Bauer Millett closes down..........
Discussion
joema said:
You thought they would have been communicating to their staff, giving them some forewarning things weren't going well rather than announce it out of the blue.
I've seen businesses saved from the brink of disaster before. When they're struggling to save their business the last thing they would have wanted was for for their staff to jump ship. " Mr Millet said administrators took the decision when to close the business "
" I know it’s been very hard for the staff coming before Christmas but there’s never a good time - I know they understand the trading difficulties the company has encountered are not a recent thing and we have fought together over the last three years to turn it around "
" I know it’s been very hard for the staff coming before Christmas but there’s never a good time - I know they understand the trading difficulties the company has encountered are not a recent thing and we have fought together over the last three years to turn it around "
What about UK sales of the world's leading V8 sportscar - Corvette? Bauer Millett have for a good many years been sole official UK importer and dealer.
Mind you, the eye-watering prices they were asking for Corvette Grandsport models (£70k) brought sales to a virtual standstill, which in turn resulted in zero ability to obtain supplies from GM of the new C7 Corvette Stingray - so no sales of that either.
It's a great shame. Bauer Millett's base in Manchester had for decades been a mecca for UK fans of American cars.
Mind you, the eye-watering prices they were asking for Corvette Grandsport models (£70k) brought sales to a virtual standstill, which in turn resulted in zero ability to obtain supplies from GM of the new C7 Corvette Stingray - so no sales of that either.
It's a great shame. Bauer Millett's base in Manchester had for decades been a mecca for UK fans of American cars.
5 USA said:
What about UK sales of the world's leading V8 sportscar - Corvette? Bauer Millett have for a good many years been sole official UK importer and dealer.
Mind you, the eye-watering prices they were asking for Corvette Grandsport models (£70k) brought sales to a virtual standstill, which in turn resulted in zero ability to obtain supplies from GM of the new C7 Corvette Stingray - so no sales of that either.
It's a great shame. Bauer Millett's base in Manchester had for decades been a mecca for UK fans of American cars.
Yup.Mind you, the eye-watering prices they were asking for Corvette Grandsport models (£70k) brought sales to a virtual standstill, which in turn resulted in zero ability to obtain supplies from GM of the new C7 Corvette Stingray - so no sales of that either.
It's a great shame. Bauer Millett's base in Manchester had for decades been a mecca for UK fans of American cars.
They will be missed.
trashbat said:
Lots of Fiat Group dealers must have been feeling the pinch for some time - not enough mass market products, either from Alfa or Chrysler, the former since 2010 and the latter more recently. It should start to change this year but still no quick answers.
Fiat is selling some pretty decent cars at the moment with the different flavours of 500s. Far better than Bravas and Mareas of old. Alfa Romeos aren't that bad even if they're not the default choice of most people that the Germans are. The problems is, as has been discussed on other threads about how much money there is in running a car dealership, manufacturers expect dealers to have big out of town premises and lots of courtesy cars and demonstrators to hand. Bauer Millet had only the plushest under the railway arches lock up in the UK in an area where rent would have probably been very expensive and didn't really have the facilities to deal in more mainstream brands. When everybody wants a BMW 1 Series or Audi A3 diesel for £200pcm there isn't much business in expensive, obscure makes that are no good as company cars. GM regularly try selling Cadillacs in the UK, last time it was through Saab dealers, and it never succeeds. The nearest Fiat and Alfa Romeo dealer to me now is in Blackburn and the site includes Volvo and Renault dealerships.
http://www.motorparks.co.uk/dealerships/blackburn-...
Maybe GM will appoint another UK Chevrolet dealership to supply new Corvette cars and parts as Bauer Millett were the only one.
Same old thing though - C7 Stingray prices start at about £35k in their home country, over here they are double that. Those kind of prices coupled with LHD etc. and it's seen as an unattractive car to buy and run in the UK by the majority of people. Which is a shame.
Same old thing though - C7 Stingray prices start at about £35k in their home country, over here they are double that. Those kind of prices coupled with LHD etc. and it's seen as an unattractive car to buy and run in the UK by the majority of people. Which is a shame.
Blakewater said:
Fiat is selling some pretty decent cars at the moment with the different flavours of 500s. Far better than Bravas and Mareas of old. Alfa Romeos aren't that bad even if they're not the default choice of most people that the Germans are.
