In the local paper - JR Weir MB x 5 outlets,Subaru, Dodge , Smart, Isuzu etc covering many main towns in Scotland is being taken over by A Clark.............In Scotland soon you will be able to buy any car as long as it has an A Clark sticker on the back window.
In these times many manufacturers are seeing difficult times, the same applies to many smaller outlets/chains. Skoda dealers seem more likely to be locally owned than many franchises but most outlets are now huge chains of say 200-500 outlets covering most brands.
Do you buy from the local man / small chain or go to the MEGA dealer?
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We found Listers - not 'mega' perhaps but hardly micro either - excellent to deal with when we bought our Toyota, and even tolerably good when we sold it back to them four years later. Reading Skoda, on the other hand, though small-scale, put us off by being dozy about returning phone calls and locating demonstrators. I suspect it's as much about individual sales staff and managers as it is about any corporate culture.
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FB, I read a recent article about AC on Pistonheads - don't know how true it is but the inferance was that AC never ever approach other car retailers to buy them - the approach always comes the other way.
But agree with your comments, they are taking over everything but it has to be said, it is very hard to get a new car deal better than what they offer!
Wonder how long Henrys will remain independent in Glasgow - went to look at a Honda recently with my friend on a Sunday and realised that they still stick rigidly to their non Sunday opening for religious reasons!
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Never found AC worth much for dealing over the 'phone, and never found them as good as internet brokers.
On the other hand, they often have piles of 'delivery mileage' cars (ie. new but pre-registered) at hearty discounts.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Thu 30 Aug 12 at 23:14
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AC have their place, roll-in and pick a low deliv mileage car, nay bother.
However John R Weir etc have their place also. There are several non-big-chain dealers in "Ness and they are, invariably, a lot nicer to deal with. They tend to offer a better test drives ("Here's the keys, we need it back by xy O'clock") than AC (Where they insist on accompanying you) and better service/follow-up service etc. Often not as cheap as the Bigger Boys but the extra personal service is worth the extra cost i find. Especially when you can call them up from your remote Highland home, tell them the (reasonably) new car won't start and you KNOW they will help asap!
AC are OK but I don't want "Ness to end up with a few dealers controlling everything. It's no good for us consumers and, I am sure, not good for those employed by the dealerships
Rgds
Zuave.
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I should have also said it will be a shame to see the name, and the people, of John R Weir go. Here's wishing all the best to the staff and hope that they are kept on....Lord knows AC need some experienced sales staff.
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>> and locating demonstrators
That's the achilles' heel of the small fry.
The big chains can ring around their other branches and find that 1.6 petrol GLs model that the customer actually wants to test drive.
With a small dealer you'll be stuck testing the bread and butter 2 litre diesel in the most popular trim level, regardless of which model you actually want.
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>> In Scotland
>> soon you will be able to buy any car as long as it has an
>> A Clark sticker on the back window.
When I place an order I specify that I don't want any stickers on any of the windows, but I accept the dealer's name on the number plates.
>> Do you buy from the local man / small chain or go to the MEGA
>> dealer?
I buy from the nearest franchised dealer for my chosen car.
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>> >> In Scotland soon you will be able to buy any car as long as it has
>> an A Clark sticker on the back window.
>>
>> When I place an order I specify that I don't want any stickers on any
>> of the windows, but I accept the dealer's name on the number plates.
"A Clark Sticker in window"
I did not actually mean an A Clark physical sticker
I meant you could only buy from an A Clark outlet...........i.e. extremely imited choice of where to go!
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At the beginning of the years Halleys in Nth Glasgow (Bearsden really!) folded, AC took over the multi franchise site and closed Vx, Subaru, Isuzu, ..........now Ford only.
One of the brands dropped was Subaru - 1 branch you may think is not that bad but with only a handful of sites in Scotland it is serious for Scooby owners.
On the subject of Subaru........USA range extensive.......models/engines and have you seen the prices! $20K buys you a high spec car..........for £20K in the UK you get a basic car.
That said they have knocked £4,000 off the intro level ES Auto petrol Legacy - they brought in 500 of these last summer and according to "How many left" website they have only sold 200 or so.
I always thought Subaru as an alternative to the main brands.......as I thought SAAB was years ago.
It might be with flagging sales, in the UK at least, they are maybe in danger of exiting the UK market. Model range is poor Legacy to dear, Forester (not updated for years, contrast US range), No Imprezas available (US New models on sale) / old model Imprezas too highly priced to compete, No small 1.0-1.5 litre cars to compete with Korean/small capacity Euro built models.
