Harwoods

[South tdf]

It seems Harwoods Chichester will be shutting their doors next week.

What are people’s opinions on Pangbourne or Bristol for servicing?

[LTP]

I can't offer an opinion, but you seem to have accidentally started two identical threads.

It might be worth you deleting the other to avoid a forked thread with replies in both

[South tdf]

LTP said:

I can't offer an opinion, but you seem to have accidentally started two identical threads.

It might be worth you deleting the other to avoid a forked thread with replies in both

Looks like someone had done it. Stupid I-phones…

[LTP]

South tdf said:

Looks like someone had done it.

The mods here can be on the ball if they notice or someone tells them

[Dewi 2]

It is a great shame. A family business with extensive dealerships, many being JLR.
They have been very loyal to Aston Martin for a considerable time and recently, (probably) the first UK dealer to deliver a customer Valhalla.

I gather that losses have been increasing for the past two years, so it must reveal how difficult the trade has become.
Land Rover sales must have been reasonably strong for them, judging by the number of new ones we see on the roads, but even so, financial losses occurred. The overheads must be huge for franchised motor dealers, with such lavish premises (probably required by manufacturers image branding), and acres of stock sitting around on stocking finance plans.

I think the JLR part has been sold, but the AM part is being closed. They spoke about having seven new AM cars looking for customers, at attractive prices.

What is happening at HR Owen in Cheltenham? They have the ex-Bentley part, now specialist prestige used cars, and the Aston Martin part. Are they are both moving to different nearby premises, or just the used prestige part?

[camel_landy]

Dewi 2 said:

What is happening at HR Owen in Cheltenham? They have the ex-Bentley part, now specialist prestige used cars, and the Aston Martin part. Are they are both moving to different nearby premises, or just the used prestige part?

Dunno about Bentley but the Aston Martin bit has closed its doors.

M

[reddiesel]

camel_landy said:

Dunno about Bentley but the Aston Martin bit has closed its doors.

M

Thats a genuine surprise as I bought my last Vantage there back in 22 . In comparison to HWM I found the Salesman totally disinterested with little enthusiasm for the Product .

[Dewi 2]

So we now know of two AM dealerships being closed.
The overheads of operating a franchised motor dealer these days, with the lavish premises and huge sums tied up in stock, must be a constant heavy burden. Profit margins of main dealers can be very slim.
Here is an example;

H R Owen
Year ending 30 June 2024

New cars sold 1,162
Used cars sold 1,691

Revenue £ 557 million
After tax Profit £1 million

The Broughtons of Cheltenham subsidiary;
Revenue £118 million
Pre-tax Loss ... £3 million

Certainly not an easy business sector.

I was puzzled by the relocation of the AM Sevenoaks dealer to Tunbridge Wells.
The owner replaced their Nissan dealership in TW. High volume to low volume.
Perhaps they are continuing Nissan at different premises.

[VantageHead]

Dewi 2 said:

I was puzzled by the relocation of the AM Sevenoaks dealer to Tunbridge Wells.
The owner replaced their Nissan dealership in TW. High volume to low volume.
Perhaps they are continuing Nissan at different premises.

From talking to staff, I believe that there were many business advantages for Marshall’s to relocate their showroom from Sevenoaks to TW:

1. Planned refurbishment of the Sevenoaks Showroom had been postponed for many years by previous franchise holders (Lancaster, Stratstone, Lithua & Drive, etc.) and the showroom was starting to fall into disrepair (broken A/C, leaks, tatty exterior). I’m sure AML were not happy with the standard that the facilities had fallen to!
2. Original plans to use the empty (ex-JLR) showroom plot adjacent on the Sevenoaks Aston showroom were deemed too expensive and the ‘can had been kicked down the road’ many times on making a decision (by successive groups).
3. Service and Sales were inconveniently split at Sevenoaks, whereas at TW, they are more conveniently located under the same roof.
4. Moving to TW means that Marshall’s no longer have to pay rent to Lithua & Drive for the Sevenoaks showroom or service centre.
5. TW site gives opportunity to locate AML next to other premium car brand showrooms (Bentley, Lamborghini). In Sevenoaks, the neighbour was a noisy metal salvaging company!
6. Marshalls had sufficient other UK Nissan showrooms for customers to use (Ashford, Maidstone, Cambridge, Dartford, Doncaster, Grantham, Leicester, Lincoln, Oxford and Reading).

[camel_landy]

reddiesel said:

camel_landy said:

Dunno about Bentley but the Aston Martin bit has closed its doors.

Thats a genuine surprise as I bought my last Vantage there back in 22 . In comparison to HWM I found the Salesman totally disinterested with little enthusiasm for the Product .

I'm not... I went in there last year and the guy I spoke to wasn't interested.

