Verve - in Administration

[Craigie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-bus...

It must be tough in Scotland if you are not Arnold Clark !

Went into the Verve Kia dealership in Bathgate during the summer, was in for 20 mins looking at a car, sitting in it, lifting boot mats etc , obviously not just tyre kicking, but got not as much as a raised eyebrow from the sales guy.

Eventually left without having spoken to anyone.

[Allandwf]

I remember going into a Seat dealership, much the same. Spent good 1/2 hr - 45 mins looking over cars, eventually went to sales desk, " you need to speak to..." where is he? "lunch"! when will he be back? shrug n a mumble, ok do you have any brochures? No, there online though.. It's ok dont bother, needless to say closed now, thankfully.

[chr15b]

Strange, Stockport seat was similar.. Only bloke doing any work was phoning previous customers asking if they wanted to change their car.

Got bored and walked out eventually.

[HendryG]

I'd like to say it came as a surprise but I had a feeling last week, I passes their Coatbridge branch and there were 6 cars on sale. Site was otherwise empty.

It's been a long time coming IMO, their branches were a bit of a mess tbh, started with the closure of the Lanark dealership, then they lost. Peugeot at the Coatbridge branch, the Kilmarnock Campbell street site lost a load of franchises, then eventually moved back to Crookedholm where it lost more franchises. Then the VW branches got punted to Arnold Clark, they sold their body shop to another company that. Charlie Adair the MD was involved in, and their sites were always short on cars, poorly prepped etc

The only questions remaining are who will scoop up their sites/dealerships/franchises

[Craigie]

The only questions remaining are who will scoop up their sites/dealerships/franchises

Can only speak for Coatbridge & Bathgate but the locations would certainly not be in the sought after category.

[Angelus]

HendryG said:

I'd like to say it came as a surprise but I had a feeling last week, I passes their Coatbridge branch and there were 6 cars on sale. Site was otherwise empty.

It's been a long time coming IMO, their branches were a bit of a mess tbh, started with the closure of the Lanark dealership, then they lost. Peugeot at the Coatbridge branch, the Kilmarnock Campbell street site lost a load of franchises, then eventually moved back to Crookedholm where it lost more franchises. Then the VW branches got punted to Arnold Clark, they sold their body shop to another company that. Charlie Adair the MD was involved in, and their sites were always short on cars, poorly prepped etc

The only questions remaining are who will scoop up their sites/dealerships/franchises

Which Lanark dealership?

[dxg]

Surprised by that, as their VW dealership in Rutherglen was pretty good. I never actually bought new from them, but did chew the cud with a few of their sales guys when in for parts or servicing and they struck me as knowledgeable and decent. Their servicing and parts people were excellent.

I did notice they'd shut down their commercial side a while back so maybe that was a sign.

[wav8]

Not sure the Crookedholm site would be a priority buy sad for people loosing jobs though,site was empty apart from one Seat yesterday

[Dinoboy]

Not surprised at al, I've never experienced worse service.
Actually put us off owning Volkswagens.

[HendryG]

Angelus said:

HendryG said:

I'd like to say it came as a surprise but I had a feeling last week, I passes their Coatbridge branch and there were 6 cars on sale. Site was otherwise empty.

It's been a long time coming IMO, their branches were a bit of a mess tbh, started with the closure of the Lanark dealership, then they lost. Peugeot at the Coatbridge branch, the Kilmarnock Campbell street site lost a load of franchises, then eventually moved back to Crookedholm where it lost more franchises. Then the VW branches got punted to Arnold Clark, they sold their body shop to another company that. Charlie Adair the MD was involved in, and their sites were always short on cars, poorly prepped etc

The only questions remaining are who will scoop up their sites/dealerships/franchises

Which Lanark dealership?

They had a Citroen showroom in Lanark they acquired when they bought the Motorway Cars group incorporating that and the Coatbridge and Bathgate dealerships,

They also owned VW dealerships in Dumfries and Carlisle which got sold to Benfield. I think their problem was they bought over a few places as the recession hit in order to try and increase turnover and weather the storm and it's clearly backfired.

When I said the only question was who will get their sites I meant I wondered who will buy the land and redevelop for flats or build shops etc on them and who will get the Citroen/Kia franchises for North Lanarkshire, Peugeot/Kia for West Lothian, VW vans in Glasgow and Seat in Ayrshire, Seat no doubt bring a priority as since Verve are no more Ayrshire doesn't have a Seat dealer at all now.