What do you think the future holds for UK Subaru, their dealers and Subaru owners...
Last edited by: Falkirk Bairn on Fri 31 Aug 12 at 08:48
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"What do you think the future holds for UK Subaru, their dealers and Subaru owners..."
AFAIK, Subaru are restricted in the number of cars they can sell into Europe in a year under whatever block trade deals are in place between the EU and Japan. Its not in their interest to sell smaller (hence lower value) vehicles in competition with EU makers who aren't disadvantaged by the exchange rate with the Yen.
In Ireland, the UK and France, "Subaru" effectively means "large 4WD estate". They'll continue to sell Legacys, Outbacks, Foresters and possibly some XVs to a niche market that actively seeks out the brand. In principle, they don't need a dealer network at all, but they do need an approved service network. EU competition rules now mean that can be any bone fide garage that does the work to Subaru's standard.
(As an aside, Foresters and Outbacks seemed quite popular in south west France when I was there last year. In a country that loves diesel, I can only assume the canny French buyer with a need for 4WD has realised that - even though it runs on petrol - a 30mpg Scooby is a better buy than a 25mpg Landcruiser)
My Subaru dealer tells me here in Ireland, at least, the demonstrators and new stock belong to the importer. Cars are rotated among the dealers as required. So my dealer currently has 'the' XV 1.6 CVT demonstrator; if a customer in Cork wants to try one, it'll be moved to the Cork dealership and he'll get another demo car instead.
Its not a long step from there to Subaru HQ selling cars directly, bringing the demonstrator to your door if you request a test drive, and having serviced via your local 'Subaru approved' indy.
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>> (As an aside, Foresters and Outbacks seemed quite popular in south west France when I
>> was there last year. In a country that loves diesel, I can only assume the
>> canny French buyer with a need for 4WD has realised that - even though it
>> runs on petrol - a 30mpg Scooby is a better buy than a 25mpg Landcruiser)
>>
Apologies for continuing the aside, but I spent a few weeks in France this summer and was staggered by the number of Dacia Dusters on the road there. It must be one of the best selling vehicles in the country, and that surprised me as it had always struck me that France seemed to have avoided the rush for fashion statement 4x4s (this does not include Outbacks and Foresters in my book) which has afflicted the UK. I suppose the price must be right.
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>>France seemed to have avoided the rush for fashion statement 4x4s (this does not >>include Outbacks and Foresters in my book) which has afflicted the UK. I suppose the >>price must be right.
General statement French buy French cars..........maybe not so much now as in the past but as a generalisation stll true.
Dacia = Renault built in Rumania, Cheap...........ergo Buying a cheap "French Car" and apparently they are pretty good cars and at the price "good value"
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>> General statement French buy French cars..........maybe not so much now as in the past but
>> as a generalisation stll true.
Yes. I suppose a fair question would be: "Do the French buy fewer 4x4s because there aren't that many available from the French manufacturers (certainly there were hardly any at all until about 3 years ago), or do the French manufacturers not offer may 4x4 models as they think there is little demand in their home market?
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I'm really surprised at this, I thought Weirs had had a difficult couple of years and by cutting back had became profitable again: Not the timing to be swallowed up by the AC machine.
Can only guess that the familys next generation weren't up to it, a succession planning issue that has seen Arnold himself become an ever frailer master of that ship.
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Confirmed on AC Website.
Keeping name and all branches, 300+ Jobs (for now at least!!!)
1st time AC has had MB Franchises (x5)
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The Sandero seems to be doing pretty well on the Continent as well. Saw quite a few on our trip.
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>> "What do you think the future holds for UK Subaru, their dealers and Subaru owners..."
>>
>> AFAIK, Subaru are restricted in the number of cars they can sell into Europe in
>> a year under whatever block trade deals are in place between the EU and Japan.
>> Its not in their interest to sell smaller (hence lower value) vehicles in competition with
>> EU makers who aren't disadvantaged by the exchange rate with the Yen.
>>
There is no restriction on how many Subarus they can import apart from the restrictions caused by:
1. Very limited and dated model range with highish emissions and no diesel auto.
2. High value of yen.
F-in-law is looking at swapping his Forester for another (4th or maybe 5th now) - he is one of these folk who buys new and renews when the warranty runs out, preferring the manufacturers warranty and breakdown cover, and sod the depreciation. No, I can't understand it either.
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Report of the takeover on the BBC website states MB/Kia/Smart/Chrysler Jeep have been taken over
No Mention of the Subaru Dealership in Perth!
