Main dealers closed this week?

sk8board

I met a friend tonight who works for a main dealer, and for the first time in his decades in the motor industry, they are closed all this week; both sales and service dept's.
Not open again until Jan 4th. So far he said the figures for this Jan are worse than last years, but you'd think this decision doesn't help matters.

is this happening around the country? Surely anyone thinking of changing car will be ringing around this week in particular.

Sure, most will have ordered already, or will wait and saunter in next week, but it seems a strange week to be closed.

kaizersoze

I tried ringing a Toyota dealer in Roscommon today. No answer.
I have a Land Cruiser on order there.

unkel

sk8board wrote: »

it seems a strange week to be closed.

It sure does! Why close this year with the scrappage scheme just announced while all the other years they were open?

RedorDead

What marque does he work with? Seems very strange - most distributors or dealers ive spoken to have more orders going into January than last year. Most open at least 2 days between 26th and 1st of Jan if nothing else to do paperwork for cars going out in Jan etc

Drummerboy08

AFAIK, everyone I know (including myself) are off until the 4th.

rodberg007

Most of the small dealers will have stayed shut this week as it's just not worth their while opening... but I know some of the main dealers are open weekend hours(i.e. Park Motors from 10-3 yesterday and today) if you want to look at new and secondhand models due in soon. I know some have a good few orders in for January so they have no reason to be pessimistic.

Lex Luthor

AFAIK all the Toyota dealerships are closed until the 4th

dellas1979

I honestly dont know....Im am trying to put a deposit on a brand new car (Fiat) and have heard nothing in the last week.

Will update my own thread in a moment with info as Im not sure what to do, but no wonder sales are so bad - I am seriously considering going to another brand - who actually want my business.

jayotala

dellas1979 wrote: »

I honestly dont know....Im am trying to put a deposit on a brand new car (Fiat) and have heard nothing in the last week.

Will update my own thread in a moment with info as Im not sure what to do, but no wonder sales are so bad - I am seriously considering going to another brand - who actually want my business.

I haven't seen you're thread but I'm guessing you can't get through to a dealer because they may be closed over the christmas, which is not unusual for family run dealers, but why change the brand just because you can't put your deposit down, could you not just look for another dealer, or hang on until January. If I wanted a certain something I wouldn't just stop wanting it because the shop was closed, I'd wait until they were open again or if I just couldn't wait I'd go to another shop. Just my two cents.

On another note, I don't think dealers being closed for a few days over christmas is the reason for sales being bad. It goes a little deeper than that.

dellas1979

Am just tired of this already - its a big game - yeah, Id never make a sales woman!!! My first time dealing with a carsales man buying a new car.
Fiat site now does not relect the info given by the dealer.
The car is 11,995 (scrappage). He says its more with metallic paint. I say ok (cause I was certain from looking at fiat site this was true). Yesterday, was looking at site again and it seems metallic is standard on the sport 500. Salesman said he would not charge delivery. Need a car by end of january.
*psstttt ... and I deflate*

Gumbo

M&G BMW were opening today.

Matt Simis

kceire wrote: »

M&G BMW were opening today.

BMW Kells were open today and open tomorrow (the 31st) too. Phones were ringing, customers in buying things (like me). Impressive.
Maybe BMW garages got their $hit together and the rest havent...

veetwin

Joe Duffy were also open today and had lots of customers at the time I was there. They were also open yesterday. Saleswoman said business was good!

Bobo78

Opel dealer in Limerick was open yestarday and today.

sk8board

RedorDead wrote: »

What marque does he work with? Seems very strange - most distributors or dealers ive spoken to have more orders going into January than last year. Most open at least 2 days between 26th and 1st of Jan if nothing else to do paperwork for cars going out in Jan etc

its a regional VW dealer.

BMW certainly seem to be open alright, but others seem to be few and far between outside of Dublin

RedorDead

As someone said already i think most of the rural family run dealerships would probably be closed until the 4th - but the big forward thinking urban dealerships would mostly be open from what i have heard and seen for at least two days over the chrimbo

bazz26

In fairness lads, are there enough people going into dealerships between Christmas day and New Years day buying cars to justify having big showrooms open? Not enough to justify employee wages, heating and lighting costs my guess. They obviously looked at the traffic in and out of the showrooms leading up to Christmas and decided it was not worth their while.

These places are not the same as high street retailers who are knocking 30 - 50% off their stock and there are queues outside.