WHITE BISHOP CLOSED DOWN 5PM 5/3/09

pppspecial · 05-03-2009 9:37pm #1

im in shock but 100% confirmed. not a car in there showroom. big dent for opel.

Mena · 05-03-2009 9:39pm

Ouch, didn't see that one coming (though probably should have)

Drummerboy08 · 05-03-2009 10:02pm

Yeah - i seen the transporters outside this afternoon. I only commented on how little stock they had sitting around.

Big dealer to go.

MichealD · 05-03-2009 10:14pm

A pile of Kia and Citroens from White Bishop have been auctioned in Merlin this week. A sign of the times.

Mycroft H · 05-03-2009 10:40pm

Wow thats a shock. Da bought a seat bout 5 years ago there.

There dropping like bricks now. White bishop, chapmans, who will be next?

Now i've heard from one of the aul fellows friends that <removed> mightnt last too long. He has the ... garage in ... and one in .... too.
Last time i passed he had a mountain of stock in the back. A sign of the times.

Stevie Dakota · 05-03-2009 10:41pm

That's a real pity, I bought 2 SEATs from them in 1999 when they where small, and their service was excellent.

pppspecial · 05-03-2009 11:21pm

I worked in white bishop for many years and they where the best there was as far as customer service was concerned. One of the good guys in this industry to fold.
No doubt Pat will be back when this all rides through.

dmca77 · 06-03-2009 12:31am

Very big dealer to go. The goverment need to get there ass into gear and sort this problem out!!!!!!
Motor trade is gone a very bad sign... VRT!!!!!!!!! AND TAX!!!!!!
only country in the european union

pburns · 06-03-2009 12:37am

landyman wrote: »

Now i've heard from one of the aul fellows friends that <removed> mightnt last too long. He has the beamer garage in rathangan and one in edenderry too.
Last time i passed he had a mountain of stock in the back. A sign of the times.

Jeez, was in there during the year looking at a 3-series. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought there would be even a hint over their survival within less than a year. Scary stuff, really brings it home.

They are guilty of being OTT with their set-up though. I had visited the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking a few months previously and aspects of <removed>'s weren't too far behind!

I bought a s/h car off them a few years ago and they were extremely accomodating when a problem arose - good service.

-Chris- · 06-03-2009 12:40am

That's a real pity, My thoughts are with the staff - it's not a good time to be looking for a new job.

Guy:Incognito · 06-03-2009 1:32am

dmca77 wrote: »

only country in the european union

Apart from the other ones you mean (some are higher too btw)

multifranchise · 06-03-2009 2:49pm

To mention a name like <removed> in this context is irresponsible.it could cause its creditors to take wrong actions.Bad news travels fast enough without unfounded comments.

Cookie_Monster · 06-03-2009 2:56pm

Thnakfully it's not all bad news. An Opel garage opened in the old Renault centre on Rochestown Ave. in Deansgrange not so long ago. Hopefully they'll hang on, it'd be a shame to open so recently and go again. I'd hate to see that building vacant again.

-Chris- · 06-03-2009 3:21pm

That's one of the Joe Duffy's dealerships. They seem to have plenty of backing for an aggressive expansion at the moment.

robtri · 06-03-2009 3:49pm

jesus, thats terrible,
a good bunch there, a lot of customers had only good things to say about them....
they will be missed in the trade..

-Chris- · 06-03-2009 4:21pm

Around two months ago I was dealing with a customer who was shopping with me, White Bishop and another dealer.
I couldn't get the figures to work out for her, so I didn't sell her a car.

I was following up with her afterwards and she told me that she had bought from the third dealership. She preferred White Bishop, had bought from them before, liked their service and their pricing was working out but she had heard rumours that they were having trouble and so wasn't comfortable to give them a deposit.

Whether she heard correctly and made a wise choice, or whether enough people heard the rumours about (and therefore didn't do business with) White Bishop - killing their trade and sealing their fate, we'll never know.

This is a pretty good illustration of why it's important not to participate in the rumours. It's a feedback loop - the more people that believe a dealer's in trouble, the more likely the dealer will end up in trouble!

robtri · 06-03-2009 4:39pm

AudiChris wrote: »

This is a pretty good illustration of why it's important not to participate in the rumours. It's a feedback loop - the more people that believe a dealer's in trouble, the more likely the dealer will end up in trouble!

