Arnold gets another one
Discussion
HendryG said:
Was just about to post the same thing, although at least Clelands aren't gone completely as they will continue as Volvo dealers.
There isn't a Jag dealer in Stirling currently to pair up with Morrisons LR is there.
The Taggarts set up is weird is it not because JLR seem to want the 2 brands dual franchised on the same site but Taggarts will run LR from Darnley and Maryhill Road while Jag will be at Hillington.
Don't John Clark run Pentland Jag and LR dealerships in Edinburgh from different sites too, Jag at Glasgow Road and LR from Newbridge.
And don't John Clark also run a LR dealership in Cupar where there's also no Jag dealer?
Seems there's not as much unity in the franchise as there is down south where it seems all Jag and LR franchises will share the same premises, which doesn't seem to be happening as much up here, I can only think of Macrae & Dick Inverness, Pentland in Perth, Parks in Ayr and now Lloyd in Kelso as ones who are having a combined JLR dealership, the rest seem separate.
EDIT: Arnie has now also opened a Citroen/DS dealership next door to their Renault branch at Seafield in Edinburgh, presume this means the closure of the Current Robins & Day Citroen further along Seafield Road next to Peter Vardy BMW
Jaguar and LR in Edinburgh - watch this space.There isn't a Jag dealer in Stirling currently to pair up with Morrisons LR is there.
The Taggarts set up is weird is it not because JLR seem to want the 2 brands dual franchised on the same site but Taggarts will run LR from Darnley and Maryhill Road while Jag will be at Hillington.
Don't John Clark run Pentland Jag and LR dealerships in Edinburgh from different sites too, Jag at Glasgow Road and LR from Newbridge.
And don't John Clark also run a LR dealership in Cupar where there's also no Jag dealer?
Seems there's not as much unity in the franchise as there is down south where it seems all Jag and LR franchises will share the same premises, which doesn't seem to be happening as much up here, I can only think of Macrae & Dick Inverness, Pentland in Perth, Parks in Ayr and now Lloyd in Kelso as ones who are having a combined JLR dealership, the rest seem separate.
EDIT: Arnie has now also opened a Citroen/DS dealership next door to their Renault branch at Seafield in Edinburgh, presume this means the closure of the Current Robins & Day Citroen further along Seafield Road next to Peter Vardy BMW
Edited by HendryG on Thursday 5th January 17:04
Judging by the recruitment section of the Pendragon website, Evans Halshaw appear to be opening a "Car Store" in Glasgow, looks from the map on their job Ads to be in the Kennedy Street area of Townhead.
EDIT: appears it's to be at the ex Murray Volvo and then Lexus Glasgow site http://www.jobsatpendragongroup.co.uk/search/compa...
EDIT: appears it's to be at the ex Murray Volvo and then Lexus Glasgow site http://www.jobsatpendragongroup.co.uk/search/compa...
Edited by HendryG on Tuesday 31st January 23:45
Arnie is relocating his Inverness Skoda dealership again, when they took over Delmore Cars it was at Carsegate, this is now their bodyshop, they acquired a site at Longman and moved Skoda there along with Volvo, but due to lack of space the aftersales/workshops for Skoda/Volvo were at Peugeot on Harbour Road, however now that Harry Fairbairn BMW and Mini has also relocated to Longman, theyve submitted plans for a Skoda dealership on the ex BMW and Mini site on Harbour Road, which means Longman Volvo/Skoda will either become an enlarged Volvo showroom or the Skoda side of the showroom converted into a workshop for Volvo.
Also Arnie has had a planning application at Vauxhall dealership at the Whirlies in EK declined, the grass verge outside the showroom before you take the left turn to make the entrance to the site and Parks dealerships or carry on straight to go onto the expressway they were wanting to tarmac it and make it into a used car display forecourt but SLC have refused them permission.
Also Arnie has had a planning application at Vauxhall dealership at the Whirlies in EK declined, the grass verge outside the showroom before you take the left turn to make the entrance to the site and Parks dealerships or carry on straight to go onto the expressway they were wanting to tarmac it and make it into a used car display forecourt but SLC have refused them permission.
Am I right in saying that Arnie, through its GTG training, receives a shed load of government grants to train apprentices?
And these apprentices will do their work experience in Arnold garages where the customer will be charged the normal rates??
And over supply of mechanics will mean driving wages costs down so ultimately pay normal staff less?
Kind of licence to print money is it not?
And these apprentices will do their work experience in Arnold garages where the customer will be charged the normal rates??
And over supply of mechanics will mean driving wages costs down so ultimately pay normal staff less?
Kind of licence to print money is it not?
Craigie said:
Am I right in saying that Arnie, through its GTG training, receives a shed load of government grants to train apprentices?
And these apprentices will do their work experience in Arnold garages where the customer will be charged the normal rates??
And over supply of mechanics will mean driving wages costs down so ultimately pay normal staff less?
Kind of licence to print money is it not?
You are correct, but workshop labour rates are a licence to print money anyway, Ive no idea how much Arnie pays their techs but im guessing no more than £12/hour, and i know their labour rates were £60+vat 6 years ago when i left working for them, so no doubt its more like £75/£80+vat, I wouldnt mind so much if the mechanics were actually being paid even half of that but they arent, its a joke. Everybody says how highly profitable a company AC is, but it seems the only thing that keeps them in profit is labour rates despite the massive volume of cars they sell, parts sales and so on. And these apprentices will do their work experience in Arnold garages where the customer will be charged the normal rates??
And over supply of mechanics will mean driving wages costs down so ultimately pay normal staff less?
Kind of licence to print money is it not?
