Small Manufacturer Franchised Dealers.
Discussion
Reading about RA Creamer, the Jaguar dealer apparently favoured by the Queen, closing down having operated out of little more than a series of sheds for years, albeit high value ones on prime real estate, I've been thinking about the decline in small dealerships with manufacturer franchises.
There used to be a lot of small dealerships in small towns and villages with manufacturer franchises, often Ford. Now most have gone, out competed by large chains and killed by the demand from manufacturers that their dealerships have to be identikit gin palaces with a minimum sales volume.
One exception I've come across recently is this little Fiat dealership in Keswick.
http://keswickmotorcompany.co.uk/
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.5992738,-3.13647...
Does anyone else know of similar small dealerships that aren't gin palace showrooms belonging to chains but little backstreet places that have manufacturer franchises?
There used to be a lot of small dealerships in small towns and villages with manufacturer franchises, often Ford. Now most have gone, out competed by large chains and killed by the demand from manufacturers that their dealerships have to be identikit gin palaces with a minimum sales volume.
One exception I've come across recently is this little Fiat dealership in Keswick.
http://keswickmotorcompany.co.uk/
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.5992738,-3.13647...
Does anyone else know of similar small dealerships that aren't gin palace showrooms belonging to chains but little backstreet places that have manufacturer franchises?
Village Ford dealers local to us, been going for many years . The showroom is only big enough for 2 new cars.
http://www.stationgaragecaton.co.uk/
http://www.stationgaragecaton.co.uk/
I won't say where I'm based, however I work for a Renault franchise which is family owned, the location where I am is relatively small; 5 car showroom, in a very wealthy area, the building is situated on a main residential road, it kind of has the look of those Fiat dealerships posted up, however we do extremely well and smash all of our targets, we perform far better than you would expect a dealership of our size to perform.
We have another Renault dealership elsewhere, however that is more online with what you may expect a dealership to look like.
A few years ago we actually had someone from our area purchase a car from our other dealership as he felt that our set up wasn't in keeping with the sort of money that he wanted to spend; our CS scores for both sales and service and our repeat business is far greater than our sister branch, however with an attitude like his, we probably dodged a bullet.
We have another Renault dealership elsewhere, however that is more online with what you may expect a dealership to look like.
A few years ago we actually had someone from our area purchase a car from our other dealership as he felt that our set up wasn't in keeping with the sort of money that he wanted to spend; our CS scores for both sales and service and our repeat business is far greater than our sister branch, however with an attitude like his, we probably dodged a bullet.
Another ford ...Sidney Jackson & Sons. (Adlington)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Wilmslow+Rd,+M...
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Wilmslow+Rd,+M...
Iva Barchetta said:
There are some small Ford dealers not part of huge chains,usually in bit of a remote place.
Ford presumably want to keep an albeit small presence there.
Yes, indeed, would seem to be the case.Ford presumably want to keep an albeit small presence there.
Here's my local Ford dealer up here in the middle of the Scottish Highlands:-
http://www.woodlandsservicecentre.co.uk/
www.google.co.uk/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x48858df...
No showroom as such but you can buy a new Ford from them though volumes are tiny. They do sell a reasonable number of Ford Direct vehicles I recall + a steady stream of used cars sourced from their customers. (I think he recently sold a used Caterham?)
Great family-owned garage. Mike, the owner, was active in Scottish motor sport for a while. There's a lot of mechanical competence there and they do most of the spannering on my cars, including the M5.
Handy for those driving on the fabulous Old Military road:
http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/trackandtravel/292...
Small Ford garage in between a few villages by me, always lots of 3 year old fiesta and focuses on the forecourt.
Mechanics all look in their 70's when you drive past
http://www.smithsgarage.co.uk
Mechanics all look in their 70's when you drive past
http://www.smithsgarage.co.uk
Wilmslowboy said:
Another ford ...Sidney Jackson & Sons. (Adlington)
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Wilmslow+Rd,+M...
I was going to post this one, it has't changed at all in the 41 years I've been alive. I called in a few years ago to have a diagnostic test done and had a chat with old Mr Jackson who was lovely but as deaf as a post. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Wilmslow+Rd,+M...
I think the existence of these smaller dealerships relies to some extent on the largesse of the large chains. If they don't see the place as a threat, they don't bother to arrange its demise.
In my home town there were franchised dealers who had to close down because the large chains held the manufacturers to ransom - we'll open a gin palace if you dump these guys. Not fair, but it's the real world.
I have my car serviced by the local Kia dealer. They used to be VW agents, then Honda, and in both cases they had to "give in" to a large chain. The main agent for my car phoned the other day to ask why I didn't use them for servicing. They had problems understanding why I didn't want to spend 1 hour travelling there, another travelling back, and then the reverse when I picked up the car - 4 hours of my day gone just to use their services which cost more than the Kia dealer, who are honest and reliable and have got to know me over the years. We have a mutual respect.
