Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Newtown

not much to add - sounds like arrogance is going the same way as in other manufacturers. The big ones already return to smaller dealerships as with premium cars you need premium service. With morgan that should be the best ambassadors.

It is definitely no hire and fire business.

Very sad to hear

Hmm. I wonder what is happening.

When BMW motorcycles started to really take off post 2004, the company decided that the old style enthusiast dealers with greasy hands wrent good enough for them and started a process of handing franchises over to the glitzy car outfits like Stratstone. So now when you go to a BMW bike dealer, the salesmen (if you can find one) are in shiny suits with pointed toe shoes and little real enthusiasm for bikes.

Is this what is happening at MMC? Do they think that they suddenly have a premium growth product rather than a niche? Lotus tried the same trick a few years ago and have had to hurriedly back track on it.

There does sem to be some lack of joined up thinking here -- Morgans are a specialist marque - dealers like Peter in Newtown are fantastic ambassadors for the marque -- the factory should be cosseting them and doing everything to keep them rather than charging them £12000p.a. just to have access to "the Portal"

Naturally these dealerships are also a business so can't subsidise the factory to this level unless their market is of a sufficient volume - hence they have to say "pass"

Its not just sad -- its also very shortsighted -- no enthusiasts - no sales --big, impersonal dealers - declining to no sales!!

I know Newtown have other franchises and a guy as good as Peter will always survive, but, with this attitude, will Morgan????

I think some more larger dealers in the South of England will continue to make a success of selling Morgans but some will give it up

The rumour is that there are more to give up their Morgan dealerships

MMC are putting more demands and costs to being a Morgan dealer.

There is a high monthly cost to linking with MMC portal
There is an extra cost if a dealer wants to sell the new Plus Six
Demand on having covered transport, flat screen point of sale displays in showrooms with servicing costs. Staff to clean inside and out the Mogs in for servicing

Most of these things are the norm for large dealerships franchised to mass car manufacturers and although I wouldn’t want anyone remotely attempting to clean my Mog, (unless he was called Andy and worked at Lifes Motors), these are expected in normal car dealers and might improve service levels

The problem is that in my view Morgans, their owners, potential owners and traditional Morgan dealers are totally different

MMC are definitely aiming to sell more cars direct from the factory which is OK for those that live reasonably close but what will you do if you live the North East and have a warranty issue?

Not sure how it will pan out but the whole car industry is in a bit of flux

I just hope Morgan, their service agents, reputable second hand dealers and main dealers can continue to make money and survive in a niche part of the industry so I can continue to have my Mog on the road, looked after with a bit of help when I need it

V well put Stewart S. Agree completely
HB

If Morgan needs to change (has already changed?), then their Dealers will also have to change...logical?

Not saying that this is good or bad, however, I know that the pressure VM's put on their Franchise network, means that they must have big financial backing now, to support the raft of new tech.

Purely out of interest how many of the current dealerships can fully support the current Aero technology ?

Which technology?

Electric windows?

My guess is non of them not even MMC

Engine management, ABS etc.
I seem to recall when the first Aero's appeared only some of the dealers could handle them due to this reason, I could have dreamed it of course

I will admit seeing that vipers nest under the bonnet of the Plus 6 would put me right off one it looks an absolute nightmare.

This is why "change" is needed...all Dealers of every type have had to go through changes or be cast aside. This is possibly only the beginning?