Author Topic: Lots of Honda dealers to close.  (Read 11755 times)

Rory

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Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« on: September 06, 2019, 05:20:18 PM »
Oh dear, not good reading: https://www.am-online.com/news/latest-news/2019/06/19/honda-uk-plans-to-cut-up-to-55-sites-in-the-next-two-to-three-years

The snag with so few dealers is it takes away choice - even where we are (rural mid Cheshire) there's five VW dealers within reasonable reach.  For Honda, it's just one (used to be four).

Must admit I've always been baffled how the glass palace dealer at Cheshire Oaks keeps going.  It's always deserted - yet they never answer the phone.

Jocko

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2019, 05:22:10 PM »
The future of selling cars will be buying on line, I fear. How you are supposed to try before you buy is beyond me.

MartinJG

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2019, 12:35:30 AM »
The future of selling cars will be buying on line, I fear. How you are supposed to try before you buy is beyond me.

Probably be delivered by an Eastern European contract courier on quota rates and dumped on your drive with a 30 day cooling off period and returnable in a stamped addressed envelope if not satisfied.

Rory

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2019, 12:03:24 PM »
The future of selling cars will be buying on line, I fear. How you are supposed to try before you buy is beyond me.

I think test driving cars is very over-rated - you can't tell much from a quick trip around the block.  When I had company cars we used to get cars left with us for a month for people to try - you'd get in one and think you didn't like it, but after a couple of days you get used to it.

ColinS

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #4 on: September 07, 2019, 12:10:03 PM »
The future of selling cars will be buying on line, I fear. How you are supposed to try before you buy is beyond me.

I think test driving cars is very over-rated - you can't tell much from a quick trip around the block.  When I had company cars we used to get cars left with us for a month for people to try - you'd get in one and think you didn't like it, but after a couple of days you get used to it.
My brother was part of the committee (why is that not a surprise?) in the admiralty that chose fleet cars.  They got cars for weeks at a time and shared them round.

Rory

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2019, 01:02:15 PM »
My brother was part of the committee (why is that not a surprise?) in the admiralty that chose fleet cars.  They got cars for weeks at a time and shared them round.

For high level influencers, there'd typically there's be all sorts of other stuff too - trips to car launches in nice places, tickets for the grand prix etc etc.

For fleet drivers though, most manufacturers still have programmes that will deliver a car to home or office and leave it for a few days.  I had a Honda Accord on test under such an arrangement.

ColinS

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2019, 01:15:40 PM »
My brother was part of the committee (why is that not a surprise?) in the admiralty that chose fleet cars.  They got cars for weeks at a time and shared them round.

For high level influencers, there'd typically there's be all sorts of other stuff too - trips to car launches in nice places, tickets for the grand prix etc etc.

For fleet drivers though, most manufacturers still have programmes that will deliver a car to home or office and leave it for a few days.  I had a Honda Accord on test under such an arrangement.
Yeah, I think he was director of the office in Glasgow at the time, or possibly in Whitehall.  Back in the days of the British Leyland Slush Fund.  Remember that?  My brother never did get any backhanders though.

peteo48

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2019, 05:08:24 PM »
Just mulling this over. We might get to a position where getting your car to a dealer becomes inconvenient at best and almost impossible at the worst. I wonder if servicing would then be outsourced in some way. In the recesses of my brain I seem to recall that one lesser known car maker used the Halfords network for a time - can't remember which one.

VicW

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2019, 05:52:07 PM »
I seem to recall that one lesser known car maker used the Halfords network for a time - can't remember which one.

Heaven forbid!

Vic.

hemming

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2019, 05:54:22 PM »
I think it was Daewoo who used Halfords - possibly for both sales and servicing?

peteo48

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2019, 10:47:49 AM »
Spot on! It was Daewoo. I remember seeing them parked at a Halfords in Altrincham. This must be 20 years ago.

MartinJG

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2019, 01:28:32 PM »

It does not surprise me that a company like Honda are gradually withdrawing their exposure in the UK market. Increasing compliance, costs and shrinking margins give them every excuse to pull out. Far better to concentrate in markets (emerging markets) where they have more elbow room and scope for growth.

culzean

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2019, 03:15:50 PM »

It does not surprise me that a company like Honda are gradually withdrawing their exposure in the UK market. Increasing compliance, costs and shrinking margins give them every excuse to pull out. Far better to concentrate in markets (emerging markets) where they have more elbow room and scope for growth.

Spot on - Honda never had massive sales in Europe anyway, despite their engineering excellence.
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

olduser1

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2019, 06:14:27 PM »
All dealerships under quite a degree of pressure based upon regional targets, ie you'll take xx this month or else, hence the turnover in dealeships.
The days of garages selling cars to their customers went west when finance deals took over the vehicle is incidental take aloan for £199 forever we'll include MOT for life etc etc
+ the add on's GAP special paint protection - more 'ppi' claims to come I reckon.
You can still pick up a buy at huge places like Motorpoint for near new, as for new cars who knows now that lobbyists run the EU

John Ratsey

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2019, 02:20:10 PM »
For me, the most interesting part of that article was:

"Honda has recently introduced its new CR-V hybrid and the new Jazz hybrid’s April arrival will be followed by a new Civic and HR-V.

Deliveries of the brand’s first full EV, the Honda E, will start in Q1 2020.
"

Which puts a timeline on the arrival of some new models.
2022 HR-V Elegance, previously 2020 Jazz Crosstar

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