In my home town there were franchised dealers who had to close down because the large chains held the manufacturers to ransom - we'll open a gin palace if you dump these guys. Not fair, but it's the real world.
I have my car serviced by the local Kia dealer. They used to be VW agents, then Honda, and in both cases they had to "give in" to a large chain. The main agent for my car phoned the other day to ask why I didn't use them for servicing. They had problems understanding why I didn't want to spend 1 hour travelling there, another travelling back, and then the reverse when I picked up the car - 4 hours of my day gone just to use their services which cost more than the Kia dealer, who are honest and reliable and have got to know me over the years. We have a mutual respect.
www.malcomwaite.com
2 small Ford Dealers in Sandwich & Deal Kent.
Both towns have small showrooms, 5 cars max & outdoor used displays at both sites, service dept in Deal is in same street but no idea of Sandwich.
In the 1980's Ford had a system whereby this type of dealer was known as a Retail Dealer & was effectively a sub branch of the nearest Main.
They would never be able to compete with the Main on price, the Retail Dealer would get a maximum 13% discount the Main upto 17.5%. Retail Dealers had no direct contact with Ford & had to order their cars through their Main Dealer.
One good thing for us was being able to transfer stock units to them on paper, thereby extending our credit on the car another 90 days.
Retail Dealers also got to attend Ford closed auctions & could buy used stock to retail.
This dealer I worked for in the 80's had at least 3 of these dealers under them & 2 in particular had a very good customer base who often bought a model with a lot of factory extras.
I would have been fascinated to see the discounts they offered their customers, our salesmen had authority to go to 11% without management intervention!!
Salesmen also did all finance paperwork themselves, from application to final signatures on the day the customer collected the car.
When I left the dealer to work elsewhere, they had just appointed their first 'Business Manager' an ex employee of a large finance group.
2 small Ford Dealers in Sandwich & Deal Kent.
Both towns have small showrooms, 5 cars max & outdoor used displays at both sites, service dept in Deal is in same street but no idea of Sandwich.
In the 1980's Ford had a system whereby this type of dealer was known as a Retail Dealer & was effectively a sub branch of the nearest Main.
They would never be able to compete with the Main on price, the Retail Dealer would get a maximum 13% discount the Main upto 17.5%. Retail Dealers had no direct contact with Ford & had to order their cars through their Main Dealer.
One good thing for us was being able to transfer stock units to them on paper, thereby extending our credit on the car another 90 days.
Retail Dealers also got to attend Ford closed auctions & could buy used stock to retail.
This dealer I worked for in the 80's had at least 3 of these dealers under them & 2 in particular had a very good customer base who often bought a model with a lot of factory extras.
I would have been fascinated to see the discounts they offered their customers, our salesmen had authority to go to 11% without management intervention!!
Salesmen also did all finance paperwork themselves, from application to final signatures on the day the customer collected the car.
When I left the dealer to work elsewhere, they had just appointed their first 'Business Manager' an ex employee of a large finance group.
There's a small independent family owned VW garage in Lisburn near me called Phillips Volkswagen, they have always been busy with customers who preferred the small business approach and the sales guys have been there for years rather than the big boys who have a high staff turn over.
Then last year they surprised everyone by buying a greenfield site and building the biggest most state of the art Volkswagen showroom in the country. It's absolutely fantastic. Apparently the sytner group were up the walls to VW about it but there was nothing they could do.
Good on them and every success.
Then last year they surprised everyone by buying a greenfield site and building the biggest most state of the art Volkswagen showroom in the country. It's absolutely fantastic. Apparently the sytner group were up the walls to VW about it but there was nothing they could do.
Good on them and every success.
irish boy said:
There's a small independent family owned VW garage in Lisburn near me called Phillips Volkswagen, they have always been busy with customers who preferred the small business approach and the sales guys have been there for years rather than the big boys who have a high staff turn over.
Then last year they surprised everyone by buying a greenfield site and building the biggest most state of the art Volkswagen showroom in the country. It's absolutely fantastic. Apparently the sytner group were up the walls to VW about it but there was nothing they could do.
Good on them and every success.
I'm quite surprised that Agnews didn't put in an objection. Boucher Road isn't that far away. Charles Hurst and Agnews have NI sewn up.Then last year they surprised everyone by buying a greenfield site and building the biggest most state of the art Volkswagen showroom in the country. It's absolutely fantastic. Apparently the sytner group were up the walls to VW about it but there was nothing they could do.
Good on them and every success.
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