Motor Trade RIP (1888-2008)

pburns

ned78 wrote: »

If a Dealer had a choice to work from a 10000 Euro Portacabin, or a 13 Million glass palace, which would he choose?

Any dealer who spent that sort of money on site and swanky showroom dserves to go tits up. There seemed to be an assumption that the good times would roll-on-and-on-and-on forever.

I know a local guy who had the opportunity to take on a big marque with the glass-plated showroom at the height of the madness. He couldn't see the sense in it and TBH at the time I thought he was being too conservative. But he was right...

The manufacturers are as much to blame as anyone. Business has become saturated with bull****ty marketing/image/PR-types who insist on the whole brand-building crapology. It's the same reason every model in a range now has a 'corporate nose'.

ninty9er

Thaddeus Prickly Nutshell wrote: »

This has to be one of the most ridicules posts I have ever seen on boards.
Its attitudes like this that has given people such a bad opinion of dealers.

+1

Sell at a loss, absorb it in the balance sheet at year end. If it costs a €2m loss to a large dealer to shift 200 cars it'll be worth it for the repeat business opportunity and disposal of a car that's sitting on the forecour for over a year or in some cases 4-5 years.

samsemtex

cowenstaff wrote: »

In to great words of Robert DeNiro - if you can't afford the car "buy a f**king Honda"

You are the problem with dealers. Do you really expect pity with that attitude? Its obviously what you are looking for since you posted that great sob story at the start of the thread.

So your attitude is that if you buy a premium car you should be shafted for services? The materials they use are generally pretty standard on a service and Mercedes service times are no longer/shorter than most other cars.

With that in mind can you explain to me, my good man, why i should pay €55 for wiper blades? Come up with one logical reason as to why a set of wiper blades should cost that much.

BostonB

In fairness the motor trade had nothing to do with the current downturn..... its just happy coincidence.

cowenstaff

samsemtex wrote: »

You are the problem with dealers. Do you really expect pity with that attitude? Its obviously what you are looking for since you posted that great sob story at the start of the thread.

So your attitude is that if you buy a premium car you should be shafted for services? The materials they use are generally pretty standard on a service and Mercedes service times are no longer/shorter than most other cars.

With that in mind can you explain to me, my good man, why i should pay €55 for wiper blades? Come up with one logical reason as to why a set of wiper blades should cost that much.

Because, thats what they cost - if you want to put cheap ****e on your expensive car - go to Lidl - Mr. 'fur coat - no knickers!'

maidhc

cowenstaff wrote: »

Because, thats what they cost - if you want to put cheap ****e on your expensive car - go to Lidl - Mr. 'fur coat - no knickers!'

pred racer

BostonB wrote: »

In fairness the motor trade had nothing to do with the current downturn..... its just happy coincidence.

niceirishfella

I worked in the trade for many a year........and its sad to see old collegues being let go as a result of greed. But as for the managers/operators/owners - you reep what you sow.
I witnessed clocking,botch repairs and misleading billing etc.The way they did business was awful - unashamed glutany and they made lots of money,built big glass fronted mecca's with offices up the back in ivory towers to look down on their victims and minnions.:eek:
I wish them well going forwards - maybe a big healty dollop of reality will make them change their ways. But I doubt it - if a boom started again in the morning, they'd be up to their old shananigans immediately.:mad:

So, the party is long over - but who's going to show up at the wake? Well, not me anyways.:P

pred racer

I wont be there for the wake......... but I might arrive for the liquidation sale;)

maidhc

pred racer wrote: »

I wont be there for the wake......... but I might arrive for the liquidation sale;)

Could be a couple of us waiting for that... and we will all buy prestige cars and fit lidl wipers.

mikemac

Sadly, it'll be the apprentice mechanics and junior sales & reception staff all on low wages who will be the first to be let go.

Senior staff and fat cat directors who were in a position to stop dodgy practices will make sure they look after themselves

Always the way I suppose

traco

cowenstaff wrote: »

Because, thats what they cost - if you want to put cheap ****e on your expensive car - go to Lidl - Mr. 'fur coat - no knickers!'

This is crap - I supply to the manufacturers that supply the big brands and the same factories manufacture for MB, BMW, Nissan etc etc and the qulaity is all to the same level. Now what companies mark up is an entirely different story but a fair mark up would be acceptable to customers but hundreds of percent is a rip off. The majority of consumables are third party so they should be priced accordingly.

Link to Bosch wiper blades for MB for GBP£6.50

niceirishfella

traco wrote: »

This is crap - I supply to the manufacturers that supply the big brands and the same factories manufacture for MB, BMW, Nissan etc etc and the qulaity is all to the same level. Now what companies mark up is an entirely different story but a fair mark up would be acceptable to customers but hundreds of percent is a rip off. The majority of consumables are third party so they should be priced accordingly.

