Dealers are confident about raising profits under the revised block exemption rules, despite acknowledging that carmaker control over their businesses is likely to tighten.
Renault Retail Group has not signed up with eBay Motors as reported in AM. Commercial director Simon Herbert is looking at a number of internet-based organisations, but has yet to make a decision.
Warranty Administration Services has launched a new online selling tool. Genesis enables retailers to offer customer-facing quotes and is based on a warranty booklet that has the Plain English Campaign's Crystal Mark.
British dealers are continuing to enjoy booming van sales despite a general slowdown in UK economic growth. Sales of light commercial vehicles are up 15 per cent so far this year (2002 total: 322,255), and most volume-brand commercial vehicle dealers are enjoying brisk business.
Virgin Cars is planning to drop its existing aftersales policy of working with lots of franchised dealers and independent repairers in favour of signing a bulk deal with one national partner.
Renault has taken the first step towards establishing a 50-strong national network of dedicated light commercial vehicle service centres.
The RMI has revealed that CarWise, the official name for the Good Garage scheme, will be expanded to include car retailers and bodyshops.
Component supplier Robert Bosch GmbH is predicting significant growth in demand for radio-based vehicle navigation following the launch of a new low-cost system.
A Government-funded programme is offering garages, bodyshops and repairers free surveys of their energy usage to identify savings.
GMAC, General Motors' finance operation, is to start targeting business beyond its Vauxhall/Opel, Saab and Daewoo brand family.
Former Toyota (GB) aftersales operations general manager David Collins (right) has been appointed aftersales director at Fiat Auto (UK).
Multi-franchised retail group Sytner has introduced an air conditioning and service option for all its service customers at one fixed price, regardless of whichever dealer they visit.
Garages are being targeted by a fax scam operator claiming to be setting up a new UK bodyshop network.
HPI Exchange, the stock publishing system from HPI , has been rolled out to more than 1000 customers since its July launch. The system helps retailers manage and locate vehicle stock in real time.
According to a Midlands paper, Ford has already told the Government of plans to close Brown's Lane - plans Sir Nick Scheele denied at the Tokyo Motor Show.
In its submission to HM Treasury, ahead of the Chancellor's pre-Budget report in December, the SMMT has sounded a word of caution concerning motoring taxes. Amid growing reports of the rising costs of motoring and the importance of reduced CO2 emissions, The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders urged the Chancellor not to de-stabilise the trend towards cleaner cars by over-taxing the motorist in the upcoming report.
Figures compiled by firm KPMG and the automotive consultancy Spyder have highlighted the effect of down-sizing by car buyers, and the gap between list and post-discount new car prices.
Vauxhall's VX220 Turbo has take the Performance Car of the Year crown in this year's CAR magazine awards.
Avis Europe today has signed a supply contract with General Motors, which will supply Avis with 350,000 vehicles during the next five years in the “largest fleet agreement in history” on the continent.
Nissan Motor announced today that has committed Y15bn to Y16bn this year cover the cost of recalling 2.56m cars sold in Japan and abroad due to engine problems.
Takashi Sonobe, chairman of Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (MMC) since June 2002, died on Tuesday of a heart attack, at the age of 62.
Most insurance companies realise that the current model of repair cost management actually results in inflated repair costs rather than repair cost savings. This is the key finding of a new research report from MFBI (Market Facts and Business Information) that shows average repair costs continue to rise above the rate of inflation while bodyshop profitability continues to fall.
MG Sport & Racing has announced the sales launch of the MG XPower SV, a car which it says, “catapults the Company into competition with the best of the world's performance vehicle manufacturers”.
Over two million owners of Vauxhalls between four and 10 years old are being targeted by a new Vauxhall service promotion. Available from Vauxhall Retailers and MasterFit Centres throughout the UK from £99 (example Astra F models), the package includes a service and MOT test, plus free AA Roadside Assistance Cover for the next 12 months.
Lex Vehicle Leasing has won what it calls a ground breaking long term contract with Siemens to provide employee-owned cars for Siemens' employees across its 24 UK businesses.
Demand for Toyota's second-generation Prius hybrid is proving some 40% higher than expected, and the firm wants to increase output from 6,000 to 10,000 units a month.
The new Block Exemption Regulation has given franchised dealers cause to remain hopeful in the face of falling margins and increasing manufacturer control according to a new survey, soon to be published by the Retail Motor Industry Federation.
”The opening of the ReMIT Centre for Technical Excellence represents a fundamental shift in the way the retail motor sector approaches the training of its staff,” commented Fred Maguire, president of the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI), at the opening of ReMIT's new training centre today, 28 October
A new leaflet from the Department for Work and Pensions, which folds out so it can be used as a poster for display, provides practical advice aimed at preventing workers getting asthma from isocyanate chemicals in 2-pack paints used in bodyshops.
Recent figures reveal that UK consumers borrowed nearly £10 billion in June, the biggest jump ever and a record 14% rise on the previous year. However, Singer & Friedlander Finance is urging consumers to be careful before committing themselves to long-term finance agreements.