Absolutely agree, rumours don't help and shouldn't be tolerated here....

fletch · 06-03-2009 4:40pm

Don't suppose their service department is still open? Have my OH's car booked in for work on wed.

peasant · 06-03-2009 4:40pm

robtri wrote: »

Absolutely agree, rumours don't help and shouldn't be tolerated here....

see the announcement at the top of the forum

fletch · 06-03-2009 4:45pm

Phone is ringing out so doesn't look likely

seataltea · 06-03-2009 4:50pm

This is not a rumour people. White Bishop have actually closed the doors. You can ring all you want but you wont get an answer.
Its a sad state the motor trade is in at the minute and the clowns, sorry, people running the country dont seem to care.
All i can say is i wonder how much longer i'll have a job in the motor trade for??????????????

Guy:Incognito · 06-03-2009 4:55pm

seataltea wrote: »

This is not a rumour people. White Bishop have actually closed the doors.

No one said it was a rumour.It was confirmed as closed yesterday.

I had heard about 10 days ago that it was going though.

Owen · 06-03-2009 6:10pm

seataltea wrote: »

All i can say is i wonder how much longer i'll have a job in the motor trade for??????????????

Welcome to my world. I feel like a turkey at Christmas. The uncertainty is frightening, and it makes it impossible to plan anything major like holidays, or purchases for the house. Really frightening time. Even if you're doing a good job in the trade at the moment, whether you're at the top, or the bottom of the food chain you're at risk.

And of course having morons on here doing the whole fire and pitchfork routines, and wishing us the very worst of health isn't helping things either.

Bluefoam · 06-03-2009 6:32pm

AudiChris wrote: »

This is a pretty good illustration of why it's important not to participate in the rumours. It's a feedback loop - the more people that believe a dealer's in trouble, the more likely the dealer will end up in trouble!

Good point, it was rumours that sent them bankrupt, not the fact that they invested too heavily in showrooms & couldn't manage their finances - someone started a rumour which resulted in the collapse of the company!!!

Sorry to be so sarcastic, I feel genuinely sorry for anyone who loses their job, but its not the customers fault that companies are going out of business :rolleyes:

BlackWizard · 06-03-2009 6:54pm

ned78 wrote: »

Welcome to my world. I feel like a turkey at Christmas. The uncertainty is frightening, and it makes it impossible to plan anything major like holidays, or purchases for the house. Really frightening time. Even if you're doing a good job in the trade at the moment, whether you're at the top, or the bottom of the food chain you're at risk.

And of course having morons on here doing the whole fire and pitchfork routines, and wishing us the very worst of health isn't helping things either.

You brought this upon yourselves by trying to make profits!!

yeah it's a horrible time for everyone. I think Im going insane because of it. The papers always have depressing news in it.

Most of the companies that I know of through friends and family are only coming up with cost saving measures at the moment. So the worst for many has yet to come

BlackWizard · 06-03-2009 6:55pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

Good point, it was rumours that sent them bankrupt, not the fact that they invested too heavily in showrooms & couldn't manage their finances - someone started a rumour which resulted in the collapse of the company!!!

Yeah yeah yeah. But rumours don't help so stfu.

seasam · 06-03-2009 7:35pm

Bluefoam wrote: »

Good point, it was rumours that sent them bankrupt, not the fact that they invested too heavily in showrooms & couldn't manage their finances - someone started a rumour which resulted in the collapse of the company!!!

Sorry to be so sarcastic, I feel genuinely sorry for anyone who loses their job, but its not the customers fault that companies are going out of business :rolleyes:

Audi Chris is right he wasn't saying it was the sole reason but it certainly didn't help. It was rumours that caused a run on the bank Bear Stearns last year and they went from being in business one week to bust the following week with the loss of 1,000's of jobs. If people hear such rumours about a garage they are less inclined to do business with them which dosen't help in the current economic climate

Hellrazer · 06-03-2009 7:51pm

seasam wrote: »

If people hear such rumours about a garage they are less inclined to do business with them which dosen't help in the current economic climate

+1
Im sick of taking phone calls from customers saying that they heard we were closed down.And these rumours seem to be that we`re closing down every Friday for the last 5 weeks.
The amount of rumours going around about us is scary and it has driven customers elsewhere.Each Monday I contact all my customers by email to let them know that were still going but by Wednesday the rumours are going around again.

