Changing times for Kilkenny's Car Dealers

road_high

I notice a lot of change for Kilkenny's car garages (at last) recently and in the last few years;
-Phil Treacy's (a household name in KK!) is gone, closed recently after loosing the Renault franchise a couple of years ago. Don't understand why they just didn't move out of Irishtown and build a top garage elsewhere. Anyway, GBM Renault from Clonmel now have the franchise and are building out beside Laharts.
-Laharts themselves have under massive redevelopment andnow adding Skoda to their franchise for Kilkenny.
-Youngs garage is for sale on the Carlow Road and theyre moving their Opel and Landrover garages to Springhill too.
-Morriseys Peugoet are moving out there too.

Still find it crazy to think KK still has no Mercedes, BMW or Volvo franchises:rolleyes: , all in surrounding counites only.

oilsheik

Carlow has recently got a Volvo franchise with Bolands adding this to their existing Mazda showroom. The car business has changed dramatically in recent years with dealers moving out of city centre locations to green field sites on the edge of towns. I don't know why Phil Treacy didn't follow the trend like you said if he owned the freehold title to that property then the proceeds of this sale would have gone a long way toward building a new premises on a green field site. Dooley Motors in Carlow did just that.

road_high

oilsheik wrote:

Carlow has recently got a Volvo franchise with Bolands adding this to their existing Mazda showroom. The car business has changed dramatically in recent years with dealers moving out of city centre locations to green field sites on the edge of towns. I don't know why Phil Treacy didn't follow the trend like you said if he owned the freehold title to that property then the proceeds of this sale would have gone a long way toward building a new premises on a green field site. Dooley Motors in Carlow did just that.

Are they the same Bolands as in Waterord/Wexford I presume? They also sell Volvo, guess they'll be covering KK too then.
I heard P Treacy had no-one to take over the business and he retired; end of an era in KK motoring even if it was just bloody Renaults! The site must be worth a fortune. Heard he could have had a joint-venture with Renault Ireland, but he would have had to put up half the cash (millions I guess), for a new garage outside town.
Dooleys new garage is superb by the way.

oilsheik

Boland's in Carlow is part of Boland family's empire and quite an empire its getting to be!. It's unfortunate P Treacy had nobody to take over the reigns there's alot of potential in a Renault franchise - popular car and the like. You got to had it to Laharts no sooner had he moved out of the old premises (which wasn't that bad) he lands the Skoda franchise..wonder will it impact his VW sales?.
Youngs were probably coming under pressure to upgrade their facilities let face it if your going to spend €100k on Range Rover their premises on the Waterford Road ain't the most inviting. Guys with that spending power like their creature comforts.

BadCharlie

Boland's here in Waterford are buying up car dealers every so offten. Also there is a place justout side waterford city which they are starting to call the Motor Mile due to all the car dealers. Sounds like the same is happening to other counties.

Plug

I would of thought that there would be a Mercedus garage going out the Waterford road as there is increasing numbers in that make and I thought Mercedus were owned by VW so Leharts could get a dealership from them? Could be wrong though

road_high

Plug wrote:

I would of thought that there would be a Mercedus garage going out the Waterford road as there is increasing numbers in that make and I thought Mercedus were owned by VW so Leharts could get a dealership from them? Could be wrong though

No way, I'd hate to see them getting a Merc franchise. Sheehys of Carlow cover KK officially at the mo, but it would be nice to see them officially in town.
VW (they wish!) don't own Merc (part of the Daimler-Chrysler corp), a bigger company than VAG in it's own right. Thyere both German though..

Plug

OK thanks for clearing that up;)

Darren Darker

I just had a terible experience in Coogans Autos. Twice they never sent me the parts that I had ordered, then they said that they would send them out by courier. When I asked them why didnt they just do that last week, I was told that if I had that attitude that they wouldnt send them out at all. So I am left 2 weeks later with no parts because someone was grumpy in their parts department! I cant get over how they treat their customers in these times! They just dont care!

Captain Havoc

If you've something to say, say it once and please don't drag up threads that are 7 years old.