TrustFord & BCA renew remarketing partnership

TrustFord, the world’s largest dedicated Ford dealer group, with 65 dealerships across the UK, has renewed its longstanding exclusive remarketing partnership with BCA for a further two years, with the new deal running until May 2019.

TrustFord remarkets around 14,000 vehicles annually with BCA, offering a broad range of stock including cars and light commercial vehicles through branded sales held at Bridgwater, London –Enfield, Belle Vue – Manchester, Paddock Wood and Measham Commercials.

TrustFord cars are offered with a BCA Assured report and both cars and vans are pre-sale prepared to a high standard.  The majority of vehicles have the V5 and service history present and are offered with a warranted mileage.  TrustFord are also adopting AutosOnShow pioneering video marketing services across the group.

BCA is supporting the TrustFord sales programme with a strategic marketing campaign that includes branded e-marketing and online awareness through BCA’s website and Auction View bulletins.

John Leeman, TrustFord Operations Director commented “BCA offers a comprehensive range of services that allow us to remarket large volumes of part-exchange and non-retail stock quickly and efficiently.  We are pleased to renew this long-standing partnership and confident that BCA will continue to deliver the buying power, both online and in-lane, that generate the best returns for TrustFord.”

BCA’s Dealer Sales Director Dave Burden added “BCA is delighted to continue to partner TrustFord for a further two years to exclusively remarket both cars and commercials to used vehicle buyers nationwide. Throughout our long-established business relationship, BCA has focussed on delivering services that meet with TrustFord’s needs in a fast moving and competitive industry.”

He added “BCA offer TrustFord vehicles in physical and Live Online auctions, using our market-leading products such as BCA Assured, BCA Dealer Pro and BCA Appraisal and Valeting services to deliver TrustFord’s stock to the market in the best possible condition – meaning our customers can bid in confidence on TrustFord product knowing they are buying a premium product.”

Relaxed manufacturer expectations and less pre-registrations leads to large drop in dealers’ April profits – ASE

The average UK car dealer produced a marginal profit of £600 per site in April, a significant drop from the prior year’s profit of £8,000.

This was to be expected and is a combination of the Easter holiday falling in April and a small pull-forward of new vehicle sales into March as a result of the changes to the VED regulations.

“But mainly it was the result of brands taking the foot off the gas a little bit with regard to the overall level of vehicles they were looking for dealers to do,” said Mike Jones (pictured), chairman at dealer performance improvement specialists ASE. “This resulted in lower levels of fast start, self-registrations at the end of the month- and lower dealer bonuses.”

The 20% drop in new vehicle registrations in April was matched by the same drop in new vehicle sales for the average retailer.

“This contrasts with used vehicle sales, which were up 40% compared to the prior year. Some of these sales are clearly substitutional, with pre-registered vehicles being sold as used cars bolstering those sales statistics and depressing new vehicle sales.

“Despite an increase in stock levels as December self registrations become available for sale, used vehicle return on investment has remained steady.

“I will naturally be watching over the coming months to see inventory levels fall back to seasonal norms, however there is every indication at the moment that this will be managed successfully by the retail motor sector.”

Aftersales continues to improve slowly on the back of the increasing vehicle parc.

ASE is concerned about the fall in the retail labour percentage, which is approaching 50%.

“Subject to a conclusive outcome in the general election, it looks like Q2 will be steady, but quiet on the back of lower manufacturer expectations, with a pickup as we move to the third quarter as brands reassess the levels of registrations they are looking for from dealers and we see a general pick-up in retail demand.”