NFDA NEWS
23 August 2013
/‘We represent, you benefit’ / Dear Colleague
This week we have responded to the BIS consultation on the new Consumer Bill of Rights legislation. Our response focuses on the introduction of private actions which would allow the NFDA to take legal action on behalf of members on competition issues.
You will see within this week’s newsletter a piece on the NFDA aftersales and used car standards. We have mailed the standard booklets to all member companies and you should receive hard copies of both in the post. If you have not received a copy please contact
Don’t forget the NFDA has a dedicated support line for members - 01788 538 303 and is there for your calls. So pick up the phone or email us - .
Wishing you a good Bank Holiday weekend.
Sue Robinson, Director
Tel: 0207 307 3422
Email:
Twitter: @NFDASueRobinson
IN THIS ISSUE: / · NFDA AFTERSALES & USED CAR STANDARDS
· STRIKE ACTION IN CROWN POST OFFICES
· UK HEADLINES THIS WEEK
· US NEWS – HYUNDAI MOTOR STRIKE COST $39 MILLION IN LOST PRODUCTION
· NFDA MEMBER SUPPORT LINE
· NFDA TRIP TO NADA NEW ORLEANS 2014
· NFDA AUTUMN BALL 2013: NOW BOOKING!
NFDA AFTERSALES & USED CAR STANDARDS
Against the background of an increasingly competitive market the NFDA has been exploring how we might best promote the benefits of buying and maintaining a vehicle at a franchised dealer.
With this in mind the NFDA used car and aftersales steering groups have, over the past two years, been working towards a set of standards for used cars and aftersales.
The biggest threat to our members is probably to aftersales business with more reliable vehicles, extended service intervals and competition from both independents and high street servicing chains.
The resulting standards are designed to promote the advantages and value offered by franchised dealers to customers and have been created by dealers for dealers. These standards will underpin the existing Trusted Dealers “Ten Points of Difference” on used cars and create “Ten Points of Difference” for aftersales on the newly launched NFDA Trusted Dealers website.
Establishing these standards will form the basis of ongoing communications and marketing to promote the benefits and value of buying from a franchised dealer and continuing to have a car or van maintained within the franchised network to consumers, standards agencies and government.
The work by the two steering groups has now been completed and ratified by the NFDA Executive Committee. We will be talking to the trade press over the coming weeks and then, once these have had time to be disseminated to members, we will be asking you to sign up to them in November.
· We will be creating a toolkit to support members in communicating these standards to dealership management, colleagues and the consumers.
· We intend to launch them to consumers in January and will be creating a PR and communications plan to promote these standards.
I would like to thank the two working groups and in particular the respective chairman, Gavin Forbes of Arnold Clark and Mark Squires, Benfield Motor Group, for the huge amount of effort that’s gone into creating these standards.
The combination of these standards, the Ten Points of Difference and the Trusted Dealers website give us a really good footing to start to “bang the drum” for franchised dealers and I look forward to seeing them in place across the NFDA’s membership.
We are seeking the support of members to adopt these standards and which we expect to make a condition of NFDA membership. For a copy of the two standards please send an email request to
FURTHER STRIKE ACTION IN CROWN POST OFFICES
We are disappointed that the Communication Workers Union has called for its members in Crown Post Offices to take strike action on the following dates:
· All day Saturday 24 August
· All day Monday 26 August - Scotland only
· Tuesday 27 August - non Scottish branches.
The Crown Post Offices number 368 branches throughout the UK and are the main Post Offices in each Town or City. Local (privately owned) Post Offices around 4000 in number will not be taking strike action.
UK NEWS HEADLINES
July UK car manufacturing continues growth trend
- UK car manufacturing grew 7% in July, with sites across the UK making 128,873 units.
- Year-to-date volumes up 1.9% to 893,263 units
- Home market demand up 37.5% in month to support new plate change in September
"Car manufacturing is continuing to follow the wider UK trend for more positive economic growth with a 7% rise in July, supporting a 1.9% increase in the year so far," said Mike Baunton, SMMT Interim Chief Executive. "We are starting to see slight signs of recovery from Europe which will support stronger production levels this year, and UK manufacturers will continue to build and develop innovative, high-quality products that appeal to a global customer base."
Source: SMMT
Glass’s predicts 17% rise in August new car registrations - Andrew Jackson, Glass’s head of analytics believes new car registrations could increase beyond 17% in August due to the support manufacturers are offering to support sales in the UK.
Source: AM On-line
Mazda UK launches new look for dealers - Mazda UK is pioneering a new look for its European dealer network. The visual identity has been tested at Donalds Motor Group in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, where different permutations of layout, lighting, fixtures and fittings have been tried. Three dealers, Drift Bridge Group in Croydon, Beechwood in Derby and Stoneacre in Harrogate, will be among the first set to sport the new look. The scheme will be rolled out across the network later this year. Mazda said the new look is designed to be cost effective and dealers can choose different seating, desks and lighting. All signage must conform to the new visual identity although the flooring and desks introduced in 2004 do not have to be replaced. Mazda had a tough year in 2012 with sales of 26,183 but is now on target to hit 33,400 in 2013, an increase of over 20%. It is aiming to achieve 50,000 annual sales by 2015. In 2007, its peak sales year, it sold almost 51,000 cars.