I quite agree - we have a 500, I have an Alfa and I have shares in FCA. However you can't build serious repeat business and marque identity with only two small cars in Alfa's case (plus limited numbers of 4C), and nor can you even fill in the void with Chryslers or rebadged Lancias any more since all of that is in retreat. I really believe good things are imminently due but I have a lot of sympathy for suffering dealerships over the last 5 years.I had not heard up until now that Chevrolet were to no longer support UK or European markets.
From the Chevrolet UK website ;
" Chevrolet is ceasing its new car business in Europe. Chevrolet UK Limited is expecting to cease the sale of new Chevrolet vehicles on 31 December 2015 "
However they do also state ;
" Chevrolet will continue to offer the Corvette and Camaro sports cars in select European markets, including UK "
From the Chevrolet UK website ;
" Chevrolet is ceasing its new car business in Europe. Chevrolet UK Limited is expecting to cease the sale of new Chevrolet vehicles on 31 December 2015 "
However they do also state ;
" Chevrolet will continue to offer the Corvette and Camaro sports cars in select European markets, including UK "
Edited by Fidd on Saturday 27th December 19:14
Edited by Fidd on Saturday 27th December 19:17
It is a real shame and I really feel sorry for the staff at this time of year but their service prices where absolute robbery so I'm not surprised if the servicing side of the business was doing poor.
Rang up for a quote for my partners Alfa mito 1.3jtdm last year for the 2nd service and they wanted £450 for it, we said no and they seemed shocked and a bit pissed off. They had the cheek to say that it has long service intervals on the car like it made the price any better, it doesn't make it harder to service the car and it doesn't mean they can charge double!!
In the end got it serviced at an independent garage using genuine parts and castrol correct spec oil for £130 all in and the service book stamped.
I would not mind as much but that car is so easy to work on and everything is so accessible oil filter on top etc, its not exactly some Italian exotic super car that you need to take half the engine out to change the spark plugs.
I'm surprised anyone got services done at them prices, if it was up to say up to £250 we would have had it done to retain the full dealer history for resale value/out of warranty goodwill claims etc. But at that difference it was pure greed.
Rang up for a quote for my partners Alfa mito 1.3jtdm last year for the 2nd service and they wanted £450 for it, we said no and they seemed shocked and a bit pissed off. They had the cheek to say that it has long service intervals on the car like it made the price any better, it doesn't make it harder to service the car and it doesn't mean they can charge double!!
In the end got it serviced at an independent garage using genuine parts and castrol correct spec oil for £130 all in and the service book stamped.
I would not mind as much but that car is so easy to work on and everything is so accessible oil filter on top etc, its not exactly some Italian exotic super car that you need to take half the engine out to change the spark plugs.
I'm surprised anyone got services done at them prices, if it was up to say up to £250 we would have had it done to retain the full dealer history for resale value/out of warranty goodwill claims etc. But at that difference it was pure greed.
5 USA said:
What about UK sales of the world's leading V8 sportscar - Corvette? Bauer Millett have for a good many years been sole official UK importer and dealer.
Mind you, the eye-watering prices they were asking for Corvette Grandsport models (£70k) brought sales to a virtual standstill.
I suspect the problem is that with the Yank cars unlike Main Dealers they are having to pay for the cars months before they aqre able to sell them - making cash flow a real problem.Mind you, the eye-watering prices they were asking for Corvette Grandsport models (£70k) brought sales to a virtual standstill.
I suspect much of the price increase is mostly due to import tax and VAT.
I think they should have sold the large city centre premises and moved to smaller, cheaper premises - people will travel for specialist cars.
Really sad news. I popped in there in the summer when I had to goto my head office in Manchester. I was surprised then how few cars they had in then. Quite a contrast to when I bought my Z06 from them 3 years ago. So many unhelpful garages out there, its such a shame to loose one of the good ones.
" Chevrolet is ceasing its new car business in Europe. Chevrolet UK Limited is expecting to cease the sale of new Chevrolet vehicles on 31 December 2015 "
no new cars available as far as I know , all new stock sold months ago from main dealers
However they do also state ;
" Chevrolet will continue to offer the Corvette and Camaro sports cars in select European markets, including UK "
wasn't bauer the only uk appointed agent
Gassing Station | Yank Motors | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff