Author Topic: Lots of Honda dealers to close.  (Read 11771 times)

Jocko

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #15 on: September 11, 2019, 09:57:39 AM »
I popped into my local Honda dealer, this morning, for a look round (I had an errand next door), and I was talking to the salesman about the number of Honda dealers closing. He said it was to do with the switch to Hybrids and EVs, and the expensive training required for staff. It would appear the dealer has to pay for that, not Honda.

Rory

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #16 on: September 11, 2019, 10:11:22 AM »
At a time when they're expanding the range you'd think they'd want to keep as many dealers as possible.

Not surprised they have to pay though - in a survey of franchise holders, Honda was voted the worst one to have.  Honda UK MD went absolutely bonkers and I noticed recently they were "most improved" - I wonder how much the dealers were lent onto provide the right answers.
« Last Edit: September 11, 2019, 10:14:43 AM by Rory »

richardfrost

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #17 on: August 25, 2020, 11:45:58 AM »
Just received a letter from Honda telling my local Halifax dealership is no longer a Honda Service franchise. Their Huddersfield main location is still a full on Honda dealership and service agent. But they are a mile down the road from Toyota, where I bought and service my RAV4. Part of my reasoning for returning to Honda was that they had a dealership in Halifax. Now that advantage has been eroded.

I suppose it it possible I could drop my car in Halifax and let them take it to Huddersfield for service and bring it back, but then just extends the time they would have the car.

So now I am back considering the alternatives again. Huddersfield (and Bradford) have dealerships for all the main brands. Halifax now has just Peugeot, Nissan (soon to be extinct in favour of Renault in the UK I heard) and Misubishi.

I have no other reason to go to Huddersfield except to get my car serviced/fixed, and there is little else I can do there whilst the car is off the road. It's a 90 minute returh trip (if a courtesy car is offered) so basically I lose half a day whenever my car needs to go to the dealer. I was really hoping that would be different if I returned to Honda for my main car.

John Ratsey

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #18 on: August 25, 2020, 01:04:02 PM »
So now I am back considering the alternatives again. Huddersfield (and Bradford) have dealerships for all the main brands. Halifax now has just Peugeot, Nissan (soon to be extinct in favour of Renault in the UK I heard) and Misubishi.
And you'll soon be able to cross Mitsubishi off the list https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/352852/mitsubishis-uk-exit-full-details-and-what-it-means-owners .
2022 HR-V Elegance, previously 2020 Jazz Crosstar

richardfrost

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #19 on: August 25, 2020, 01:12:22 PM »
So now I am back considering the alternatives again. Huddersfield (and Bradford) have dealerships for all the main brands. Halifax now has just Peugeot, Nissan (soon to be extinct in favour of Renault in the UK I heard) and Misubishi.
And you'll soon be able to cross Mitsubishi off the list https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/352852/mitsubishis-uk-exit-full-details-and-what-it-means-owners .
Hmm, well the Honda dealership was also the Mitsubishi one, so maybe the whole place will close. It is highly unlikely I will choose a Peugeot so it looks like I am left with Hobson's choice!

sparky Paul

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #20 on: August 25, 2020, 01:18:01 PM »
And you'll soon be able to cross Mitsubishi off the list https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/352852/mitsubishis-uk-exit-full-details-and-what-it-means-owners .

Is this the beginning of a longer term Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance plan to focus on regional brands?

culzean

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #21 on: August 25, 2020, 01:34:49 PM »
And you'll soon be able to cross Mitsubishi off the list https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/352852/mitsubishis-uk-exit-full-details-and-what-it-means-owners .

Is this the beginning of a longer term Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance plan to focus on regional brands?

Like Toyota and Suzuki cooperating to build Hybrids at Burnaston plant .. ( and in other things )

Pretty much every car company is in another ones pocket these days of astronomical development costs...
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

sparky Paul

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #22 on: August 25, 2020, 02:24:32 PM »
Like Toyota and Suzuki cooperating to build Hybrids at Burnaston plant .. ( and in other things )

Pretty much every car company is in another ones pocket these days of astronomical development costs...

Yes, but Toyota and Suzuki (part owned by Toyota) will continue to sell their own unique vehicles built on the same platform, as most car manufacturers share technology these days.

This is different - it's looking like the Nissan and Mitsubishi names may eventually disappear from the UK.

richardfrost

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #23 on: August 25, 2020, 03:15:31 PM »
Well if the Nissan dealership goes to Renault, I could live with that. I had a Renault 5 GTX 1.7 in the '80s and it was a wonderful but stupidly fast car. I had a top of the line Laguna in 2003 and that was stupidly luxurious. My first car with leather and built in sat-nav. However I did have my sights set on a nearly new Jazz 4 or Crosstar.

RichardA

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #24 on: September 20, 2020, 11:53:46 AM »
Nissan are still a big brand in the UK, with the Qashqai a strong seller. I'd be suprised if they pulled out of the UK.

Renault used to enjoy a healthy slice of the UK market, something like 5% approx. 15-20 years ago?. Those days are long gone now.

Basil

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #25 on: December 18, 2021, 08:22:04 PM »
I recently had an email from my local Honda dealer in South Wales to say they will no longer be selling new Honda vehicles as "Honda want to operate their new vehicle sales from the big Cities".

The dealer will continue to sell and service used Hondas and they will be adding Renault and Dacia to their existing Suzuki, Fiat, Abarth and Jeep franchises.

peteo48

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #26 on: December 19, 2021, 10:34:46 AM »
It's the way it's going. Our Honda dealer in Warrington now has an MG franchise sitting alongside the Honda brand. We've got 3 MG dealerships in Warrington now.

Not just Honda though. Warrington a fair sized town with probably 250,000 in the conurbation and the main Vauxhall dealer closed a couple of years ago. This is when it gets inconvenient - do you ask for a courtesy car, do you sit and wait?

I wonder if service hubs will be the way forward.

Rory

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #27 on: December 19, 2021, 11:16:24 AM »
"Honda want to operate their new vehicle sales from the big Cities".

Find it surprising that Liverpool doesn't have a Honda dealer, and it's the kind of place where people don't readily go outside the city.

aphybrid

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #28 on: December 19, 2021, 12:23:23 PM »
Honda have never very actively marketed their excellent cars but have relied on customer loyalty which then lead to complacency and lack of body design attractiveness to newer customers.

Strategy also pretty useless when you look at some of the models introduced that just did not sell as will the horrid E thing being marketed just now

Yet there was one car that  was really good for a very definite market niche - the Logo, but they let Nissan dominate this sector with the Micra.

Hopefully Honda will exist long enough for me to become dis-interested in driving or the need to.

Rory

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Re: Lots of Honda dealers to close.
« Reply #29 on: December 19, 2021, 04:22:09 PM »
Honda have never very actively marketed their excellent cars but have relied on customer loyalty which then lead to complacency and lack of body design attractiveness to newer customers.
........

Our loyalty came from great after-sales service at the independent dealer (Two Mills) that we used.  When Honda shut them down and gave the franchise to Holdcroft's Cheshire Oaks they were just awful - neither of our Hondas go there any more and, never say never, but I can't see us having another Honda.  I get the impression Honda UK isn't as supportive of dealers now as they used to be so the dealers aren't bothered.

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