Peugeot is looking to add up to 40 authorised repairers to its network this year and is pressing franchised dealer to fill the open points.
Poor customer service due to a lack of communication by service receptionists is to blame for many of the 1.2m complaints made last year by drivers to garages, according to new research.
Beware of any trojan horses and protect your own brand
Vauxhall is to replace its Frontera 4x4 with a new compact SUV sourced from its South Korean subsidiary GM Daewoo, while Renault has announced plans to enter the sector with a vehicle produced by its Samsung partner.
The RMI has applied for recognition of its CarWise scheme under the Office of Fair Trading's Consumer Codes Approval Scheme (CCAS), which was announced just over a year ago.
Dealers need to cast their sales net wider after a new survey found one in three used car buyers would travel more than 100 miles to get a good car. Carbidder.com, the online used car sales and auction site, says 32% of the 1000 owners surveyed would travel the distance while some would go even further.
Suzuki GB is planning to acquire a site within the M25 that it will leaseback to a franchised dealer, similar to the sponsored retail programmes favoured by VW Group. The UK arm of the Japanese carmaker is waiting for the green light before moving to acquire a site in London.
A £300,000 refurbishment is now complete at Harwoods' Bentley showroom. The Sussex-based firm underwent a complete refurbishment just in time to showcase the new £110k Bentley Continental GT.
Desira, the East Anglia-based motor group, has unveiled a two-tier retail strategy that will see it open multi-franchised sites in small towns and solus franchises in large conurbations as it strives to double turnover.
BMW, the German premium carmaker, is expecting record new car sales and profits this year driven by the introduction of new models and strong registrations for Mini.
Vehicle technician licensing policed by an independent organisation needs to be implemented in order to create a “level playing field” that consumers will take seriously.
Benfield Motor Group, the Yorkshire-based retailer, is to invest £2m relocating its Toyota dealership in Wakefield. The outlet will move from its current home on Leeds Road to new premises on the Silkwood Park business site later this year.
Reg Vardy has opened a new Volkswagen dealership in the Midlands completing its coverage in the market area.
Anyone can set up a car repair business in the UK – can that be right? Considering the complexity of cars, and the consequences if something goes wrong, surely there ought to be some mandatory training before someone can join the sector.
The Body Repair Industry Campaign, BRIC, has condemned the use of the 0870 telephone numbers often quoted by insurers for policyholders and suppliers to contact them on. BRIC points out that these are premium rate numbers and not toll free national ones, with which they are often confused by the general public.
BEN – the motor and allied trades benevolent fund - has opened a Yorkshire office in Bradford; Federal-Mogul Aftermarket UK Ltd has donated space to the charity.
Ford has set up a new network of 115 sales and 95 service locations amongst its 240 sales and 240 service locations.
Carlos Ghosn will oversee Nissan's vital US sales operationfrom the start of next month, taking over from global sales director executive vice president Norio Matsumura, who will head Nissan's domestic Japanese operations.
After Ssangyong's creditor banks said they would look for ways to end China National Bluestar Group's status as the preferred bidder for the financially ailing Korean 4x4 manufacturer if it didn't clarify its final bid price, Bluestar itself has announced it is pulling out of the deal it outlined last week.
The European Commission has adopted higher minimum levels for the recycling and recovery of the components and materials in new vehicles supplied from 2008.
Mergers and acquisitions in motor retailing were worth $689m last year, compared to $2.4bn in 2002, says a new report from PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
MG Rover has declined to comment on reports in Polish and other media that it has submitted a £700m bid for Daewoo-FSO with a view to transferring 75 model assembly there for 2005.
Lexus has the highest approval ratings in the latest annual Sewells Fleet Operators Attitude Survey - for the third year running, both in terms of UK fleet managers' relationship with the national network of centres and with the manufacturer itself.
Local authorities in England and Wales will be asked to publicly justify and regularly review taxi licence restrictions as part of a Government plan to improve service for consumers without centralised control of cab licensing.
International Motors Limited has promoted Nick Pugh to General Manager for Subaru and Isuzu Parts & Accessories.
The proposed Mercedes-Benz Heritage and Technology Centre at Brooklands has been granted detailed planning permission by Elmbridge Borough Council.
According to the latest PwC/eurocarprice.com car price index, average retail car prices in the UK were 3% higher in February than the average for Western Europe, and 4% higher than the average for the euro zone.
Motaquip is renaming its new independent parts retailer support scheme as the Motaquip Partnership Programme; 12 new accounts are planned for this year.
The Dealer Services Group of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) has bought the Michigan-based Automotive Retail Group (ARG) from Electronic Data Systems for an undisclosed sum.
The 2004 budget will help company van drivers who have no private use, but private use tax will rise, hitting the small market for company double cab pickups.
