[JustChris]

Volvo are going the way of their sibling Polstar and selling their 'leccy cars online.

I feel now the dealers time is really limited. It's a shame are there are some good ones but generally there are a lot of terrible ones and their own shady selling tactics are about to totally usurped by a centralised model.

For me the only question is when? 2030 latest l, 2025 too soon maybe but I can see a lot going.

[Abzynthe]

My only concern with no dealers is that I wouldn't want to buy a car I haven't driven.

[sahajesh]

No reason why they couldn't deliver a car to your home address for a test drive, no different to hiring a car online, although it's a hassle (for them) if it's only an hour or so.

[Pentland]

I agree with the test drive issue. It’s a bit like buying clothes or shoes. Sure you can send stuff back but it’s far easier browsing (and immediately discounting something) then trying the stuff you are actually interested in.
Dealers will probably have to exist to service cars in any case.

The bigger concern for me is you can’t negotiate online. You can only compare between (distant) dealers. It’s also harder to resolve things if they go wrong.

[isleaiw1]

They will have experience centres so you can sit in and try, maybe even test drive. But no sales and just try before you buy.

Many Volo dealerships are in need of investment to keep up with the competition, so it might work for them, but given the amount some of the brands (dealers) have spent on property they wont want to be shutting them any time soon....

[DaveA]

The main reason that I cannot see a quick shift to this model is that a dealer network gives the importer (and manufacturer) an arm's length from the customer... and, as a consumer, your contract is with the retailer, not the importer/manufacturer (as I have found out when a manufacturer wants to wash their hands of an issue)...

Where I could see it working is for speciality vehicles, like M cars, or electric vehicles... Or maybe Toyota's fuel cell cars... So they are not opening themselves up for a large expansion...

I mean, just think about how this would impact on employment and whatnot..

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

They will have experience centres so you can sit in and try, maybe even test drive. But no sales and just try before you buy.

Many Volo dealerships are in need of investment to keep up with the competition, so it might work for them, but given the amount some of the brands (dealers) have spent on property they wont want to be shutting them any time soon....

This.

Less dealers and more a few regional centres eg Northwest 1 or 2.

[KRS_SN]

won't they still be around for servicing and to sell approved used cars at a higher premium.

[erickonphoenix]

I'm pretty sure in the near future private car ownership will be a thing of the past.

Soon you'll just lease them by the hour like Zip car and when automation arrives they'll drive themselves to your house on demand.

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by KRS_SN

won't they still be around for servicing and to sell approved used cars at a higher premium.

For the new start ups they collect from your door to I suppose take to a mega service centre.

Re the 2nd hand market hmm yes always a special place for them

[Abzynthe]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

They will have experience centres so you can sit in and try, maybe even test drive. But no sales and just try before you buy.

Many Volo dealerships are in need of investment to keep up with the competition, so it might work for them, but given the amount some of the brands (dealers) have spent on property they wont want to be shutting them any time soon....

I think I prefer the idea of an experience centre to a dealer to be honest, as I don't use the dealer for anything else.

[Abzynthe]

Originally Posted by erickonphoenix

I'm pretty sure in the near future private car ownership will be a thing of the past.

Soon you'll just lease them by the hour like Zip car and when automation arrives they'll drive themselves to your house on demand.

That may be true for the majority of the population, but there will always be collectors and enthusiasts that will do their best to keep privately owned cars.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Abzynthe

That may be true for the majority of the population, but there will always be collectors and enthusiasts that will do their best to keep privately owned cars.

I can imagine the private owner either priced off the road and/or incompatible with autonomous transport.

You'll be trailering your 'petrol' (or diesel) classic to the track for a few hours fun.

[Herr Dreier]

Originally Posted by erickonphoenix

I'm pretty sure in the near future private car ownership will be a thing of the past.

Soon you'll just lease them by the hour like Zip car and when automation arrives they'll drive themselves to your house on demand.

Looking at the way some people treat their cars with passenger footwells full of crap, I can see many people (myself included) not wanting a car after the great unwashed have used it. Imagine a car pitching itself up and you find that some oik has left a half eaten pizza under the back seat.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by JustChris

For the new start ups they collect from your door to I suppose take to a mega service centre.

Re the 2nd hand market hmm yes always a special place for them

Already trying to move service centres to more industrial areas with lower pricing and keeping the main premises for on brand sales activity.

Bigger used sales centres will also come for the main dealers to compete with the supermarket style offers.

The model will have to change but having invested in huge great dealerships at huge expense - having been forced down that route by the manufacturers - I cant see the PLCs and such that run them being overly impressed if the manufacturer pulls the sales trade from them without due warning...

[pmgreenwood]

What they deserve for giving greater priority to selling overpriced financial services to that of selling cars!!

[330XDave]

Originally Posted by Pentland

I agree with the test drive issue. It’s a bit like buying clothes or shoes. Sure you can send stuff back but it’s far easier browsing (and immediately discounting something) then trying the stuff you are actually interested in.
Dealers will probably have to exist to service cars in any case.

The bigger concern for me is you can’t negotiate online. You can only compare between (distant) dealers. It’s also harder to resolve things if they go wrong.

Why can't you negotiate online?

Carwow almost encourages negotiation by playing dealers off against each other and no reason why you can't stipulate how much you're willing to pay via an email or even a phone call.

[pmgreenwood]

Originally Posted by JustChris

Volvo are going the way of their sibling Polestar and selling their 'leccy cars online.

I feel now the dealers time is really limited. It's a shame are there are some good ones but generally there are a lot of terrible ones and their own shady selling tactics are about to totally usurped by a centralised model.

For me the only question is when? 2030 latest l, 2025 too soon maybe but I can see a lot going.

i have been following a Youtube channel "Short Circuit" with a lot of video's re-running a Polestar2. The owner goes/gets sent to Volvo dealers for regular updates

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by 330XDave

Why can't you negotiate online?

Carwow almost encourages negotiation by playing dealers off against each other and no reason why you can't stipulate how much you're willing to pay via an email or even a phone call.

If you're dealing directly with the manufacturer online as per Tesla and the others go that route, I very much doubt you'll be negotiating with them.

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by pmgreenwood

What they deserve for giving greater priority to selling overpriced financial services to that of selling cars!!

Have a look at the PBIT of the big dealer groups it's not pretty, 1-2% net isn't ripping anyone off.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by Wills2

Have a look at the PBIT of the big dealer groups it's not pretty, 1-2% net isn't ripping anyone off.

And there are some not doing as well as that. And some that do better make most of it from wholesaling in other countries rather than retailing in the UK....

[pmgreenwood]

Originally Posted by Wills2

Have a look at the PBIT of the big dealer groups it's not pretty, 1-2% net isn't ripping anyone off.

Sorry selling products up to twice the price available elsewhere may help make up for losses on other products like cars or pay the base costs of the business, but it does not mean they are good value for the customer.

And to have cross-subsidies within different lines of business like that is not good practice and eventually will lead to ....a slow death as they get undercut on the to them profitable financial services sales