Autoboland Waterford no longer Volvo dealer?

goochy · 17-11-2015 10:48AM #1

Any one know whats happened ? passed there yesterday and sign was blanked out and not listed on Volvo.ie now. Been a dealer a long time though their showrooms were too small for Volvo as well as Honda and Land Rover.

coylemj · 17-11-2015 11:45AM

Doesn't necessarily mean they did anything wrong - Grange Motors (MSL Deansgrange) in Dublin built the first ever dedicated Audi showroom in the country and their reward was to have the franchise taken from them when Audi decided to reorganise the dealerships. There's been a lot of musical chairs going on with franchises in the past few years.

Easy on the CAPS please.

Stallingrad · 17-11-2015 11:55AM

Did I hear that MSL VW Deansgrange is gone/going?

R.O.R · 17-11-2015 12:01PM

Does seem very strange that Autoboland aren't even listed as a service agent on the website. They've had a very long association with the brand, so I'd be interested to find out what's going on.

RedorDead · 17-11-2015 02:24PM

coylemj wrote: »

Doesn't necessarily mean they did anything wrong - Grange Motors (MSL Deansgrange) in Dublin built the first ever dedicated Audi showroom in the country and their reward was to have the franchise taken from them when Audi decided to reorganise the dealerships. There's been a lot of musical chairs going on with franchises in the past few years.

Easy on the CAPS please.

The showroom they built was probably suitable back in 2004/2005 when the audi model range consisted of A2 A3 A4 A6 A8 and TT. Move forward to where we are today and you have A1 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 Q3 Q5 Q7 TT R8 and where the number of derivatives on sale has almost tripled so you can see why a bigger showroom is required. They werent interested in building a bigger showroom so Audi find someone else that will.

Drummerboy08 · 17-11-2015 02:35PM

Stallingrad wrote: »

Did I hear that MSL VW Deansgrange is gone/going?

You did. So is Ballsbridge, from the middle of next year.

godtabh · 17-11-2015 02:39PM

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

You did. So is Ballsbridge, from the middle of next year.

Are the moving or losing the franchise?

Drummerboy08 · 17-11-2015 02:45PM

Lost the franchise.

There'll be VW South opening somewhere on the south side ro replace the two dealers.

biko · 17-11-2015 03:07PM

Title all caps fixed.

Stallingrad · 17-11-2015 03:29PM

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

You did. So is Ballsbridge, from the middle of next year.

Wow. Wonder what will come in their place.

Drummerboy08 · 17-11-2015 03:31PM

Stallingrad wrote: »

Wow. Wonder what will come in their place.

See my post above.

Stallingrad · 17-11-2015 03:34PM

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

See my post above.

I meant what marque will fill the two MSL premises.

goochy · 17-11-2015 05:33PM

I would rather see Ballsbridge as standalone Merc. dealer and maybe get involved in prestige used cars. Seat would be good for Grange motors - Joe Duffy sell Seat in Dun laoghaire but not a great set up.
I wonder if Charles Hurst might get VW seeing as they have audi too. ?
I cant see how Charles Hurst are getting away with no building new Audi showrooms , they could have built new showrooms a few years ago but now land is more scarce and property prices have gone up.

regarding Autoboland , I don't believe Volvo require special showrooms for the brand so don't know why they lost / gave up franchise.

coylemj · 17-11-2015 05:38PM

RedorDead wrote: »

The showroom they built was probably suitable back in 2004/2005 when the audi model range consisted of A2 A3 A4 A6 A8 and TT. Move forward to where we are today and you have A1 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 Q3 Q5 Q7 TT R8 and where the number of derivatives on sale has almost tripled so you can see why a bigger showroom is required.

Accept that.

RedorDead wrote: »

They werent interested in building a bigger showroom so Audi find someone else that will.

In fairness to MSL, that premises (opp. the VW showroom and near the Grange pub) is hemmed in on all sides so even if they wanted to, they couldn't have expanded it. It's now selling Hyundai.

goochy · 17-11-2015 05:55PM

they have a large site where Europa mazda centre once was lying idle. eyesore.

coylemj · 17-11-2015 06:40PM

goochy wrote: »

they have a large site where Europa mazda centre once was lying idle. eyesore.

Sold for redevelopment last April. Probably too big for a single marque anyway, given that the trend is towards single brand showrooms.

Former Europa Motors site sells for nearly €3m above guide

PurvesGrundy · 17-11-2015 10:59PM

AutoBoland's used Volvo stock had been dwindling for some time, it had been evident they were losing interest in the franchise. If it was their own decision, I think it was poor timing to give it up in my opinion.

