Another dealership goes
- Thread starter Mel
- Start date
Not good news for those involved and customers too. Indicative that although inflation has come down buyers are seemingly reluctant to commit to large value purchases other than for essential purposes. Around here used car prices on forecourts have been reduced, and internationally car makers shares took a hit last week due to dwindling sales and too high an inventory. For those who can, now could be a good time for a purchase.
What is going on in the Caravan Industry ?
Only today it is announced Greentrees Caravanstore in Dereham will permanently close on October 31 .
With winter upon us I have to feel very sad for all the Employees who are losing their jobs.
Is it pricing? The post General Election Blues? The relatively high cost of new caravans? That’s a joke when it does seem the used market prices are falling.
Can the Industry ride the storm? I hope so 🤞
Only today it is announced Greentrees Caravanstore in Dereham will permanently close on October 31 .
With winter upon us I have to feel very sad for all the Employees who are losing their jobs.
Is it pricing? The post General Election Blues? The relatively high cost of new caravans? That’s a joke when it does seem the used market prices are falling.
Can the Industry ride the storm? I hope so 🤞
It’s nice that Greentrees say they have set up something to enable customers to use their warranty if required. I think that although inflation has reduced, prices are fixed in and still riding the post covid boom. People are coming off fixed term mortgages and new ones are more expensive. Our grandson ditched his Tesla to go down to one car to give more financial headroom given they have moved into a brand new house. Times are tight and many are doing what we had to do when raising a family. Batten down the hatches when interest rates were 15-16% and inflation 25%. and maxed out on a mortgage.
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I read that Greentrees are retiring, and although they offered the business for sale there were no takers, so yes another gone, but different raeson
I have to agree, the bubble has somewhat burst - caution and concern over general household expenses has hit hard and many are reluctant to risk the spend.
We are going to the Caravan and Motorhome show at the NEC on Saturday 19th of this month as we like to have a nosy around - is anyone else going?
Steve
Those were the days. 3 weeks annual leave, only one bread winner, SWMBO stayed home looking after the kids and home. Had to save up if you wanted something 🙀But it was a good life 😇😇
I remember needing a loan to help fund the purchase of a car, and had to make an appointment to see the bank manager. I was all dressed up with suit, shirt and tie. Few if any pleasantries were exchanged, straight down to business. Could have the loan providing the car had an AA check and if it was okay I had to let him see the AA report before the loan would be approved. Car didn’t come out good so no loan. So we had to soldier on with the Singer Chamois with ourselves, two children JR and cat as regular voyagers on weekend trips between Plymouth and the East Midlands.
Probably all three and according to the current govt it is going to get worse before it gets better!
I hope you have a nice time at the Caravan and Motorhome show just be careful you don"t buy another new purchase .
With the effects of COVID on newcomer purchases and now some of those leaving the hobby, the "poor" weather of this season and now the onset of winter season times are inevitably going to be difficult.
Then there is IMO a decline in the take up of caravanning, certainly relative to motorhome/camper van ownership.
There appears quite a lot of unsold stock both new and trade-in on the local dealer's forecourts, in all not a good picture, unless you're a potential buyer, one with nothing to exchange.
Then there is IMO a decline in the take up of caravanning, certainly relative to motorhome/camper van ownership.
There appears quite a lot of unsold stock both new and trade-in on the local dealer's forecourts, in all not a good picture, unless you're a potential buyer, one with nothing to exchange.
People are beginning to wise up that dealership are over charging by a considerable margin for servicing the caravans. The only part that is actually serviced is the running gear and the rest are all checks and the check is going to set you back about £300 which is more expensive than having your car serviced at a dealership!
And being absolutely honest there is precious little in the running gear to be "serviced" as opposed to checked.
What have we now is a single grease nipple on the hitch assemblies' draw-shaft bearing and another on its linkage, all of three minutes work when the van is jacked up for eyeballing. Plus, a quick lubricant spray over the steadies' leadscrews, and brake linkages again just a few minutes "work".
Then there is pulling the hubs off the stub shafts, but IMO an unnecessary annual requirement unless between services its covering into the tens of thousands of miles towing; that is if the brake linkage had been set up correctly.
Disturbing these or any rolling element bearing is about the best way to wreck them. Most hub bearing failures follow after they have been "serviced", not left as they were originally assembled by Al-KO. Or is it we only hit the claimed pot-holes post a service?
For years the user instructions did not include hub removal, just adjusting, if necessary, the brake shoe clearance via the provided ports. Brake dust will not settle on the contact surfaces of the moving parts, the so claimed reason for hub removal; I have my own view on why the servicing teams want to do that every year!
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I think somewhere around 1995 the bearings where changed from taper roller to "Maintenance free" in other words due to the inability to clean, re-grease or replace seals an hydraulic press is needed,plus a new nut.
No danger of buying a new caravan unless you lot have a very generous whip round
....We like going just to see what's around - now that we have been caravanning for a whole 2 years, we have already bought all the things we need, along with some we don't.
In a perfect world I'd like an Adria caravan but that would probably mean having to upgrade the car ( Kia Sportage KX4 2017 2.0 diesel) which we can't really do.
Steve
We used to go to the show for the accessory stands. Never bought a caravan at the show, but got a good bargain when buying at a caravan at a dealership while the show was on.
The October show always falls during the Leicestershire half term week so we miss it as we're away. Not a bad thing as it stops me spending money!!!!!
Why can't schools just teach all year round then our kids can grow up quicker, leave home earlier, and the grandparents don't have to look after them so can get away in their caravans, whilst the kids are on their two year break picking carrots and potatoes to learn what life is all about.
Is there any truth to "Dealers got greedy during COVID brought stock, now they can't shift and the Finance companies/manufacturers still want their monies"
Not attributing that to Teesside specific but Entry Level new are north of 20k yet the quality/warrant issues seemingly haven't improved
Not attributing that to Teesside specific but Entry Level new are north of 20k yet the quality/warrant issues seemingly haven't improved
Dealers got greedy after Covid. Definitely and still are.
A colleague of mine recently bought a newer caravan.
Got what he thought was fair trade in price, then saw his trade in selling for £3000 more on the dealers website a week later.
Roughly a 30% mark up.
Car dealers work on a 10% to 16% mark up, depending on model and spec.
Maybe caravan dealers need to do likewise.
Simple business sense. Sell for a fair price and sell more.
A colleague of mine recently bought a newer caravan.
Got what he thought was fair trade in price, then saw his trade in selling for £3000 more on the dealers website a week later.
Roughly a 30% mark up.
Car dealers work on a 10% to 16% mark up, depending on model and spec.
Maybe caravan dealers need to do likewise.
Simple business sense. Sell for a fair price and sell more.
To be fair to the dealer in current market everyone's expecting a discount. So if they want to get their money back or better still make a few quid they need to factor that in.
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