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New standalone Mercedes dealership for Limerick ?

  • 19-01-2024 1:36pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭


    I see a Mercedes dealer in the midlands is looking for planning permission for a new standalone MB dealership opposite their current premises . This dealer built dual franchise premises during the celtic tiger years but now the distributor is insisting dealers must be standalone operations .

    With Frank Hogans being located in a major urban area and being dealer for the mid west , I assume Limerick will also be getting a standalone dealership ?

    long before the celtic tiger Hogans were one of the leading MB dealers in the country , however they have not progress the dealership as they dont seem to like investing in bricks and mortar



Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,258 ✭✭✭chicorytip


    ...like Audi Limerick. Did Hogan have the Audi franchise here as well?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,129 ✭✭✭Jofspring


    Ya Hogan's had Audi but lost it about 10 years ago.


    Think they were Merc, Audi, Volkswagen and Seat back then. They are Merc, Skoda and Volkswagen now.


    Are Merc definitely looking for standalone dealerships as I see MSL seem to have BYD in with Merc now. Well going by a picture I saw anyway.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    Yes Tom Murphy loosing mercedes over it . Byd only temporarily at msl cork premises till new premises built . Don't know what will happen at msl Park as that's definitely not standalone



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    Frank hogan missed a trick with audi . Any dealer who invested in standalone premises has been reaping the benefits



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 73,520 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    Someone told me MSL were opening a Merc dealership in Limerick alright.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    Makes sense. Thought connolys might . Frank hogan's don't seem to like investing in premises . Wonder how long vw will let them operate from their current showrooms



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51,363 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    Sure he would have extra space for VW and Skoda with the empty Mercedes showroom if that franchise goes elsewhere. Mercedes sales have also tanked in recent times due to their ridiculous price increases and I'd say Hogan makes more money from selling VWs and Skodas than Mercedes.

    Also dealers investing in big glass palaces during the Celtic Tiger era didn't work out well for many of them when the bust came. Hogan was one of those few who didn't get carried away with reckless investing in faux premises yet he is still around while others folded. Anyway Hogan has been in the game for decades so I'm sure he knows a thing or two about how it will play out.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    Say what you like about glass palaces but there is good money to be made from selling and maintaining premium brands . There is a reason why its mostly premium brand dealers who have invested in new premises .

    Remember there is not huge competition in this sector- dealers have a good asrea each to cover like there is for say a Ford dealership where there is another dealer close by .

    Msl might open BYD in limerick also



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 333 ✭✭mart 23


    What is BYD



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    the biggest car brand you never heard !! chinese electric car brand

    MSL car dealers are owned by Motor distributors ltd . who are BYD and Mercedes importers - they brought Audi Mazda , mercedes and VW to ireland too . My dad worked for them assembling VW beetles on the Naas road !



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51,363 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    In the past dealers were forced to invest in these big glass showrooms by the distributers or manufactures in order to maintain the franchise. This lead to many of them going bust during the last recession. As for competition, sales of new premium cars has dropped dramatically in the last year or so because they have now priced themselves out of reach of many. BMW and Audi numbers down too. Mercedes now slashing prices of certain ev models to try and shift them with recent talk of them even taking over distribution directly in Ireland from MSL. As for BYD, they will follow the Telsa business model of just having a collection centre for customers who will buy their cars online, they won't need big showrooms or forecourts having to sell second hand cars.

    As I said Hogan has been in the game for decades so I'd say he knows a thing or two more than anyone on here about not aiming further than he can reach. When he lost Audi a decade ago some people speculated then that he would be gone too.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,792 ✭✭✭jmreire




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,792 ✭✭✭jmreire


    On the Naas Road, I was often in it. They had a service engineer that I knew from doing VW courses there at the time named Frank, I can't remember his last name, small guy, jet black hair. He was a typical Dub character. Far different times then.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    Don't agree with any of this . Any dealer who built a standalone Audi dealership a years back is doing very well from it. Frank Hogan does not necessarily know best .

    Mercedes sales may be down but sales still good and there is not a huge dealer network .



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51,363 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    I didn't say he knows best but just maybe he knows his own business better than you, me or anyone else on boards.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,516 ✭✭✭XsApollo


    Well he is there a long time, maybe he is happy with what he has, nice , steady and consistent.

    the obsession with growing businesses sometimes doesn’t make sense,

    and that Audi building I’m sure was a massive investment, that maybe he didn’t want to lay out?

    They haven’t seemed to suffer the loss of Audi in any case.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    He's Intitled to do what he wants I am just saying there is money to be made from selling new and used prestige brands and maintaining them which is why dealers are willing to do spend money on fancy premises .

    It's not the same for Ford etc



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    heard Tom Murphy in Waterford is loosing franchise and has not been allowed sell Electric models for quite some time .

    seems strange surely you either are able to sell whatever models you want if you still have the franchise , his showrooms are decent enough also



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    Lyons in limerick have been announced as BYD dealers and will be located in main lyons site , i am sure Ford are delighted.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,292 ✭✭✭naughtysmurf


    Frank Hogan must be well into his 70’s now, still goes in to work for a few hours a day I believe



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,474 ✭✭✭jippo nolan




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,792 ✭✭✭jmreire


    It could well have been, there's a friend of mine who also attended the same courses there and I'll ask him next time I see him. Would have been around 1963-1968 when I was there, but he probably was there much longer. A funny guy. 😂



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    His names over the door , he obviously loves the motor trade as most dealers do . Its just a shame that Hogan's have had Merc. For so long and don't want to keep it .



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,474 ✭✭✭jippo nolan


    Frank Carroll was the parts manager in Volkswagen , a friend of mine restoring a 1953 Beetle often got parts from him in the stores imported directly from Germany 🇩🇪



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,792 ✭✭✭jmreire


    Sorry for the late reply Jippo, I missed your post. I doubt very much if the Frank Carroll you mentioned is the right Frank if he was in the parts section. The Frank who I knew ran the technical section, running mechanical / servicing courses for the mechanics.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 596 ✭✭✭Cetyl Palmitate


    A couple of BYD cars parked out front as I passed today.

    New signs up as well. At a glance it seemed like all Volvo references removed.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    Saw its in volvo ?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51,363 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    Where else was BYD going to go? Volvo is gone and the other two showrooms have Ford and LRJ. Would not be surprised if they eventually expand into the old car valet place next door that's been gone for ages too.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    i thought they might have built a new place at valeting place and were going to sell used volvos and premium used cars at ex volvo place

    any idea why they lost volvo?



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,638 ✭✭✭carsfan2


    Enterprise rent a car are going into the old valet place as far as I know.

    Also heard that Volvo were not happy with the current showroom and wanted it upgraded but gave no guarantee that Lyons would retain the franchise even after this was done so Lyons's decided to let it go rather than invest more money and potentially not retain the brand going forward.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    Strange as said lyons were ahead of the game with a standalone showrooms all those years ago but business never really took off

    Standard of volvo dealers here shocking . Johnson and Perrott only really good dealership



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    Any update on a volvo dealer for limerick and also a new Mercedes dealership?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭goochy


    Any update? I see merc dealers showrooms are bring upgraded around the country



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