The truth be known is that we are in great position to keep the place open.And honestly there is even talk of expansion in the next few weeks.

However these rumours are having an effect on our business and unless we keep on top of them it will cause problems.

We`ve a feeling that its some of our competitors spreading this about us but we`ve no proof that that is the case.
All I can say is keep these threads to confirmed closures before rumours do actually put the final nail in another garages coffin.

TomMc · 06-03-2009 8:12pm

It is easy to knock motor dealers in general for what happened in the past and kick them further now when they are down. But with the amount of unemployment, the credit crunch and the public not spending on anything but essential items, even a good dealer could go under very easily. We are seeing it every day of the week on the high street, in all of the various retail sectors, not to mention manufacturing jobs. It feeds its way into the service industry then as well.

And not all business failures are a sure sign of bad management, especially in the current economic climate. If the general public do not have the money to spend (en mass) or are afraid to do so, nor cannot be forced to do so, well then with very high overheads and seriously reduced revenues, no business in any field can afford to be complacent.

The last thing they need are rumours flying about as well.

milltown · 06-03-2009 9:57pm

The manufacturers and importers are largely culpable in some of these cases, and definitely in the case of White Bishop. WB had a nice little business on the Drimnagh road with a lot of repeat customers and were one of the top Seat dealers in the country. SEAT/OHM decided they should be selling a lot more cars and demanded that dealers brought their showrooms up to their new standard including x amount of indoor showroom space, y signage and z amount of yard space. This meant moving up the Long Mile road.

Around this time SEAT started to make all their cars look the same unfortunately and sales were less than spectacular. It was soon obvious that they were never going to shift enough SEATs to keep the new premises in the black. After failing to get Renault, they took on Opel, who wanted further changes to the showroom including the 2 storey greenhouse. The fact that that work kept the showroom closed for the order taking/ new registration period 18 months ago was probably the real beginning of the end.

Really sad to see them go. Some lovely lads in there. Hopefully Pat will bounce back. He's mad as a brush but a likable character.

Darragh29 · 06-03-2009 9:57pm

AudiChris wrote: »

Around two months ago I was dealing with a customer who was shopping with me, White Bishop and another dealer.
I couldn't get the figures to work out for her, so I didn't sell her a car.

I was following up with her afterwards and she told me that she had bought from the third dealership. She preferred White Bishop, had bought from them before, liked their service and their pricing was working out but she had heard rumours that they were having trouble and so wasn't comfortable to give them a deposit.

Whether she heard correctly and made a wise choice, or whether enough people heard the rumours about (and therefore didn't do business with) White Bishop - killing their trade and sealing their fate, we'll never know.

This is a pretty good illustration of why it's important not to participate in the rumours. It's a feedback loop - the more people that believe a dealer's in trouble, the more likely the dealer will end up in trouble!

I agree 100% Chris. What concerns me most is that despite the crisis of confidence in the industry, you don't see much happening in the franchised end of the industry by way of innovation. I said it before on this forum and I'm going to keep saying it. It isn't just our country that is suffering from a lack of leadership ability at the moment, there is a lack of leadership in our industry. Just like the wider economic crisis, the crisis in the motor industry has been brought about by too much handy money being available and people in leadership positions getting lazy and losing sight of and respect for who pays the bills, and by that I mean the customer.

pburns · 06-03-2009 10:50pm

milltown wrote: »

The manufacturers and importers are largely culpable in some of these cases, and definitely in the case of White Bishop. WB had a nice little business on the Drimnagh road with a lot of repeat customers and were one of the top Seat dealers in the country. SEAT/OHM decided they should be selling a lot more cars and demanded that dealers brought their showrooms up to their new standard including x amount of indoor showroom space, y signage and z amount of yard space. This meant moving up the Long Mile road.