HendryG said:
You are correct, but workshop labour rates are a licence to print money anyway, Ive no idea how much Arnie pays their techs but im guessing no more than £12/hour, and i know their labour rates were £60+vat 6 years ago when i left working for them, so no doubt its more like £75/£80+vat, I wouldnt mind so much if the mechanics were actually being paid even half of that but they arent, its a joke. Everybody says how highly profitable a company AC is, but it seems the only thing that keeps them in profit is labour rates despite the massive volume of cars they sell, parts sales and so on.
Sorry, but I disagree ref the Lab Rates being a licence to print money - Although I can see why many prople think this.Take my job for example, we charge nearly £150 an hour (I know, I know), do I get 50% of that, or even 25% of that? Not a chance! There are many other things to be taken into account when calculating what we get paid - The Trade is no different.
The Retail MT used to think that ROI of 2% was good (Trevor Jones, for those that know him) I reckon now that most would be delighted with this now.
I think we could have a right good old chat down the pub, I will dig out my budgets from 20 odd years ago for us to peruse!
Isn't it great how we get hung up on labour rates but not cost of items?
Take a place on Buchanan St Glasgow, rents and rates will be upwards of 6 figures, maybe even into 7. Add in labour costs, utilities etc etc.
That £100 jacket may only cost £2 to make - but we don't challenge that the same way as we would labour rates!
Take a place on Buchanan St Glasgow, rents and rates will be upwards of 6 figures, maybe even into 7. Add in labour costs, utilities etc etc.
That £100 jacket may only cost £2 to make - but we don't challenge that the same way as we would labour rates!
Parks have nearly completed the new JLR showroom build next to their existing one in Ayr, and are doing the same up in Inverness at the Macrae & Dick dealership, I believe they have also now began to rebrand the Macrae & Dick sites to Parks.
Arnold look to be relocating their Perth Fiat dealership to near to where their Mercedes place in Perth is as a dual Fiat/Motorstore branch.
I also believe Arnold's Fiat/Jeep/Abarth site in Aberdeen is about to become Alfa Romeo too now that Kia has moved to its own standalone dealership and I think Perth Kia and Jeep may also become Alfa Romeo.
Be interesting to see what developments and acquisitions lie ahead this year. There cannot be many franchised dealerships left in independent hands that the big groups will want to take over.
Arnold look to be relocating their Perth Fiat dealership to near to where their Mercedes place in Perth is as a dual Fiat/Motorstore branch.
I also believe Arnold's Fiat/Jeep/Abarth site in Aberdeen is about to become Alfa Romeo too now that Kia has moved to its own standalone dealership and I think Perth Kia and Jeep may also become Alfa Romeo.
Be interesting to see what developments and acquisitions lie ahead this year. There cannot be many franchised dealerships left in independent hands that the big groups will want to take over.
HendryG said:
Parks have nearly completed the new JLR showroom build next to their existing one in Ayr...
I wonder what they will do with the existing premises?Their Honda site in Doonfoot is rammed! Thing is, it is in a prime location, no doubt with many repeat customers right on its doorstep.
750turbo said:
I wonder what they will do with the existing premises?
Their Honda site in Doonfoot is rammed! Thing is, it is in a prime location, no doubt with many repeat customers right on its doorstep.
I had thought that maybe Honda would go in there, obviously Volvo will be staying where it is, not sure there are any other available franchises in Ayr they would want. Maybe Kia? Their Honda site in Doonfoot is rammed! Thing is, it is in a prime location, no doubt with many repeat customers right on its doorstep.
HendryG said:
I had thought that maybe Honda would go in there, obviously Volvo will be staying where it is, not sure there are any other available franchises in Ayr they would want. Maybe Kia?
Good shout, but Springside have had this for years, and "seem" to do well, although their location is maybe not what Kia themselves would want at a guess.How about BMW/MINI? Arnies site in Irvine is rammed! I am sure that BMW would fabcy a prominent position in Ayr, although the site would probably require massive redevelopment.
750turbo said:
Good shout, but Springside have had this for years, and "seem" to do well, although their location is maybe not what Kia themselves would want at a guess.
How about BMW/MINI? Arnies site in Irvine is rammed! I am sure that BMW would fabcy a prominent position in Ayr, although the site would probably require massive redevelopment.
As much as I'm sure Parks would love the Ayrshire BMW and Mini franchise there's no chance Of Arnold giving up the franchise, nor of Parks selling that land to Arnie. How about BMW/MINI? Arnies site in Irvine is rammed! I am sure that BMW would fabcy a prominent position in Ayr, although the site would probably require massive redevelopment.
Unless Parks are planning to bin off Volvo then they'll need to keep the existing Jag/Land Rover/Volvo premises for Volvo which is why I can see Honda going there too, unless Honda gets moved to High Road and Renault/Dacia/Nissan move from there to Heathfield.
I'm not suggesting Springside should lose the franchise but Kia surely sell enough cars now to justify 2 dealerships in Ayrshire to serve North, East and South. They probably sell more cars than some of the brands that have multiple Ayrshire representation. Although I do wonder how long before someone takes Springside over with them being pretty much the only remaining independent franchise in Ayrshire (only others I can think of are Kerr Baillie Ford Ardrossan and Garnock Valley Ford Kilbirnie)
Looks like Lookers/Taggarts in Motherwell may have lost/given up Volvo in Lanarkshire, was past today and while all Volvo signage is still there, and it's still listed on Volvos website however all over the showroom windows is plastered "Nissan Cared 4 Used Car Centre" and inside the Volvo showroom are a few used Nissans.
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