New standalone Mercedes dealership for Limerick ?

goochy

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

chicorytip

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

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.

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

goochy

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

colm_mcm

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

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

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.

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

mart 23

What is BYD

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 !

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121644845#Comment_121644845

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.

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121645309#Comment_121645309

Build Your Dream, I believe.

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121645481#Comment_121645481

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.

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 .

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.

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.

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

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

goochy

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

naughtysmurf

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

jippo nolan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121646512#Comment_121646512

It wasn’t Frank Carroll by any chance?

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121777272#Comment_121777272

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. 😂

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 .

jippo nolan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121777509#Comment_121777509

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 🇩🇪

jmreire

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121777852#Comment_121777852

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.

Cetyl Palmitate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121711929#Comment_121711929

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.

goochy

Saw its in volvo ?

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.

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?

carsfan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121829097#Comment_121829097

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.