Link to Bosch wiper blades for MB for GBP£6.50

yes, but they are not "special" like the "special" wipers for €55 see??????:D

traco

niceirishfella wrote: »

yes, but they are not "special" like the "special" wipers for €55 see??????:D

The others must come with the motor attached or maybe they can see for the driver and you don't need to wipe the windscreen

itarumaa

You find things like this

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=96480

and there is still need to feel pity for Dealers?

-Chris-

traco wrote: »

This is crap - I supply to the manufacturers that supply the big brands and the same factories manufacture for MB, BMW, Nissan etc etc and the qulaity is all to the same level. Now what companies mark up is an entirely different story but a fair mark up would be acceptable to customers but hundreds of percent is a rip off. The majority of consumables are third party so they should be priced accordingly.

Can you also find examples of Philips DVD players and Alba DVD players using the same components? Or HP and Tesco computers using the same components?
Does Lidl Cola taste very similar to Coke?

This kind of pricing based on brand appeal (or as a result of marketing & infrastructure spend) is prevalent in many, many industries.
For some reason everyone personalises the motor industry, I've never heard anyone (except for the anti-Globalisation consipracy nuts) hoping that Coca-Cola get their comeuppance, or saying that Marks and Spencers deserve to go bust.

Can someone tell me why there's such vitriol for the motor industry?
-I've received bad service from Power City, but I never said "mwahaha, I hope they fail". I just don't shop there anymore.
-Cleary's Homeware wouldn't match a quote from Frank McGowan Furniture on a bed I was buying, but I never thought "greedy b*stards deserve to lose their jobs". I just didn't buy there.
-Starbucks charge €4 for a coffee that costs €2.60 next door in Dunnes, I never called them robbers - I JUST DON'T SHOP THERE!

Why do the motor dealers get singled out for such vitriol?

maidhc

AudiChris wrote: »

Why do the motor dealers get singled out for such vitriol?

Because this is the motors forum. It would be really really weird if we were discussing anything else.

niceirishfella

AudiChris wrote: »

Why do the motor dealers get singled out for such vitriol?

Its not just motor dealers getting it in the neck at the moment - its the banks, property developers,supermarkets (food prices),petrol stations and the GOV, all getting a hard time on forums like this and in the media and down the pub!
The motor industry are'nt exclusive in it at all.

Put your Violin away Chris:rolleyes:

Ferris

AudiChris wrote: »

Why do the motor dealers get singled out for such vitriol?

Don't know but the fact is that they do even if its unfair - assuming that the customer is always right that makes it the motor industry's problem to fix, not the customers.

Doesn't affect me as i'm out of the loop but the motor industry needs to figure out how to make people part with their money and feel ok about it.

Drummerboy08

itarumaa wrote: »

You find things like this

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=96480

and there is still need to feel pity for Dealers?

If anything, does this thread not show the value of a main dealer to the customer?

Anan1

AudiChris wrote: »

-Starbucks charge €4 for a coffee that costs €2.60 next door in Dunnes, I never called them robbers - I JUST DON'T SHOP THERE!

Why do the motor dealers get singled out for such vitriol?

Vitriol never really hurt anyone. The problem for motor dealers is, as you say, that people don't shop there. Just to be clear, i've always thought of yourself, ned78, colm_mc_m, limerick-man etc as true professionals and i'd hate for anything to happen to your jobs. You deserve to prosper, but there are many, many in the motor industry who don't. Don't take it so personally, you're no more responsible for low standards in the industry than I am.:)

peasant

AudiChris wrote: »

Can someone tell me why there's such vitriol for the motor industry?
-I've received bad service from Power City, but I never said "mwahaha, I hope they fail". I just don't shop there anymore.
-Cleary's Homeware wouldn't match a quote from Frank McGowan Furniture on a bed I was buying, but I never thought "greedy b*stards deserve to lose their jobs". I just didn't buy there.
-Starbucks charge €4 for a coffee that costs €2.60 next door in Dunnes, I never called them robbers - I JUST DON'T SHOP THERE!

Why do the motor dealers get singled out for such vitriol?

Two years ago now I was on the lookout for a decent large estate car in the 5 - 8 k price range. I was willing to pay cash.

I talked to every single car dealer in the vicinity and I travelled the length and breadth of the country to look at specific cars.

I got:
-lied to
-laughed at
-ignored
-insulted
-shown total ruins
-shown cars that had been fiddled with
-sent on wild goose chases
-taken for a fool.

by about 25 different dealers and/or their minnows. All they wanted to sell was new cars.

