What’s the point of motorpoint?

What’s the point of motorpoint?

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Discussion

ACCYSTAN

Original Poster:

1,027 posts

128 months

Sunday 12th November 2023
quotequote all
Pre covid they only sold cars with manufacturers warranty’s remaining, they where often the most competitive on price and they had a huge choice,

Since covid, they sell 6 year old junk cars, prices are not competitive and neither is the finance and the stock is greatly reduced,

The reason why I ask, we had some friends visit from Burnley last weekend who are looking at a new car and I advised them to go to their local motorpoint.

They went yesterday and gave me a call after to tell me how disappointing both the quality of cars, the prices and the choice.

I would love the old motorpoint to come back (pricing and stock), any maybe it will with time.
But nothing sums up the mess caused by covid to the car industry like the demise of motorpoint.
Also, did motorpoint expand too big? I went on the website this morning and they have many more branches than I recall.



Rough101

2,282 posts

82 months

Sunday 12th November 2023
quotequote all
There just isn’t the stock for them.

I’ve bought twice I think, but always went there when looking for a new car as they typically had a good nearly new example of every car I was looking at and I could compare a few yards apart without going round 3 or 4 different dealers.

PositronicRay

27,508 posts

190 months

Sunday 12th November 2023
quotequote all
For years pre covid overproduction saw manufacturers chasing numbers, registering, and dumping cars onto the market. Not a good business model.

What we see now is more sustainable. Motorpoint needs to change, or go under, so yes current format little point.


Volume=vanity
Profit=sanity

MDMA .

9,207 posts

108 months

Sunday 12th November 2023
quotequote all
Back in 2005, they were selling “parallel” imports. Wife wanted an Alfa 147 at the time and they were selling new cars, but not UK spec ones. Possibly Cypriot or Maltese cars with a shorter warranty. They were a few grand cheaper but she ended up with a new Golf instead.

carparkno1

1,435 posts

165 months

Sunday 12th November 2023
quotequote all
We picked up a 2yr old Sportage from them a year ago and it was in faultless condition and hasn’t put a foot wrong. I’m looking at the moment for a DSG-type hot hatch and there’s no doubt they are lacking the usual stock.

They’d be my first choice usually because you can save a couple of grand for a newer car and just stick a manufacturer warranty on afterwards.

I think their business basically relied on lease returns and motability cars for a long time and with Covid maybe a lot of that dried up.

RUSTILLDOWN

370 posts

75 months

Sunday 12th November 2023
quotequote all
PositronicRay said:
Volume=vanity
Profit=sanity
biggrinbiggrinbiggrin

Risk Management
Market Share
Fixed vs Variable Costs

Volume = Valuable / Versatile / Victorious

Theoldguard

858 posts

65 months

Sunday 12th November 2023
quotequote all
More outlets and less stock coming through which has been a problem for most dealerships the last couple years just means that stock is spread more thinly.
As fleet purchases increase as the data seems to suggest then expect younger, lower mileage vehicles to become more common at MP again, but that will no doubt mean alot more EVs and less ICE as that is what businesses tend to now buy for tax benefits. MP are probably like alot of others are not wanting to commit to high numbers at the minute due to their collapse in price and waiting for the market to stabilise.

Jamescrs

4,855 posts

72 months

Sunday 12th November 2023
quotequote all
Probably indicative of the market, I got an email a day or so ago from the local Mini dealer as my wife's car has been there for a service, they said they will buy Mini's upto 9 years old and 90'000 miles for stock and claim to beat any other car buying service. I've never heard of a main dealer looking to buy cars with that kind of mileage before.

ACCYSTAN

Original Poster:

1,027 posts

128 months

Thursday 23rd November 2023
quotequote all
Mororpoint interim results are out, share price down 5p.
The interims are worth a read, trying to spin a positive on a gloomy future.


ACCYSTAN

Original Poster:

1,027 posts

128 months

Thursday 4th April
quotequote all
Update, positive market improvement

“9% year on year and continued margin recovery”

ACCYSTAN

Original Poster:

1,027 posts

128 months

Thursday 4th April
quotequote all
I forgot to add, have motorpoint done a deal with MG to buy all the PCP returns?

SteBrown91

2,568 posts

136 months

Thursday 4th April
quotequote all
As a car dullard I used to love browsing the motorpoint site back in the day when they used to import brand new cars from Cyprus/Malta etc - used to get get some oddball spec cars. Highlights include:

-Mk7 Golf GTD/GTIs with halogen headlights but came fitted with a pan roof and 19” wheels (a combo not available in the UK I assume due to the harsh ride risking cracking the roof)

-Mk3 Octavia VRS with horrible 17” wheels, no auto high-beam sensor in the screen (UK cars had these fitted regardless of having auto High beam enabled) but came with the Columbus upgraded Nav and electric memory leather seats.

-Scirocco 1.4 tsi but with the R line bodykit, Xenons and leather with wheels that looked like the R wheels had been shrunk in the wash.

I actually used to own a mk6 GTD that turned out to be a Motorpoint Parallel import. Was funny when you ran a VIN decoder on it the territory information was all in Greek!

Nowadays their stock generally looks no better or higher quality than any other ex fleet supermarket which is a shame.



Edited by SteBrown91 on Thursday 4th April 22:29

ACCYSTAN

Original Poster:

1,027 posts

128 months

Friday 5th April
quotequote all
They once had a batch of Nissan Tilda which I think where originally destined for Malta

They where a bargain at the time as they where seriously cheaper than a closely related UK Nissan Note