[twoshortplanks]

I have received a letter to say Western Perth is closing down due to the uneconomic trading condtions as there are only 2 Alfa models and the Saab franchise is finished, well they didn't say that exactly but it is a brief precis of the letter.

Initially I thought this was bad news but hope springing eternal perhaps ARUK can persuade an Aberdeenshire franchise to take on Alfa seeing as there are a lot of owners up here mainly thanks to Grahams hard work over the last few years.

It really was bad timing, I was just about to order a 4c, I was just waiting for permission from HID!

 

[dcystar147]

I had the same letter last week. Been discussed on here elsewhere.

I'm pretty ****ed off as I had assurances when I swapped my MY10 Giulietta for a brand new MY14 Giulietta in March.

Not that it will go to them for servicing (Euan at CP in Dundee does that), but it will need to go to Edinburgh for any warranty work! Perth was bad enough, but as stated, I had assurances about car swaps half way to make things easier.

Given the amount of money and expensive/new cars in Aberdeen, they are definitely missing a trick. Even with no dealership, the amount of newish Alfas up here is amazing.

I discussed this with Neil at Western Perth back in March. Good premises don't come up too often, are sought after by everyone, and new build was never going to be an option, so it looks pretty unlikely.

I'm broadly in favour of the current Alfa strategy. No point in realising new stuff to a suppressed market, but it's going to kill the dealers. New product desperately needed!

 

[rcollie]

It was mentioned by someone at the last montly meet that a new dealer will be opening in Aberdeen.

But the bad news is it is to be Arnold Clark:cheese:

**This info comes with no promise of being fact**

 

[alfanano]

I have received a letter to say Western Perth is closing down due to the uneconomic trading condtions as there are only 2 Alfa models and the Saab franchise is finished, well they didn't say that exactly but it is a brief precis of the letter.

Initially I thought this was bad news but hope springing eternal perhaps ARUK can persuade an Aberdeenshire franchise to take on Alfa seeing as there are a lot of owners up here mainly thanks to Grahams hard work over the last few years.

It really was bad timing, I was just about to order a 4c, I was just waiting for permission from HID!

Good grief Harry, where have you been? China? :lol:

Never mind, there are five 4Cs for sale on Pistonheads at the moment!

 

[alfanano]

It was mentioned by someone at the last montly meet that a new dealer will be opening in Aberdeen.

But the bad news is it is to be Arnold Clark:cheese:

**This info comes with no promise of being fact**

No names, no pack drill!! (Kemnay was mentioned! - you know, they do Jeep... part of Fiat... who own???)

 

[PapaSmurf]

No names, no pack drill!! (Kemnay was mentioned! - you know, they do Jeep... part of Fiat... who own???)

Dodge!

 

[popelli]

I have received a letter to say Western Perth is closing down due to the uneconomic trading condtions as there are only 2 Alfa models and the Saab franchise is finished, well they didn't say that exactly but it is a brief precis of the letter.

Not surprised

We bought a GT off them 2 years ago as it was the best petrol engined one we could find at the time after our previous GT was stolen

Car was good, but neither car nor the deal was as good as the deal we cut 6 months earlier with Chris Variava the Nottingham alfa dealer.

Sad to see another dealer go because of alfas inability to produce a range of cars that people want to buy

 

[Guest]

Alfa and Abarth dealer at Kemnay. Apparently it's a done deal.

Heard a whisper also that Arnold will be opening an Alfa dealer in Perth too, on the Motor Mile.

 

[dcystar147]

Alfa and Abarth dealer at Kemnay. Apparently it's a done deal.

Heard a whisper also that Arnold will be opening an Alfa dealer in Perth too, on the Motor Mile.

Surely Alfa UK won't have anything to do with uncle arnold after the last time!?

 

[Guest]

Apparently it's a done deal....

A great shame really, as Western did a great job of getting customer satisfaction back up.