"Vitriol" doesn't half cover it

niceirishfella

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

If anything, does this thread not show the value of a main dealer to the customer?

Not really, cos main dealers go bust too. Lots have so far and more will in 2009 sadly for staff who work there.:(

Drummerboy08

niceirishfella wrote: »

Not really, cos main dealers go bust too. Lots have so far and more will in 2009 sadly for staff who work there.:(

My point was that this thread was used as an example i.e. all dealers in ireland must be like this. These boyos were not dealers (in the car sense anyway), just a dodgy scam.

I think that this thread shows the shady side of car dealing, but it also shows the value of a good main dealer.

Anan1

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

I think that this thread shows the shady side of car dealing, but it also shows the value of a good main dealer.

Which side do you think you've shown?

Drummerboy08

Anan1 wrote: »

Which side do you think you've shown?

Is that supposed to mean something to me? Am i missing something?

Anan1

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Is that supposed to mean something to me? Am i missing something?

You seem to be missing lots. The kind of person who would say this:

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Fact is, I hope anyone who imports a car from the UK gets untold hardship with it.;)

Is the kind of person most of us will be happy to see go to the wall. Not only do you shame yourself, but you shame professionals like AudiChris by association. Good riddance to you.

maidhc

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Is that supposed to mean something to me? Am i missing something?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/search.php?searchid=4454996

traco

AudiChris wrote: »

Can you also find examples of Philips DVD players and Alba DVD players using the same components? Or HP and Tesco computers using the same components?
Does Lidl Cola taste very similar to Coke?

This kind of pricing based on brand appeal (or as a result of marketing & infrastructure spend) is prevalent in many, many industries.
For some reason everyone personalises the motor industry, I've never heard anyone (except for the anti-Globalisation consipracy nuts) hoping that Coca-Cola get their comeuppance, or saying that Marks and Spencers deserve to go bust.

Can someone tell me why there's such vitriol for the motor industry?
-I've received bad service from Power City, but I never said "mwahaha, I hope they fail". I just don't shop there anymore.
-Cleary's Homeware wouldn't match a quote from Frank McGowan Furniture on a bed I was buying, but I never thought "greedy b*stards deserve to lose their jobs". I just didn't buy there.
-Starbucks charge €4 for a coffee that costs €2.60 next door in Dunnes, I never called them robbers - I JUST DON'T SHOP THERE!

Why do the motor dealers get singled out for such vitriol?

Chris - this practice is common place and its the way business works. To get back to the point I was trying to make - it is not acceptable to mark up oil, wipers, pads or any other consumables multiples times. A reasonable mark up is perfectly acceptable, I will pay it and do pay it.

I said earlier I support my dealer at €100+ labour rates and will continue to do so. Running a service business with engineers on the road I know and understand the cost of overheads and the reality of it is that €100 per hour is about the going rate for a skilled technican to be charged out at. The problem arises when someone oversteps the mark and tries to take the p1ss with "extras".

I also agree with the fact that the media portray anyone in business making a profit as a "fat cat" as it appeals to so many people with the begrudging attitide that exists in Ireland. Succesful people that build a business in fair manner should be awarded and supported. Losing them from any industry is a very bad thing and the real costs to local ecconomies will be much higher in the long term.

I always try and keep my business local but if I see that I am being screwed I will vote with my feet and shop elsewhere.

This is applicable accross all business segments and not limited to just the motor trade. Its about value for money and being treated fairly.

gyppo

I used to use a main dealer in the midlands to get my 2l diesel car serviced, and had no complaints until recently. Their service charge used to be 200E for a minor service (oil, washer fluid,light checks, etc..), 300E for a major one (minor + fuel filter, etc).


The last minor service was 250E. Also, when I left it in, the service manager rang me after 20 minutes.
The following was a list of additional work which was needed, and their breakdown of costs:
Rear Brake pads - supply and fit - 160E
Rear handbrake cables - supply and fit - 255E
Flush, renew, and bleed brake fluid - 140E
Supply and fit 2 rear tyres - 280E


I didnt get the additional work done by the dealership.
I sourced a set or rear pads for 35E, a pair of handbrake cables for 55E, and fitted these items in 1.5hrs on my own driveway.
A pair of tyres were fitted for 210E at a local fitters. (incidentally, the tyre fitter told me that the dealers I used got all their tyre work done there)
The brake fluid is going to be renewed at an independant garage for 60E next week.

Thats a difference of 475E, which is a hell of an amount for labour charges.


It is my opinion, based on the above experience, that this particular dealer is trying to derive their main income from servicing, as they are no longer gaining any income from car sales. So, lets screw Joe Public to do so.

They have lost a customer for their efforts.

RIP the Motor Trade???
Small F***ing loss.