MSL group give up Hyundai

goochy

only spotted now that Park motors are no longer Hyundai dealers and that Grange motors have sold their Hyundai business to a well known dealer who was clever enough to have his properties in a separate company to his car dealerships which went bang a few years - leaving millions of debt in his wake ! Great to see ! not !

strange that Msl are giving up Hyundai , wonder will they take on Seat at Park Motors ?

THEDONWALDO

MSL will be concentrating on Mercedes, Skoda and Mazda brands, there are no plans to take on any other franchises

Toyotafanboi

Interesting tactic for MSL, first to drop VW and now Hyundai too... two of the best selling brands in the country, to pursue the likes of Mazda?

Atlantic Dawn

You would think with Tucson sales alone Hyundai was the one to keep.

colm_mcm

If they are actually making money or just getting numbers.

PurvesGrundy

colm_mcm wrote: »

If they are actually making money or just getting numbers.

That is the tail end of the issue. Hyundai may be selling lots of volume, but that means little when there is feck all margin to be made.

The reason you see so many Tucson's on the road at present has a lot to do with the price they are being sold at.

evolutionqy7

Did they drop VW ? I thought it was taken off them ?

PurvesGrundy

evolutionqy7 wrote: »

Did they drop VW ? I thought it was taken off them ?

It was more a case of MSL unwilling to invest millions in a new premises. Frank Keane are supposedly in their old Deansgrange building until they finish construction of a new showroom (which there is no sign of yet).

THEDONWALDO

Correct, MSL were not willing to spend upwards of €30 million on a new showroom when the contract offered by VWGI was a 2 year rolling contract. Consider also there would need to be a massive volume of cars sold at healthy margins to justify a new showroom. Frank keanes are renting a unit in deansgrange business pk for aftersales and leasing a showroom from MSL Grange, until a new building is up and running in 3 years tim

goochy

What about their SERVICE centre in Dun , with Mercedes being only franchise on Southside they have its going to be a lot quieter there. it was after all built for a no. of franchises.

In Cork , as well as owning Merc. garage - they own the former Turners cross motors site and Blackwater VW are leasing a showroom from them ( they are moving soon to new premises)

There is no Mazda dealer in Cork city - if Msl have any sense they will turn where the VW dealer is into a Mazda dealership.
Strangely they are building retail warehousing at the back of the showroom beside Woodies.

I worked with Mark Mooney in HB Dennis in the late 90s and he has been well brought up , however a lot of dealers who were careful during celtic tiger wont be happy to see Mooneys going from strength to strength having gotten away with millions of debt. They were loosing millions well before the recession so the recession isn't reason.

Vicxas

Interesting that they completely refurbish the Park Skoda Showroom but drop Hyundai completely.

Wonder who will get the vacant space.

goochy

Seat or used car centre ?
how are Audi south Dublin / Lookers getting away with their premises ? They could have bought a site and built on it a few years ago for a lot less than they would now. They are also paying €7k a week in rent just for their Ballsbridge showroom - never mind their used car showroom and service centre.
I see they are selling a lot of their trade ins through their used car dealership Hurst direct - instead of being full of uk imports its become an Audi trade car centre.

Stallingrad

I was in MSL Pottery road, thinking VW were still there. They had moved to FK in Deansgrange. The place was VERY quiet, even the receptionist commented on it. Can't see how Merc and Mazda will sustain them.

goochy

it wont really be doing much in mazda either as they aren't main dealer so wont get much business in them. They could have stayed VW and Hyundai service dealers but obviously agreed a deal with Mooneys and FK to not do this.

Carson10

A shame to see that MSL Ballsbridge & Grange have dropped Volkswagen. They were always a prestige VW dealership, with most of the top-spec VW's around the country out of their garages. Always thought a Ballsbridge VW golf looked the part.

goochy

yes the Ballsbridge site is iconic for VW , beetle built there outside Germany.

Surprising they are giving up Hyundai as they don't seem to be putting pressure on dealers with premises. For example the dealer in Waterford operates from a fairly small showroom at back of large complex .
I thought Grange would move Hyundai into current FK VW showroom when they move on , maybe that's what Mooneys are doing.