Why does Arnold Clark want a Skoda Dealership so badly? Apparantly he has offered almost every Skoda dealership in scotland an unconditional offer to buy them out. So far he has bought Ingram Skoda Paisley (VW and Skoda) and Barnets in Kirkcaldy (Skoda Peugot Mazda) to name but two. Apparantly for years Skoda have decided not to give AC a franchise because of hid marketing policy and pricing structure for selling cars (he would sell a car for a profit of a

Didn't know he bought Ingrams in Paisley. Thats caught me by surprise! I don't use them as my dealer and this has surprised me. Arnold Clark always seems to me as trying to manufacturer a bit of a monopoly. There is a reason why Arnold Clark wants a Skoda Franchise and it's the Taxi market. Where they used to go and get there Nissan Primaras etc. off Arnold Clark they go to Skoda dealerships, and buy the Octavia and Superbs as they are better value. Skoda Franchises also service cars for sensible(ish) prices and offers taxi drivers a quick service so taxi drivers are happy to get their cars serviced there. Arnold already sells Irish import Skodas, but they are not as they aren't UK spec and have a lower warrenty IIRC.

How come your 8th Skoda will be your last?

How come your 8th Skoda will be your last?

Because I won't ever deal with arnold clark again!! Currently deal with ingrams. Although Ingrams are keeping their ayr dealership.

Anyway I've done bloomin tons to this one I'll need to keep it forever.

"Anyway I've done bloomin tons to this one I'll need to keep it forever."

what have you done to it VRS Barry?

or will all be revealed when it's finished?

Because I won't ever deal with arnold clark again!! Currently deal with ingrams. Although Ingrams are keeping their ayr dealership.

Anyway I've done bloomin tons to this one I'll need to keep it forever.

Yeah but plenty of other Skoda dealers that aren't Arnold Clark.

But then if your car is working fine and is nicely moded keep it almost forever!!

Keepin it under wraps for the momoent had a thought and restructure of my mod plans and don't want to look like a pleb if it doesn't work!!

Talking of Arnold Clark my wife and I called at their Warrington Nissan dealership saturday before last to look at a 2nd hand golf v5.

Quite liked it and asked for a test drive, and was told "I'm sorry, we have to be much further into the deal before we could allow a test drive" I couldn't understand this but it appears that they would rather waste their prospective customers time than their own.

Naturally we told him what we thought and left, calling instead a Gorners in Warrington.

I'm now the proud owner of a black Furby vRS, which I'm sure is miles better than the v5.

Another minus point for A Clark is that they have taken over the local Honda dealership in Altrincham and now display all sorts of car types. I can only assume this will lead to less specialist knowledge of Honda, to the detriment of their existing customers.

Buy from someone else (Gorners in Warrington seem good)

I visited the Arnold Clark Renault Dealership in Warrington managed a test drive, but just around the block literally out to Asda Westbrook and back round the roundabouts took less than 10 mins and never nmade top gear :(

Binned the idea of a Renault, what was I thinking a French Car :confused:

Went to Gorners couple of months later excellent people, great sales guy. Had the Octy 2.0TDi Ambient for a test drive 2 Hours on me own great car want to buy, but the salesman wouldn't or should I say as I later found out couldn't offer any discount. So ordered from another dealership insted.

Just had it confirmed. Had Octy VRS booked in for 20k service on Tuesday next week. Just had a call from Alan, the service manager to say that as of friday this week the Skoda franchise will cease and they will not be able to sell or indeed service Skodas.

Good news is that David Stewart and AN Other sales guy are moving to St Andrews Skoda. I have heard nothing but good things about St Andrews so will be booking it in for 20K service next week. Hope they are Jabba friendly .................

Talking of Arnold Clark my wife and I called at their Warrington Nissan dealership saturday before last to look at a 2nd hand golf v5.

Quite liked it and asked for a test drive' date=' and was told "I'm sorry, we have to be much further into the deal before we could allow a test drive" I couldn't understand this but it appears that they would rather waste their prospective customers time than their own.

Naturally we told him what we thought and left, calling instead a Gorners in Warrington.

I'm now the proud owner of a black Furby vRS, which I'm sure is miles better than the v5.

Another minus point for A Clark is that they have taken over the local Honda dealership in Altrincham and now display all sorts of car types. I can only assume this will lead to less specialist knowledge of Honda, to the detriment of their existing customers.

Buy from someone else (Gorners in Warrington seem good)[/quote'] Had similar experince with AC in Warrington, the archetypal sales punk, no time not listening and "10 mins tops love" on a test drive to buy a new micra...useless. Was going to post ACsucks link but it's not my place to do so and it's been done, very good reading

Its always a tricky one!

Do you buy a brand which offers litle or no discounts, but a good resale value? Or do you go the 'Nissan' route (Remember Dan 'Dan the Datsun man' Perkins, the ****** who started it all of in the 70's?) where you buy at 'Below cost' and then watch all the rest of your pride and joy's value flow down the drain over the next two or three years...

