Soft option gets firm prices
Nissan aftermarket marketing specialist Nick Castle has been appointed parts and service manager at Mazda Motors UK. His role at Nissan is now being shared by Joanne Webster (aftersales communications) and Ian Hodson (parts marketing).<
Cars of high build quality usually attract the best customer satisfaction ratings for servicing and repair. The more cynical might observe that if a car rarely goes wrong then repairers have less chance of being found lacking.
Renault has stepped in with an online initiative to help its franchised dealers retain and grow fleet service and maintenance business.
Management software is giving fleets an additional weapon in their attack on perceived poor dealer service and maintenance standards. Factors being monitored through the use of e-commerce include how easy, or difficult, it is to book cars in for maintenance work and the actual quality of technical work being undertaken
The AA has introduced a new guarantee which it claims is unique: it will provide a complimentary courtesy car for 24 hours if the vehicle cannot be fixed at the roadside.
Allianz Cornhill has issued new contracts to its approved repairer network, increasing base labour rates by £1 an hour to a maximum of £30 and lifting its contribution to the Environment Protection Act charge by 50% to £3 a repair.
Car care specialist Motoreasy has sold more than 1,500 memberships to a new scheme offering motorists fixed cost annual maintenance cover. The package is aimed at the three- to six-year-old vehicle parc and has a target of 25,000 members by 2006
The European automotive retail sector is set to undergo massive consolidation which will see half the outlets on the mainland – some 50,000 dealerships – close over the next five to 10 years
The new A-class’ big brother has hit the Nurburgring for shakedown tests, as Mercedes-Benz prepares for the five-door hatch’s launch in January. This car is more than just a long-wheelbase version of the A-class, as its standalone model name – B-class – suggests
MG Rover is selling off its replacement vehicle components arm to Caterpillar Logistics Services for more than £100m in order to free up cash for essential new model development
Eleven Ford dealers so far have signed up to be involved in a promotional tour of the UK linked to the Thunderbirds movie. Ford of Great Britain has based a roadshow campaign on the film to encourage the public into showrooms to test drive its products.
A new entrant to the used car sector will open later this year backed by an AIM-listed finance company.
Glenvarigill has slashed its debts by selling four prestige sector dealerships to Sytner Group, leaving it in a stronger position to expand its remaining businesses.
Mini-supermarket chain Spar is dipping its toe into the car retail industry at a handful of outlets. Its supplier is Solihull-based Drive Smart – the same firm involved in a recent unsuccessful scheme with Comet.
Automotive Skills, the sector skills council for the retail motor industry, has launched its ground-breaking management scheme amid concerns about a lack of Government funding for automotive training.
Pendragon says it is considering opening Cadillac outlets in London, Manchester and Birmingham, subject to negotiations with the GM-owned carmaker.
Toyota and Shell are trialling a new alternative fuel in a fleet of 10 Avensis cars equipped with D-CAT emissions reduction technology.
AM100 No3 retailer Reg Vardy plc is storming ahead on the acquisition trail after announcing record profits for the financial year ended April 30.
Ford Motor Company, the UK market sales leader (see page 19), is trying to achieve a national standard for aftersales work on its company car fleet and leasing vehicles. The company is supporting the objectives of AM’s Fair Fleet Campaign which is striving to improve understanding between its dealers and business car operators and users
The annual Sewells dealer conference will take place this year on Thursday, September 30 at the Kassam Stadium, Oxford. The theme of the conference is ‘knowing your customer’.
CVC Capital Partners and Permira have insisted that they have no plans to merge its AA and Kwik-Fit operations after the recent acquisition of the AA from Centrica for £1.75bn. Both parties say they intend to run the AA as an independent company.
Peugeot UK is “thinking long and hard” about the timing of next year’s market launches of its much-needed new small cars, the radical 1007 – with sliding door mini MPV format – and the more mainstream 107 replacement for the 106.
Used car buyers expect to be treated the same as someone buying a new car: eight in 10 buy a used car as their main means of transport. They consider the purchase to be their ‘new car’.
Of course the industry is interested in Centrica’s £1.75bn sale of the AA – it’s the biggest automotive news story of its kind since Ford sold Kwik-Fit.
The takeover of leasing giant LeasePlan by a consortium led by the Volkswagen Group has been given the go-ahead by the European Commission.
Aston Martin Racing has revealed further details of its all-new DBR9 that will spearhead the marque’s return to international motor racing in 2005
Land Rover has announced the creation of the Land Rover Classic Parts (LRCP) business initiative. “Due to the high levels of vehicle retention and customer loyalty found within the Land Rover brand, it is acknowledged that older vehicles within the range require focused support,” says Tom Pallister, Land Rover’s director of customer service.
Manufacturers are missing the opportunity to increase the effectiveness of demonstrator programmes. The claim was made by Network Automotive Management, motor consultancy and support services specialist.
