Arnold gets another one
Discussion
Only just noticed this, thought Id put the facts up as there seems to be a lot of speculation.
As of the 31st of December after 49years Woods Garage will no longer be a Vauxhall main dealer. Contrary to a lot of speculation we are not closing as a business, we haven't sold out to Arnold Clark etc. it is mearly the franchise side of the business that is changing.
We are currently in talks with other manufacturers at present (for obvious reasons I cant give any detail on that side), but our nearly new car business and workshop/bodyshop will continue as normal (our new car & Motability side will continue as normal until the end of the year also).
As yet we have not been able to fully communicate developments with our customers as we only received notice from Vauxhall 4 weeks ago.
I believe that Vauxhall have given over the franchise to Arnold Clark who will be changing their Carmondean site over from Nissan to Vauxhall
Hope that helps to clear things up, if there are any quesitons I will answer what I can.
As of the 31st of December after 49years Woods Garage will no longer be a Vauxhall main dealer. Contrary to a lot of speculation we are not closing as a business, we haven't sold out to Arnold Clark etc. it is mearly the franchise side of the business that is changing.
We are currently in talks with other manufacturers at present (for obvious reasons I cant give any detail on that side), but our nearly new car business and workshop/bodyshop will continue as normal (our new car & Motability side will continue as normal until the end of the year also).
As yet we have not been able to fully communicate developments with our customers as we only received notice from Vauxhall 4 weeks ago.
I believe that Vauxhall have given over the franchise to Arnold Clark who will be changing their Carmondean site over from Nissan to Vauxhall
Hope that helps to clear things up, if there are any quesitons I will answer what I can.
Edited by 2DDav on Thursday 25th September 16:45
Edited by 2DDav on Wednesday 24th December 12:02
2DDav said:
Only just noticed this, thought Id put the facts up as there seems to be a lot of speculation.
As of the 31st of December after 49years Woods Garage will no longer be a Vauxhall main dealer. Contrary to a lot of speculation we are not closing as a business, we haven't sold out to Arnold Clark etc. it is mearly the franchise side of the business that is changing.
We are currently in talks with other manufacturers at present (for obvious reasons I cant give any detail on that side), but our nearly new car business and workshop/bodyshop will continue as normal (our new car & Motability side will continue as normal until the end of the year also).
As yet we have not been able to fully communicate developments with our customers as we only received notice from Vauxhall 4 weeks ago.
I believe that Vauxhall have given over the franchise to Arnold Clark who will be changing their Carmondean site over from Nissan to Vauxhall(I believe Nissan and Arnold Clark may have had a parting off the ways, however that is speculation).
Hope that helps to clear things up, if there are any quesitons I will answer what I can.
Was this a surprise to yourselves or did you have an idea it was on the cards even before Vauxhall confirmed it for definite? As of the 31st of December after 49years Woods Garage will no longer be a Vauxhall main dealer. Contrary to a lot of speculation we are not closing as a business, we haven't sold out to Arnold Clark etc. it is mearly the franchise side of the business that is changing.
We are currently in talks with other manufacturers at present (for obvious reasons I cant give any detail on that side), but our nearly new car business and workshop/bodyshop will continue as normal (our new car & Motability side will continue as normal until the end of the year also).
As yet we have not been able to fully communicate developments with our customers as we only received notice from Vauxhall 4 weeks ago.
I believe that Vauxhall have given over the franchise to Arnold Clark who will be changing their Carmondean site over from Nissan to Vauxhall(I believe Nissan and Arnold Clark may have had a parting off the ways, however that is speculation).
Hope that helps to clear things up, if there are any quesitons I will answer what I can.
Edited by 2DDav on Thursday 25th September 16:45
Do you know why they've decided to terminate your franchise? Was it up for renewal/due to terminate at the end of the year anyway and they've just decided not to renew it?
I really hope you get a franchise sorted out to keep afloat, I've seen too many small independent franchises who provide good customer care lose their franchise to Arnies big chrome and glass palaces and try to stay in business without a new car franchise and fold soon after due to lost revenue from new car sales and the service/workshop income that brings in the form of warranty work and servicing.
I think between Arnie, Halshaws and Vardys it must be their aim to control every Vauxhall dealership in Scotland, the amount of rivals they've bought up/taken over over the years and still are now, Kerr and Smith Ayr and Curtis Motors Dalgety Bay this year and Belmont Edinburgh and Aberdeen, Ian Grieve Stirling, Devonvale Alloa, Halleys of Milngavie in the past 5 or 6 years, And now pinched the franchise from Woods.