Historically, the cars brands which never used to offer discounts (Honda, BMW, Mercedes, Saab, Toyota, Volvo) are now enjoying a higher perceived value (not entirely in a monetary sense either) and more importantly, a higher quality of owner, which further boosts residual values!

I would sooner pay the full price, if it is a fair one, than sell my soul to the Devil.

Just look what has happened to Fiat, Vauxhall, Nissan, Ford, Peugeot and Citroen!

The typical (not all by any means, of course) owner is in many cases considered a loser or pleb because you can still see the 'Save

Why does Arnold Clark want a Skoda Dealership so badly? Apparantly he has offered almost every Skoda dealership in scotland an unconditional offer to buy them out. So far he has bought Ingram Skoda Paisley (VW and Skoda) and Barnets in Kirkcaldy (Skoda Peugot Mazda) to name but two. Apparantly for years Skoda have decided not to give AC a franchise because of hid marketing policy and pricing structure for selling cars (he would sell a car for a profit of a

Historically, the cars brands which never used to offer discounts (Honda, BMW, Mercedes, Saab, Toyota, Volvo) are now enjoying a higher perceived value (not entirely in a monetary sense either) and more importantly, a higher quality of owner, which further boosts residual values!

What makes you think Skoda's hold their value - check out 2nd hand prices for Superbs and the Octy's! Currently it's only the Fabia vRS that is doing well and this will most likely change when they start reaching the 2nd hand market (at 3 years old) and supply outstrips demand.....

I'm a big fan of depreciation as it means I can get a top-spec 3 year old bargain that's done the bulk of it's depreciating

Chris

That's bad news. When I was up in Scotland it was a major trek to any VW franchise that wasn't Arnold Clark. I got so fed up with their attitude that I started getting the car serviced in Manchester when I was visiting the family for the weekend. Unfortunately AC seem to be moving south - they just bought out the local Honda dealer in Stockport a couple of months ago.

Yet another reason to have your car serviced at an independant specialist!

Because I won't ever deal with arnold clark again!! Currently deal with ingrams. Although Ingrams are keeping their ayr dealership.

Anyway I've done bloomin tons to this one I'll need to keep it forever.

Found Ingrams awful. I used to deal with Blair & Gray in Kilmarnock where I bought all 3 of my previous skodas and always had excellent service. They lost the franchise when Skoda tried to persuade them to move to bigger fancier premises. t'was a sad day :(

For years I was of the bargains bargain much cheapness mentality. How did I get there I hear you ask? Arnold ******* Clark, they were ooohhhh so happy to sell you the car (and not always at the cheapest price I might add) however, when it came to after sales service there was a serious lack there of. Also the sales guys all seemed to come down with a severe case of Alzheimers as soon as you drove out the door. Full tank of fuel, rubber mats, warranty you say sir? hhmmm don't think so. Perfect example of the advertise one price and then then when you drive twenty miles to inspect the car (after phoning to make sure it's not sold I might add) you arrive, it's not the spec they advertised, the price has suddenly changed...., I give up I should have learned my lesson years ago. I really hope that AC never gets a Skoda dealership because if he does we can all kiss our exclusivity goodbye, along with our residuals and the good service that we generally have come to expect and receive from our local family owned dealers.

I like the fact that my vRS Fabia is more exclusive than many luxury marques. Today for example my son counted 49 Mercedes of various model levels, on a 60 mile drive but we only encountered 1 other vRS Fabia (who very nicely waved back when we waved to him first) that sort of friendship/sharing just doesn't happen with other marques. It made me smile and and made my boys laugh out loud.

Don't screw it up Skoda!

All cars suffer depreciation but the key is not to oversupply or discount. This is where Fiat/Alfa suffer.

So yes I am pleased with hearing AC are not being offered a franchise.

As for Big dealerships like AC yes they do initially grow, but the word soon gets round = fewer fools (sorry customers) = they contract.

Remember the big BMC/Austin/MG Rover Dealerships. How many of them are left. so yes I do have hope in the future.

AC bought the multi franchise dealer in Preston Riding & Co. Skoda Suzuki Subaru Isuzu & Honda (service only). Only Honda allowed them to keep the franchise. I stayed there for 2 weeks doing 8am - 8pm with no weekends off!!!Not for me!!

Website not working??? ie http://www.arnoldsucks.com/

If Skoda UK & hopefully Seat UK (bad experience with AC Seat Edinburgh) have any sense they will never let Arnold Clark get any franchises in the UK.

In fact I'd be happy if all manufacturers stopped granting franchises to this group as they have no idea on how to sell cars or handle any aftersales properly at all. It's a pile em high and sell them cheap (

Website not working??? ie [url']http://www.arnoldsucks.com/[/url]

Site still exists but looks like the owner lost the original domain name.

http://www.arnoldclark.worldonline.co.uk/