M

[alscar]

Given the area it’s both surprising ( and worrying) that AM Cheltenham has had to close.

[Dewi 2]

VantageHead said:

From talking to staff, I believe that there were many business advantages for Marshall s to relocate their showroom from Sevenoaks to TW:

1. Planned refurbishment of the Sevenoaks Showroom had been postponed for many years by previous franchise holders (Lancaster, Stratstone, Lithua & Drive, etc.) and the showroom was starting to fall into disrepair (broken A/C, leaks, tatty exterior). I m sure AML were not happy with the standard that the facilities had fallen to!
2. Original plans to use the empty (ex-JLR) showroom plot adjacent on the Sevenoaks Aston showroom were deemed too expensive and the can had been kicked down the road many times on making a decision (by successive groups).
3. Service and Sales were inconveniently split at Sevenoaks, whereas at TW, they are more conveniently located under the same roof.
4. Moving to TW means that Marshall s no longer have to pay rent to Lithua & Drive for the Sevenoaks showroom or service centre.
5. TW site gives opportunity to locate AML next to other premium car brand showrooms (Bentley, Lamborghini). In Sevenoaks, the neighbour was a noisy metal salvaging company!
6. Marshalls had sufficient other UK Nissan showrooms for customers to use (Ashford, Maidstone, Cambridge, Dartford, Doncaster, Grantham, Leicester, Lincoln, Oxford and Reading).

Thank you. They certainly have many reasons to have made that move.
I wish them well.

As I have mentioned previously, being a motor main dealer is certainly not an easy business.

Marshall Motor Group for the year ending 31 March 2024;
Revenue = £1.4 billion.
After tax Profit = £2 million
It reveals the enormous costs involved.

Reminds me of that old joke. How do you make £1 million in the - - - - business?
Start with £2 million.

[Dewi 2]

alscar said:

Given the area it's both surprising (and worrying) that AM Cheltenham has had to close.

Indeed.

The origins of that business began immediately after the Second World War.
Broughtons of Cheltenham was a prominent Rolls-Royce and Bentley dealership founded in 1946 by Commander Broughton. 

For several decades they occupied very noticeable corner premises in the centre of Cheltenham. I can remember seeing the display of Rolls Royce and Bentley cars, almost on the pavement.

[alscar]

I think HR Owens bought them as far back as 2011 (?) although my first Aston ( SP10 ) came from there in 2013 and all the paperwork still had Broughtons name on.

[Octavarium]

South tdf said:

It seems Harwoods Chichester will be shutting their doors next week.

I was genuinely sorry to see that when I read about it yesterday. I arranged a deal with them only last month for a DB11 AMR, and couldn't have been happier with the service I received. I live almost 200 miles from the Chichester dealership, so everything was negotiated from a distance. I drove down the day before, stayed over, and part-exchanged the following morning. The presentation and handover of the car was first class.

[Caslad]

Never good to see a business closing but the service I received from both Aston & JLR sides of Harwoods was bang average at best.

[camel_landy]

Dewi 2 said:

For several decades they occupied very noticeable corner premises in the centre of Cheltenham.

Trying to work out if that building still exists... Do you know what's on that spot now?

M

[Dewi 2]

camel_landy said:

Dewi 2 said:

For several decades they occupied very noticeable corner premises in the centre of Cheltenham.

Trying to work out if that building still exists... Do you know what's on that spot now?

M

I think this is the building.
Does it match with the old photo?
A pity that tree is in the way, but you can probably see more by moving along Google Maps (Streetview).
The building has been extended on the Charlton Kings side. Those chimneys marked the edge of the building in the old photo.

Edited by Dewi 2 on Thursday 18th December 20:59

[nickv12]

South tdf said:

It seems Harwoods Chichester will be shutting their doors next week.

What are people s opinions on Pangbourne or Bristol for servicing?

I can recommend HWM and Bristol from personal experience. Also Aston Installations, Tewkesbury, for work outside the MD network, especially electronics.

AM Birmingham also have very swish new premises, but I’ve only visited there.

[camel_landy]

Dewi 2 said:

I think this is the building.
Does it match with the old photo?
A pity that tree is in the way, but you can probably see more by moving along Google Maps (Streetview).
The building has been extended on the Charlton Kings side. Those chimneys marked the edge of the building in the old photo.

Ah ha!!

Thanks, that makes perfect sense. I clocked a blue plaque when looking on Google, so I thought I'd pop out at lunch for a quick look....

No mention of Broughtons but in 1888 H.H.Martyn & Co. was founded there, which then led to Glos. Aircraft Co. and Dowtys. Although it's now a load of apartments, it is all still one building, with plenty of parking front & rear.

Apologies for the OT detour.

M