Around this time SEAT started to make all their cars look the same unfortunately and sales were less than spectacular. It was soon obvious that they were never going to shift enough SEATs to keep the new premises in the black. After failing to get Renault, they took on Opel, who wanted further changes to the showroom including the 2 storey greenhouse. The fact that that work kept the showroom closed for the order taking/ new registration period 18 months ago was probably the real beginning of the end.

Really sad to see them go. Some lovely lads in there. Hopefully Pat will bounce back. He's mad as a brush but a likable character.

I've never dealt with WB but what you say is spot on. I actually don't think dealers made a fortune even in the good times. The pressure put on them by the marketing oiks to have space-age showrooms brought 'em down. Some were lucky enough to have ample space for expansion or could sell the traditional town-centre sites for apartments and maybe do well out of the move.

But many others are fooked...

CL32 · 07-03-2009 12:34am

milltown wrote: »

SEAT/OHM decided they should be selling a lot more cars and demanded that dealers brought their showrooms up to their new standard including x amount of indoor showroom space, y signage and z amount of yard space.

Really sad to see them go. Some lovely lads in there. Hopefully Pat will bounce back. He's mad as a brush but a likable character.

SEAT decided, OHM delivered the news. Do you think they had a choice?

I work in a completely different (multinational) industry and we regularly have to follow new x, y, z standards. Some of these are financially crippling but they are a cost of doing (our) business.

As you said, he's one of the good 'uns. I hope he and his staff will be back soon.

testicle · 07-03-2009 1:33am

dmca77 wrote: »

only country in the european union

No it isn't. Far from it...

BostonB · 07-03-2009 3:53am

TomMc wrote: »

It is easy to knock motor dealers in general for what happened in the past and kick them further now when they are down. But with the amount of unemployment, the credit crunch and the public not spending on anything but essential items, even a good dealer could go under very easily. ....

A good dealer. Whats that then?

In fairness WB had a good rep. One of the few that did.

agent_smith · 07-03-2009 2:28pm

We bought 3 cars from White Bishop in the past few years. I'm very sorry to see them go. I always bought from Karl in WB and a nicer, more honest and decent guy you would find hard to meet. He would be an asset to any motor dealer. I'm very sorry for all the guys in WB. They were lovely to deal with.

Where is the best place now in dub to get your SEAT serviced? Sheehans in rathmines ?

CarCity · 07-03-2009 4:20pm

Weren't White Bishop main dealers for Rover for many years? If so, the transition was probably tough also.

road_high · 07-03-2009 10:33pm

ned78 wrote: »

Welcome to my world. I feel like a turkey at Christmas. The uncertainty is frightening, and it makes it impossible to plan anything major like holidays, or purchases for the house. Really frightening time. Even if you're doing a good job in the trade at the moment, whether you're at the top, or the bottom of the food chain you're at risk.

And of course having morons on here doing the whole fire and pitchfork routines, and wishing us the very worst of health isn't helping things either.

I wonder if they could introduce some kind of scrappage scheme to boost the trade might be a runner?

BostonB · 07-03-2009 10:52pm

mfitzy wrote: »

I wonder if they could introduce some kind of scrappage scheme to boost the trade might be a runner?

Some already are...
http://www.airside-nissan.com/promotions/promotions.aspx?section=current_offer&content_rid=940

S.I.R · 08-03-2009 3:53am

meh, them and crawfords are down the swanny....

time for the under dogs to rise !

pppspecial · 08-03-2009 12:15pm

The ones who are going to survive are the ones who do things differently from here on in.
Guys the industry needs to be changed. The consumer has been shafted for many decades. Garage owners now need to start looking after there new customers and old ones in a completly different light. No more getting the claws in on deals . finance has to become much more strict. garages who lie about the value of a car and manage to gain finance for a consumer under false pretences need to be heavily fined.
One off the main reasons why people nowadays cant gain finance is for years dealers have been over financing cars for customers.
This "engine and gear box warrenty only"is a load off bull and a complete copout for irish car dealers as a whole. If you sell a product and stand over it people will part with there cash easier and increases there chances off returning in a few years.