Edited by HendryG on Thursday 25th September 17:34
As far as it goes, it came as a surprise to us. Again cant go into much detail in a public arena as to what the full in's and out's are. However it was certainly ironic news given we were in line to win Vauxhall's customer service award for this year (would have been for the third time and the second time for the nation wide award).
But as they say, them's the breaks we can only look at taking the business forward from here and onto pastures new.
And yes, even since I started on the sales side 12years ago there has been a massive reduction in the number of independant dealers (more than half the number since I first started between buy outs etc.).
But as they say, them's the breaks we can only look at taking the business forward from here and onto pastures new.
And yes, even since I started on the sales side 12years ago there has been a massive reduction in the number of independant dealers (more than half the number since I first started between buy outs etc.).
2DDav said:
As far as it goes, it came as a surprise to us. Again cant go into much detail in a public arena as to what the full in's and out's are. However it was certainly ironic news given we were in line to win Vauxhall's customer service award for this year (would have been for the third time and the second time for the nation wide award).
But as they say, them's the breaks we can only look at taking the business forward from here and onto pastures new.
And yes, even since I started on the sales side 12years ago there has been a massive reduction in the number of independant dealers (more than half the number since I first started between buy outs etc.).
Well best of luck to you, hopefully you find a way of keeping the business successful. But as they say, them's the breaks we can only look at taking the business forward from here and onto pastures new.
And yes, even since I started on the sales side 12years ago there has been a massive reduction in the number of independant dealers (more than half the number since I first started between buy outs etc.).
On a side note was it yourself who sometimes did features in Total Vauxhall about used cars?
A real shame but I guess Vauxhall/GM feel they can get a better deal from AC and AC feel that with volume they can secure a better deal too. Could it be classed as anti-competitive for one dealer chain to hold the Franchise for an entire brand in such a large area? I hope you find a manufacturer more in tunr with Indy dealers rather than big chains.
I've often wondered if a Subaru dealer in more Central Scotland would work. The closest one is either Glasgow or SE Edinburgh.
I've often wondered if a Subaru dealer in more Central Scotland would work. The closest one is either Glasgow or SE Edinburgh.
MissChief said:
A real shame but I guess Vauxhall/GM feel they can get a better deal from AC and AC feel that with volume they can secure a better deal too. Could it be classed as anti-competitive for one dealer chain to hold the Franchise for an entire brand in such a large area? I hope you find a manufacturer more in tunr with Indy dealers rather than big chains.
I've often wondered if a Subaru dealer in more Central Scotland would work. The closest one is either Glasgow or SE Edinburgh.
There's a Subaru dealership in FalkirkI've often wondered if a Subaru dealer in more Central Scotland would work. The closest one is either Glasgow or SE Edinburgh.
Well I have to say AC recently looked after me very well ....
I bought a new VX Antarra 18/12 ago which was simply awful especially wrt DPF -which is not covered under the lifetime warranty
I contacted VX customer care who basically laughed in my face and denied all of the well documented issues with the DPF
They in turn told me i had to resolve this issue with the dealer ,ie AC who sold me the vehicle and they intimated my driving style didn't suit the vehicle-apparently the way I was driving didn't regenerate the DPF
Having established from Honest John in the Daily Telegraph that there are well documented DPF faults , I then spoke to the manager in Dundee AC and told them they had clearly mis sold me the vehicle as it wasn't fit for purpose .
No arguments -the manager was understanding and promptly sorted me out and swapped me into a CRV iVTEC with no cash for the change over which was a great deal [actually 4k more than any other dealer had offered me for the Antarra ]
So fair play to AC who did the decent thing -because they get a lot of bad press for customer service
I suspect that as with any other dealership the service varies from branch to branch
I bought a new VX Antarra 18/12 ago which was simply awful especially wrt DPF -which is not covered under the lifetime warranty
I contacted VX customer care who basically laughed in my face and denied all of the well documented issues with the DPF
They in turn told me i had to resolve this issue with the dealer ,ie AC who sold me the vehicle and they intimated my driving style didn't suit the vehicle-apparently the way I was driving didn't regenerate the DPF
Having established from Honest John in the Daily Telegraph that there are well documented DPF faults , I then spoke to the manager in Dundee AC and told them they had clearly mis sold me the vehicle as it wasn't fit for purpose .