Source: Motor Trader
Nissan plans to expand UK’s largest car plant – Nissan has applied for planning permission to expand its Sunderland factory, already Britain’s largest car plant – in preparation for producing its upmarket Infiniti marque there.
Source: Daily Telegraph
Rethink of lobbying reform still a possibility – Downing Street has held open the possibility that it may rethink its heavily criticised plans to reform Britain’s lobbying industry. Government plans to fast-track new legislation on lobbying through the commons were described to The Independent as a ‘dog’s breakfast’ by the head of the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee, Graham Allen.
Source: The Independent
More write-offs than ever on UK roads
Thousands of motorists are driving potentially dangerous cars as the number of vehicles on the road that have previously been written off increases. The National Association of Bodyshops (NAB) has previously called on the Competition Commission to review their position on write-offs during an investigation into the private motor insurance market.
Source: tyrepress.com
European new car sales up 4.9% in July - The European new car market showed signs of recovery in July with volumes up 4.9% despite drops year-to-date from most of the top five markets.
According to the latest new car sales analysis from JATO Dynamics, 48,202 more new cars were sold in July 2013 compared to July 2012. Overall, the market remains behind 2012 performance, down by 5.2% year-to-date. Out of the ‘Big Five' markets, Italy was the only country to experience a decrease in sales in July, with a drop of 1.8%. While the other ‘Big Five' markets were up for the month, the UK was the only market to post an increase for year-to-date figures; 124,287 more new cars have been sold in the UK than during the same period in 2012, representing a 10.3% increase. France, Germany and Italy, however, all remain down by a considerable amount on 2012.
Source: am-online.com
New Brake report on speeding
Road safety charity Brake has published a new report focusing on the risks of inappropriate speed, and what steps fleet managers can take to improve the safety of the whole fleet, as well as protecting vulnerable road users.
The report also includes the results of a recent Brake survey of fleet managers, sponsored by Licence Bureau. More than a quarter (26%) of survey respondents admitted to not knowing what proportion of their collisions involved one of their vehicles breaking the speed limit.
On-board monitoring technology can help fleet managers to collect this information, and it is being widely adopted. Almost three quarters (61%) of managers operating a large fleet (more than 50 vehicles) said they monitored driver speed.
Source: fleetnews.com
US NEWS – HYUNDAI MOTOR STRIKE COST $39 MILLION IN LOST PRODUCTION
Union members at Hyundai Motor Co. staged a partial strike today that cost the automaker 43.5 billion won ($39 million) in lost output, with plans for another work stoppage tomorrow before resuming wage negotiations. The four-hour walkout by the Seoul-based company's 45,000 union members resulted in lost production of 2,106 vehicles, according to an e-mail from South Korea's largest automaker. The union said [Monday] it will hold another partial strike tomorrow before resuming talks with the management on Aug. 22. The strikes take place as the weaker yen gives Japanese automakers an edge in cutting prices or offering better incentives. Stalled wage talks at Hyundai Motor last year led to the costliest walkout in its history, before management agreed to reduce working hours with two shorter day shifts. The workers have gone on strike in 22 of the past 26 years.
Source: Bloomberg
NFDA MEMBER SUPPORT LINE – 01788 538 303
To discuss any issues from legal advice, to ways in which we can help support your business, please call 01788 538 303 and speak to a member of the NFDA team.
NFDA TRIP TO NADA NEW ORLEANS 2014
The NFDA is organising a dealer trip to the NADA Convention and Exposition departing 23 January returning 28 January 2014.
Package price will be circa £2500.00 (dependent on flights) and will include:
· NADA Convention registration
· Visit to a large dealership – guided tour around all aspects of the business
· Economy return flights from London Heathrow with British Airways (upgrades subject to availability)
· Five nights accommodation at the 5 Star Loews Hotel
· Airport transfers and all transport provided in New Orleans
· Two evening meals at a top quality restaurant
· Invitations to NADA private receptions and Italian International reception
For more information and if you are interested in joining the NFDA trip, please contact Louise Woods on 01788 538332 or email alternatively, fill out your details below and fax to 01788 538323:
Name ………………………..………………….
Company ……………………………………………………………………..
Email ………………..……………………………………..
Tel: ………………………………………………………………….
NFDA AUTUMN BALL 2013: LIMITED NUMBER OF PLACES AVAILABLE – BOOK NOW !This year’s NFDA Autumn ball will take place at the 5 star Grove Resort, Chandler’s Cross, Hertfordshire, on Saturday 5 October 2013.
NFDA Autumn Ball 2013
Saturday 5 October
The Grove, Chandler’s Cross
Hertfordshire
Commenting on the upcoming event Sue Robinson, NFDA Director said: “‘The NFDA Autumn Ball gives you the opportunity to network with fellow franchised dealers and enjoy an evening of fine dining and great entertainment.
“This year BBC TV Presenter, Jeremy Vine will appear as the key guest speaker and back by popular demand, Mark Durden-Smith will compere the evening.
“We will also have The Chicago Blues Brothers performing for us on what we know will be an enjoyable and successful occasion for all our members and colleagues. We hope to see you there”.
For more information, or to make a booking please call Keely Scanlan on 0207 580 9122 or email at
THE NFDA AUTUMN BALL 2013 IS SPONSORED BY MOTOR INDUSTRY LEGAL SERVICES