Boxster Boy in the above post says
2. High value of yen.
Why not take cars from US assembly and solve issues...........if they can retail Legacy's @ $20K in the USA surely they are making the cars for 30%- 40% of that figure.......plenty margin to sell here at a more realistic price.
If Subaru Perth folds it means only 8 x outlets in Scotland + 1/2 service points.......thin enough be not exist even if Subaru re-invigorate the range with a flood of well specced and price motors.........something they have failed to do for quite some time ......although the BRZ looks nice.........but the volume markets for "quality car"cars is sub 2 ltr and Subaru UK have no presence in the market
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>>Why not take cars from US assembly......plenty margin to sell here at a more realistic price
Shipping, SVA (or whatever its called these days) , import tax and sales tax. Local / state / federal tax incentives. etc. etc.
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>> >>Why not take cars from US assembly......plenty margin to sell here at a more realistic
>> price
>>
>> Shipping, SVA (or whatever its called these days) , import tax and sales tax. Local
>> / state / federal tax incentives. etc. etc.
Shipping $1k, SVA $0.5k, landed price $21.5k / £13,000. On the forecourt including VAT and dealer markup £18,500
And that excludes using the price out of the factory door as the base.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 2 Sep 12 at 21:50
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Add the cost of a tooling up for a relatively small number of RHD models...
(and then add the cost of warranty work for shonky US build quality).
Last edited by: Lygonos on Sun 2 Sep 12 at 21:54
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The yanks managed it for the various American built chryslers they threw over here.
Anyway, yanks are far happier to buy cars with prodigious thirsts like subarus.
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Oh come on Zero, you weren't away that long...
Manpower, storage, finance, currency fluctuation, adminsitration and control, tax accounting, support network, customer documentation etc. etc.
Or are you saying that you've spotted an opportunity that the manufacturers have missed?
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>> Oh come on Zero, you weren't away that long...
>>
>>www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VjPPuias1k
You are not starting a new brand for gawds sake, or selling a new previously not seen model, so
>Manpower, storage, finance, adminsitration and control, tax accounting, >support network, customer documentation etc. etc.
Are already established and in place. As are r/h drive parts, in large quantities.
Currency fluctuation already exists, they are Japanese imports don't forget.
Now, anything else I havent forgotten?
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 2 Sep 12 at 22:45
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So, ancient dipstick, you are going with...
>>Or are you saying that you've spotted an opportunity that the manufacturers have missed?
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No, its a market that
a: doesent exist, as I said there is a small market for cars int the uk with prodigious thirst.
b: small market requires high pricing to ensure its profitable.
And as I said, its not new or rocket science, its been done by Chrysler with the Dodge brand and imports of Calibers, Nitros, Avengers.
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>> And as I said, its not new or rocket science, its been done by Chrysler
>> with the Dodge brand and imports of Calibers, Nitros, Avengers.
>>
Dodge in the UK failed...
None have been officially imported for 2-3 years, and check out the dealers- Dodge signs gone, now just Chysler/Jeep.
Even CJ is struggling... I think its a dying business and will cease to exist - expect to see Fiat badges on the few models that do sell.....
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yes it did, mostly because we are not prepared to accept such shoddy interiors, poor build quality, terrible driving dynamics and disgusting looks, but you have to say the prices were attractive.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 3 Sep 12 at 08:47
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Weren't the better built CJ items (300c and Grand Cherokee) UK variants built in Austria?
Subaru has no (Eastern) European outfit which is how the other Japanese companies still manage to compete.
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>> Weren't the better built CJ items (300c and Grand Cherokee) UK variants built in Austria?
No.
The 300C was based on a Merc E Class, and the later GC had a lot of Merc input, but both were built (chucked together?) in the States.
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From wiki:
"European Grand Cherokees are manufactured in Austria by Magna Steyr"
"All 300C Touring models, along with European 300C sedans and right-hand drive models are built by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria"
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>> From wiki:>>
>> "European Grand Cherokees are manufactured in Austria by Magna Steyr"
>>
>> "All 300C Touring models, along with European 300C sedans and right-hand drive models are built by Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria"
>>
I would say, thats since Fiat took over, otherwise, they must have shipped them to the States then back to GB then... (I've seen them with USA shipping labels....)
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Weir's Subaru dealership in Perth closes
Subrau stock for sale in other AC outlets
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Magna Steyr assembled the Grand Cherokee and 300C up to 2010 - presumably since the. Fiat takeover they are assembled in the US.
Last edited by: Auristocrat on Fri 30 Nov 12 at 16:52
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Mercedes Benz - "small chain" John R Weir falls to a big chain - WillDeBeest