No arguments -the manager was understanding and promptly sorted me out and swapped me into a CRV iVTEC with no cash for the change over which was a great deal [actually 4k more than any other dealer had offered me for the Antarra ]
So fair play to AC who did the decent thing -because they get a lot of bad press for customer service
I suspect that as with any other dealership the service varies from branch to branch
HendryG said:
Well best of luck to you, hopefully you find a way of keeping the business successful.
On a side note was it yourself who sometimes did features in Total Vauxhall about used cars?
Thanks sure we will find a way through.On a side note was it yourself who sometimes did features in Total Vauxhall about used cars?
And yes it was myself that done Eye on the Market, unfortunately due to a decline in magazine sales they eventually had to drop around 20% off their printed content so several features had to go including mine (I was replaced by adverts for porn lines lol).
After a lifetime of drama very little shocks me however I was very sad to hear about Woods losing the
Vauxhall franchise. I would like to say I hope you all recover and prosper. My only advice on a humourous
note would be to keep away from Moskvich's LOL.
Best of luck from downunder...
Vauxhall franchise. I would like to say I hope you all recover and prosper. My only advice on a humourous
note would be to keep away from Moskvich's LOL.
Best of luck from downunder...
I heard rumours of Arnold sniffing about Calterdon BMW in Inverness, really hope that isn't true as they are fantastic.
I will never buy a car from them - went to have a look round one of their garages a few months ago and the salesman could not have been worse. Blatantly lied about the cars and was incredibly pushy and bordering on rude.
Other garages in the close vicinity were the complete opposite - could not have been better.
I will never buy a car from them - went to have a look round one of their garages a few months ago and the salesman could not have been worse. Blatantly lied about the cars and was incredibly pushy and bordering on rude.
Other garages in the close vicinity were the complete opposite - could not have been better.
[quote=BorkFactor]I heard rumours of Arnold sniffing about Calterdon BMW in Inverness, really hope that isn't true as they are fantastic.
See my post on page one. They have indeed bought Calterdon and will be building a new showroom on the site of the Clydesdale bank. I believe the site was bought with H.I.S. so another access/exit could be made into that part of Seafield road. Think they applied for planning within the last 2 weeks.
See my post on page one. They have indeed bought Calterdon and will be building a new showroom on the site of the Clydesdale bank. I believe the site was bought with H.I.S. so another access/exit could be made into that part of Seafield road. Think they applied for planning within the last 2 weeks.
andym1603 said:
See my post on page one. They have indeed bought Calterdon and will be building a new showroom on the site of the Clydesdale bank. I believe the site was bought with H.I.S. so another access/exit could be made into that part of Seafield road. Think they applied for planning within the last 2 weeks.
Ah sorry, missed that one! What a shame, I hope it doesn't ruin the excellent service you get in there. Interesting to hear they are moving into the Clydesdale premises, I thought the Mercedes garage were taking that one over.
BorkFactor said:
Ah sorry, missed that one!
What a shame, I hope it doesn't ruin the excellent service you get in there. Interesting to hear they are moving into the Clydesdale premises, I thought the Mercedes garage were taking that one over.
Which is also owned by Arnold. Trading under John Wier name. Think they also own the land where Magnet are.What a shame, I hope it doesn't ruin the excellent service you get in there. Interesting to hear they are moving into the Clydesdale premises, I thought the Mercedes garage were taking that one over.
andym1603 said:
Which is also owned by Arnold. Trading under John Wier name. Think they also own the land where Magnet are.
The John Weir name went when they took over,it's just Mercedes Benz of Inverness now.They keep the Arnold Clark name away from the likes of Merc and BMW dealers because Arnie is more associated with cheaper brands and they think customers will be put of by this.This is what i was told anyway when i worked for them.BMW dealers are run under the Harry Fairbairn name,the old Calterdon has been for quite a while now.
Saftlad said:
You go into Grassicks in Perth and ask Collin Grassick who owns it.
I googled "cameron motors grassicks BMW perth" and the third on the list is a page Facebook page link for Grassicks which says "we are part of the Cameron Group, a family owned and run business since 1929" hence where I got the idea Cameron's owned Grassicks, if this is incorrect, apologies. On another note, I notice Arnold has finally rebranded Machargs at South Street as an Arnold Clark Motorstore as well as the Ford/Mazda/Nissan franchises. Only taken them about 30 years. End of an era though with the end of the Machargs name.
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