23rd June 2020 - This week's news and updates -
At last! We're all open, except Scotland.....
Where the majority of the U.K.'s car dealerships have now opened for business, dealerships in Scotland will be the last to open their doors on June 29. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's announcement late last week was greeted with frustration by many as car dealerships were seemingly classified simply as 'non-essential retail businesses' and little credit was given to the many who had worked so hard over many weeks to prepare safe environments for customers. See the article at Car Dealer here.
Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of the SMMT calls for industry rescue package
A survey of the SMMT's members has concluded a third of staff in the industry remain furloughed across the UK. With reduced demand and social distancing measures slowing the sales pipeline, the SMMT is calling for unprecedented measures of support which include an emergency cut in VAT, additional access to emergency funding, business rate holidays, and short-time working measures. Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of the SMMT will address an industry summit today where he is expected to state the industry is at serious risk if assistance is not forthcoming. He is also likely to quantify economic impact in the light of a no-deal Brexit. See the SMMT's news here.
Are bounce back business loans being used to buy sports cars?
The website Thisismoney.co.uk have reported supercar and sports car dealers have been claiming business is booming as certain businesses use the zero and low interest loans being made available by government to purchase expensive cars. Under the taxpayer-funded government aid scheme, small firms can borrow up to £50,000 per company under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) with the debt 100 per cent backed by government, no repayments for a year and 2.5 per cent interest after that. Read the full article at Thisismoney.co.uk here.
Former Chancellor Alistair Darling calls for emergency tax cut
Alistair Darling, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer 2007-2010, has urged the government to consider an emergency VAT tax cut to boost Britain's post Covid-19 economic recovery. Rishi Sunak, the current Chancellor, is expected to announce a package of measures in early July designed to assist those sectors of the economy hardest hit by the three month lockdown.
Tesla, the most valuable car company in the world?
Autocar this week published a super article on the fortunes of Tesla. From a challenger brand upstart which Bob Lutz of GM's hall of fame once described as 'heading to the graveyard', to its new found celebrity status amongst Musk's spaceships and Billions. See the full Autocar article here.
Please let us have your vehicle booking details as soon as you have them!
When making a booking please try to give us all of the vehicle's details as soon as you have them and as correctly as you can. We've been experiencing some difficulties with incomplete information which means we can't confirm time slots at some 'appointment only' locations and, In a few cases it's resulted in the wrong trucks being sent (Vehicle weight determines which vehicle transporter type from the fleet we use!) If you could let us have the details asap the team would be very grateful. Thanks you!
New website and mileage calculator coming soon
The website's due for launch in the next week or so and it comes complete with the mileage calculator we promised so you can get an idea of transportation costs before you agree on a deal with a customer. Many thanks to the wonderful team at Minty Creative who have worked so hard on this project. If anyone needs a website or some social media content crafted please do check them out. They're talented, capable and cost effective too. www.mintycreative.com
Enquiries & bookings
We are now taking advanced bookings for this weekend and for the weeks ahead. Simply call us on 0203 878 3331, use the form on the website or email info@proplaters.com with your requirements.
Backload opportunities
Availability next week (w/c 29.06.2020) for backloads is to and from Bridgend, Cardiff, Chelmsford, Coventry, Dundee, Exeter, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Newport, Northampton, Oxford, Paignton, Plymouth, Poole, Southampton, Swansea, Teeside, Telford, Truro, Warwick, Weston-super-Mare and Yeovil. If you have requirements for vehicles to be moved either to or from these destinations please do get in touch.
16th June 2020 - In this week's news....
Retail therapy! Customers treating themselves to sports and premium cars
All credit to Car Dealer Magazine for a really interesting article about customers in Germany, Austria and the UK all being up for some motoring fun. Insights from Indicata UK suggests that a significant number of customers are using the money they've saved from cancelled holidays and lower family costs to invest in a used luxury or sports car. What would be your choice? Our team settled on a Lotus Elise! The team at Indicata UK did however express caution that this may be a short term behaviour, with the post lockdown norm being a trend towards smaller petrol hatchbacks and smaller SUVs.
Light at the end of the tunnel
What Car? ran a poll in May and the results are encouraging given 4,500 potential buyers revealed significant potential demand - with 18 per cent of those interviewed saying they were intending to buy or change their car as soon as the Covid-19 situation ends and another 5 per cent looking to buy within about a month.
What's going on in Scotland and Wales?
With the UK and Northern Ireland open, all of our friends in Scotland and Wales are still none the wiser. However Fiona Hyslop, one of Scotland's Cabinet Members has confirmed retailers can open for 'click-and-collect' as long as buyers don't enter the showroom when collecting their vehicles. Various industry commentators are currently suggesting announcements later this week or early next ..... watch this space! Meanwhile in Wales a colossal £1.2Bn deal has been reported by Wales247.co.uk as being in discussion. The St. Athan site adjacent to Aston Martin Lagonda's new factory has been designated as a potential site for battery production with the possibility of up to 1,200 jobs being created if it goes ahead, with that increasing to a possible 3,500.
Avoid scams with a car check from Car Analytics
There are plenty of scams out there currently and we don't want anyone to get caught out. Whilst many dealers we know have processes for checking car histories there's still a lot of deals being undertaken on trust. Many of us have been caught out in the past (It clearly states on a V5C 'THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT PROOF OF OWNERSHIP' so we're now actively checking vehicles with CA's simple Free Check service - and if we're in any way doubtful we're undertaking a full check. Car Analytics' service is here if anyone wants to have a look at it.
The return of F1 and BTCC Touring Car Racing
The 3rd of July will see the Formula 1 season kick off in Austria, however it's going to be a short season with seven races now confirmed as cancelled. Azerbaijan, Singapore and Japan are the latest casualties of the 2020 season. For more local action the Touring Cars will turn out again on 1st August and it's going to be a pretty busy month for the teams as the series has announced 4 meetings will take place in just 5 weeks. The venues? Donington Park is the kick-off, with subsequent events at Brands Hatch, Oulton park and Knockhill.
New website and mileage calculator coming soon
We've been listening to your feedback and the one thing you've all been asking for is a mileage checker so you can get an idea of transportation costs before you agree on a deal. The team has been working hard in the background and, fingers crossed, we should be live with this by the end of the month!
Enquiries & bookings
We are now taking advanced bookings for this weekend and for the weeks ahead. Simply call us on 0203 878 3331, use the form on the website or email info@proplaters.com with your requirements.
Backload opportunities
Opportunities are available next week (w/c 22.06.2020) to and from Cardiff, Colchester, Daresbury, Dumfries, Exeter, Glasgow, Kirriemuir, Lee-on-Solent, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford, Plymouth, Poole, Southampton, Swansea, Torquay, Truro, Warwick, Weston-super-Mare and Yeovil. If you have requirements for vehicles to be moved either to or from these destinations please do get in touch.
