Marshall Motor Holdings plc has acquired Škoda Leicester and Nottingham. Having gone into effect on 1 February 2019, both dealerships will be rebranded as Marshall Škoda with immediate effect. Daksh Gupta, Marshall Motor Holdings plc chief executive said: “This acquisition is in line with our strategy of growth with existing brand partners in new geographic… Continue reading Marshall acquires two Škoda dealerships to extend brand reach
Author: Motor Trader Online News
UK and European mergers and acquisitions unlikely to cause a flood
A new report from ICDP has taken a close look at recent merger and acquisition transactions in the UK and Europe to find out how changes in ownership may develop in the future. Its findings show that “The UK has seen continual consolidation domestically through medium and small deals executed by the large groups. But… Continue reading UK and European mergers and acquisitions unlikely to cause a flood
Are dealers moving to a 24 hour retail environment?
In an increasingly mobile-first digital purchase process, car buyers are researching their next purchase outside of normal business hours. Buyers bounce around the internet looking at manufacturer and dealer websites, YouTube reviews and social media to inform their purchase decisions. When an enquiry comes to the dealer, it is essential that they are responded to… Continue reading Are dealers moving to a 24 hour retail environment?
Dealers boost reach through improved Facebook ads
Facebook is providing car dealerships with an improved form of advertising through its automotive inventory ads. The ads have been upgraded to allow dealerships to reach move prospective buyers by taking into account visits to other auto and dealer-related Facebook pages, website and apps. According to a recent Facebook IQ survey, 63% of car buyers… Continue reading Dealers boost reach through improved Facebook ads
SUVs hardest hit as used car values fall in January
Used car values dropped 0.7% in January as dealers saw lower retail demand for vehicles priced over £12,000. The drop was larger than the seasonal trend, where over the last five years the movement in Black Book Live for January was an average of -0.4%. A downward trend was seen for all mainstream sectors, but… Continue reading SUVs hardest hit as used car values fall in January
Santander provides wholesale finance for dealers at Aston Barclay
Santander Consumer Finance (SCF) is launching a wholesale finance facility for selected dealers at auction group Aston Barclay. The facility enables dealers to purchase stock at Aston Barclay’s six auction centres in person or online and then charge the cost to their wholesale facility with Santander. Santander agreed a long-term remarketing contract with Aston Barclay… Continue reading Santander provides wholesale finance for dealers at Aston Barclay
Dealers urged to prepare workshops for record influx of MoTs
Franchised dealers have been urged to gear up workshops for record number of over 2.6 million cars due their first MoT over the next 12 months or risk losing it to independents and fast fits. This warning comes from Coachworks Consulting as the sector faces an influx of three year old cars first registered in… Continue reading Dealers urged to prepare workshops for record influx of MoTs
Mini recognises top dealers at annual retailer awards
Mini has recognized its top performing dealer at the annual retailer awards ceremony. Cotswold Mini Cheltenham was presented with the ‘Retailer of The Year’ award after demonstrating excellence across 13 separate criteria, including new car sales, used car sales, profitability, customer satisfaction and more. Other categories and their winners included Vines Group for retailer marketing,… Continue reading Mini recognises top dealers at annual retailer awards
More dealers see Brexit as biggest threat to their business
The number of dealers who see Brexit as the top threat to their business in 2019 has rocketed as the 29 March exit deadline approaches. The latest quarterly Dealer Satisfaction Survey from Close Brothers found that 35% of dealers see Brexit as the top threat to their business compared to just 21% a year ago.… Continue reading More dealers see Brexit as biggest threat to their business
Aston Barclay launches digital tools to help dealers process used cars
Aston Barclay has launched Cascade, a suite of digital tools to help dealers process used cars. Cascade includes a vehicle appraisal App, which helps dealers to more accurately appraise incoming vehicles using cap used car data or customers’ own pricing data. All data captured, including inspection reports and images, is saved in a back-office platform,… Continue reading Aston Barclay launches digital tools to help dealers process used cars