if they were to purchase a vehicle this year,