Its bad news out there right now for everyone but tis will soon change.
come 2010 most that were stuck in finance deals with a good ft job will no doubt be able to secure finances then.

"mary higgins down the road got a new car...a one 0 plate she has"
"JOHN JOHN i want new car"

Maybe not as effective as the 00 plate but the 10 plates should stimulate the market somewhat. IMO rant over.

BostonB · 08-03-2009 1:31pm

Its not only about finance. Its the whole overcharging and delivering a sub par service. Especially for serving and parts. As a result a full dealer service history has been devalued as it may not indicate a car has been well maintained at all. Obviously difference in price is still the major issue between UK and Irish cars. But the lack of history on many UK cars isn't putting people off either.

Lex Luthor · 08-03-2009 5:23pm

pppspecial wrote: »

The ones who are going to survive are the ones who do things differently from here on in.

I agree here...same goes for all the other businesses out there struggling at the moment....

to give an example....

I've bought a few bits of furniture recently from a place in Belfast, not that they are massively cheaper than down here, but the fact that they don't take a deposit, they deliver for free and within 2 weeks, assemble for free and take payment next day after delivery when you are happy.

Any place I have gone to down here, whether it be 10 min up the road, they always want a deposit, take min 8 weeks to deliver, never ring you the morning they deliver to give you a time, always want to charge for delivery and payment up front.

I really feel for the people there losing their jobs...its not a nice time for it to happen

Darragh29 · 09-03-2009 2:09am

CarCity wrote: »

Weren't White Bishop main dealers for Rover for many years? If so, the transition was probably tough also.

I ordered Rover parts off them recently. Peter in parts in a great lad for getting you sorted out with your parts, I was glad to do business with them over the last few years, in parts anyway, they couldn't do enough for you, extremely helpful and I know I knock main dealers every day of the week on the forum but I was always impressed with White Bishop when it came to parts. I can't understand why they have closed down, I always got the impression that the aftersales end of the operation was extremely busy. When I was calling in to collect parts, the workshop always seemed to be out the door and last time I was there, they said they had a 4-6 week waiting period for the workshop, which had at least 15 service bays...

j4vier · 05-04-2009 10:18pm

so are they totally gone then?
i bought a car off them an year ago and had a service due this april!

Johnboy Mac · 05-04-2009 10:27pm

Darragh29 wrote: »

I ordered Rover parts off them recently. Peter in parts in a great lad for getting you sorted out with your parts, I was glad to do business with them over the last few years, in parts anyway, they couldn't do enough for you, extremely helpful and I know I knock main dealers every day of the week on the forum but I was always impressed with White Bishop when it came to parts. I can't understand why they have closed down, I always got the impression that the aftersales end of the operation was extremely busy. When I was calling in to collect parts, the workshop always seemed to be out the door and last time I was there, they said they had a 4-6 week waiting period for the workshop, which had at least 15 service bays...

Peter is a gentleman really one of the better one's in the trade. Hope he gets sorted with an job.

Darragh29 · 05-04-2009 11:07pm

Johnboy Mac wrote: »

Peter is a gentleman really one of the better one's in the trade. Hope he gets sorted with an job.

I was driving past White Bishop last Friday on the way down to a meeting on the Naas Road and it was so errie looking at the "To Let" sign up on White Bishop's new building across from EP Mooney's, and not a car or employee in sight, with only a stray bit of an Opel bunting getting swept around the forecourt by a gust of wind, to show for all the people who used to work there.

congo_90 · 05-04-2009 11:11pm

A lot of my family dealt with them a lot of the time and I knew several of the staff personally. As I can see no names will be mentioned (no worries peasent).
Sorry to hear they folded. Never had a bad thing to say about em.

milltown · 06-04-2009 12:02am

j4vier wrote: »

so are they totally gone then?
i bought a car off them an year ago and had a service due this april!

Well Ken, who was their service manager for years, went out on his own a while back and is operating from the back of Parkwest Autopoint now. I wouldn't think a dealer service history is worth a whole lot on a SEAT, Opel or Citroen so I'd save a few a few quid and bring it to someone who knows his onions if I were you.

WHITE BISHOP CLOSED DOWN 5PM 5/3/09

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