It's surprising, as it was always their main franchise and they were easily with them for 30 years plus. Last time I was in the showroom though there was unacceptable space for the three franchises. Maybe one of them had to go?

Casati · 17-11-2015 11:30PM

I think Joe Duffy might have lost Seat, they were off the Seat dealer list and I see Canavan Motors - another long standing Volvo dealer is now Seat and Ford (out of the one showroom too). Brady's Castleknock formally VW are building a new Seat showroom too. The Seat dealer in Airside is now gone too.

Do dealers have to pay the importer to get a franchise? Is it a case that a dealer can sell existing franchise rights?

RedorDead · 18-11-2015 09:47AM

coylemj wrote: »

Accept that.

In fairness to MSL, that premises (opp. the VW showroom and near the Grange pub) is hemmed in on all sides so even if they wanted to, they couldn't have expanded it. It's now selling Hyundai.

True - that site was never suitable. Shame as its in a great location. They would have had to move to a larger site and they just werent interested in the time/effort and investment of doing that which is their entitlement i suppose.

goochy · 18-11-2015 09:53AM

Bolands don't seem to be interested in used cars in general - obviously selling them off to trade. Years ago Autoboland were big into used cars - I think they went downhill when they moved to Cork Road - also showrooms were built too small and lots of space on their site going to waste.
Bolands have an empty showroom across the road from Autoboland so if they really wanted to keep Volvo and it was over premises they could have moved in there.

See Tallaght Ford have taken on Kia and from same showroom ? Couldn't see Ford being happy about that.

Speaking of Bradys Castleknock - thought they would have moved Merc. into ex VW showrooms- they have good Merc. stock but their showrooms and location aren't up to scratch.

PurvesGrundy · 18-11-2015 10:25PM

goochy wrote: »

Years ago Autoboland were big into used cars - I think they went downhill when they moved to Cork Road - also showrooms were built too small and lots of space on their site going to waste.

Agreed. They used to have a great selection of stock when they were located in Newrath.

I'm struggling to think who will fill the void left by them in the South East now, seeing as Boland's have a near monopoly on all the dealerships down there. Even Tipperary has been without an official Volvo dealership for a number of years now, so something will have to be done swiftly I'd say.

Drummerboy08 · 18-11-2015 10:35PM

Volvo simply aren't worth the investment required for a dealership in the south east. It would be madness unless someone had a showroom lying empty and a few hundred grand to tie up in stock.

goochy · 19-11-2015 09:58AM

Bolands Carlow Volvo showroom is nice even though its in a multi franchise site.
Bolands I think got burnt with all their showrooms which they built at end of celtic tiger obviously expecting the boom to continue - where Citroen , Hyundai etc. are - its not being used to its full potential - Hyundai are a major brand but are tucked away at back of site in small showrooms. The Bmw showrooms are looking a bit shabby - dirty signs and building needs paint job.

There is a large empty showroom behind H and H motors . I think they should move Hyundai into the large empty showrooms . Move Honda into the ex Hyundai showrooms which would have given them more room for Volvo in Autoboland.

goochy · 05-02-2016 10:01PM

Any update on why Autoboland are no longer doing volvo? Can't be good for volvo not having a dealer in south east . There is no one other than bolands likely to open a new dealership and there's no showrooms available either in Waterford.

Autosport · 06-02-2016 12:50AM

Bolands Volvo in carlow are doing well. I was up there today and parked in the car park and a guy was looking at cars and assumed mine was for sale

Bolands practically own most of the Waterford road and Volvo had very little space there.

PurvesGrundy · 18-03-2016 11:52PM

It appears AutoBoland have got the Volvo franchise back.

Autosport · 19-03-2016 09:01AM

I pass them on the cork road ( Waterford) and Volvo are there and tbh never left. I thought then this page was a rumour

goochy · 19-03-2016 09:18PM

Not a rumour sign were taken down no listing on net . Have they signs up again ? They have quite a few used volvos. They pushed land rover more and they got more into used cars lately.

goochy · 31-05-2016 04:22PM

Autoboland appear to be selling Jaguar but are not listed as dealer and have no signs up.it would be better for Jag. to be sold here than from a small section of a Ford showrooms in Wexford !

They are listed again as Volvo dealers but under Bolands not Autoboland - Volvo cars have Boland Volvo branding rather than Autoboland. Don't seem to much in way of Volvo stock or any Volvos in showrooms . With New S90 and XC90 you would think that Volvo would get some standalone dealers.

Autoboland Waterford no longer Volvo dealer?

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