[Angelus]

HendryG said:

Angelus said:

HendryG said:

I'd like to say it came as a surprise but I had a feeling last week, I passes their Coatbridge branch and there were 6 cars on sale. Site was otherwise empty.

It's been a long time coming IMO, their branches were a bit of a mess tbh, started with the closure of the Lanark dealership, then they lost. Peugeot at the Coatbridge branch, the Kilmarnock Campbell street site lost a load of franchises, then eventually moved back to Crookedholm where it lost more franchises. Then the VW branches got punted to Arnold Clark, they sold their body shop to another company that. Charlie Adair the MD was involved in, and their sites were always short on cars, poorly prepped etc

The only questions remaining are who will scoop up their sites/dealerships/franchises

Which Lanark dealership?

They had a Citroen showroom in Lanark they acquired when they bought the Motorway Cars group.

Ahh, yes the one that moved from the foot of the town to the industrial estate just outside. I'm sure it's still lying empty.

[750turbo]

Just seen this in the Scottish version of the Daily Mail.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/sc...

Disgusting!

Their old site in Kilmarnock (which was Bickets) has been taken over by Bridgend, I think they WILL do it right there. They seem to be very shrewd...

How they ever expected the Crookedholm site to survive with SEAT and Mazda (I think) is beyond me.

I am sure the "Usual Suspects" will be hovering

[HendryG]

750turbo said:

Just seen this in the Scottish version of the Daily Mail.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/sc...

Disgusting!

Their old site in Kilmarnock (which was Bickets) has been taken over by Bridgend, I think they WILL do it right there. They seem to be very shrewd...

How they ever expected the Crookedholm site to survive with SEAT and Mazda (I think) is beyond me.

I am sure the "Usual Suspects" will be hovering

Don't forget that well known and highly successful 4x4 franchise they had too, of course I mean those rubbish SsangYongs.

I doubt Arnold Clark will have any interest in the sites, possibly the franchises that Verve operated in the territories they operated them but not the physical Verve premises, if they were they would've presumably bought those sites when they bought Verves VW sites last August.

God knows what they were upto with the Crookedholm site, when they moved out the first time when they bought Bickets and moved the Hyundai/Suzuki franchises to Campbell street they sat empty for sale/lease until Verve moved back in, not entirely sure why they even bought Bickets who were relatively successful to ruin the business, move out of the premises and bin/lose most of the franchises. I remember a story in the kilmarnock standard when they moved from Csmpbell street back to Crookedholm, saying Campbell street was up for sale/lease but that they wouldn't entertain letting another car dealership have it, well that was clearly a lie since bridgend now own it.

[kmm]

I bought my caddy van from Verve VW van centre in Glasgow around 2010. I found them very helpful and had no probs with them. Back then they had plenty of stock and the salesmen i delt with were all good.

[FamilyDub]

Ditto the VW at Bogside. The 2-3 time I dealt with service they were excellent.

Haven't been back since Uncle Arnold took over, so we'll see whats what at service.

[750turbo]

Looks like Lookers have bought the Van Centre, so some Christmas Cheer for the employees, if they are still there.

http://www.am-online.com/news/2013/12/17/lookers-a...

[Humper]

750turbo said:

How they ever expected the Crookedholm site to survive with SEAT and Mazda (I think) is beyond me.

I am sure the "Usual Suspects" will be hovering

Maybe Alex Young will resurrect Calex Car Sales.....

[750turbo]

Humper said:

750turbo said:

How they ever expected the Crookedholm site to survive with SEAT and Mazda (I think) is beyond me.

I am sure the "Usual Suspects" will be hovering

Maybe Alex Young will resurrect Calex Car Sales.....

Hehe...

Calex!

[BMR]

I see Ingrams has got the Seat franchise for Ayrshire from Janauary, no info on the location yet.

Not a surprise given their VAG links.

[750turbo]

BMR said:

I see Ingrams has got the Seat franchise for Ayrshire from Janauary, no info on the location yet.

Not a surprise given their VAG links.

Interesting...

They have a used car outlet on Heathfield Rd, just along from their other two branches, my guess is that it would be in there.

Good call on their behalf I think.