 

[AlfaBrera1]

Funny how things change. I was told by a guy at AC in Aberdeen a number of years ago that they gave up the franchise as Alfa wanted them to take the showroom upmarket, rather than cramming Alfas in with cheap Fiats. I guess AR UK aren't so bothered about that these days. I think Western missed a trick not opening in Aberdeen in the first place to get access to a bigger market. I know people who wanted an Alfa, but not a 200 mile round trip to get it serviced.

 

[Insc123]

Alfa needs to have representation in the NE of Scotland, one of the most affluent parts of the UK. I passed 3 alfas on my way to Tesco in Ellon yesterday, a half mile trip and there were another 2 in the car park there too. Someone's been selling them and someone needs to service, repair and change them over in due course. The time and effort Alfa has spent marketing, advertising, sponsoring has been reflected in uptake of their current models. whilst they aren't as common as a F*cus or a M*zd* they're a lot more common than when AC in Aberdeen used to sell 147's, etc. That money is lost if the Dealer is a 200 mile trip, all that follow up business is gone.

If we see a dealer in Perth or Aberdeenshire I'll be fine pleased. If not, then when its time to change the Mito and Giulietta then its wont be an AR I'll be driving as my regular car.

On another note - Best Wishes to Neil and his team at Western Perth.
I've been on the redundancy bus myself before and its a less than pleasant experience. I hope everyone finds alternative work or are quickly able to find something new. Thanks from all of us for helping out over the last few years and for being our starting point for our May Runs. Judging by the responses and comments on the news here, you will be missed by us all.

Thanks again and good and best wishes for the future!

 

[dcystar147]

Funny how things change. I was told by a guy at AC in Aberdeen a number of years ago that they gave up the franchise as Alfa wanted them to take the showroom upmarket, rather than cramming Alfas in with cheap Fiats. I guess AR UK aren't so bothered about that these days. I think Western missed a trick not opening in Aberdeen in the first place to get access to a bigger market. I know people who wanted an Alfa, but not a 200 mile round trip to get it serviced.

Correct. Alfa UK set out a minimum standard for showrooms. This standard basically eliminated AC immediately. From what I remember, Western Perth also didn't meet the minimum standard (DinaMito?), but was officially classified as a satellite of Edinburgh, so got away with it.

Neil at Western Perth intimated they wanted to open in Aberdeen, but couldn't justify it on the 2 models. Also he stated that whenever an existing, quality showroom becomes available, it is snapped up immediately, usually for more than the asking. New build seemed the only option, but again too costly for a 2 car range.

Kemnay would be good, and obviously a cheaper option, but really they should be on Wellington road beside all the others.

 

[ransoman]

As much as i dislike AC, If it is the only way we can get an alfa dealer up here then so be it. I won't use them for servicing but it will make getting parts much easier.

 

[PapaSmurf]

Heard a whisper also that Arnold will be opening an Alfa dealer in Perth too, on the Motor Mile.

The Jeep franchise is there so that would seem to fit in with Alfas strategy.

 

[PapaSmurf]

As much as i dislike AC, If it is the only way we can get an alfa dealer up here then so be it. I won't use them for servicing but it will make getting parts much easier.

I never had a problem with the service Dept. in Perth it was the Sales side that was the problem.

 

[AlfaBrera1]

The AC sales guys were ok in Aberdeen, when I bought my 147 and last few Fiats. The servicing dept could be more hit and miss, but that's the case with most dealerships in my experience, and not just Alfa.

 

[MariusGTV]

Seems odd that the whole dealership would be closed just because Alfa can't get its act together and have them lumbered with only two models to sell.

There hasn't been a Saab presence there for over two years and they have filled that side of the garage with Mercedes commercial.

Plenty of used Saabs etc on offer there too so it seems strange that they would close the whole dealership.

I used them extensivley when I had the Mito and Western Ediburgh supplied the car to me new. I had no problems with them and they were way ahead of AC when it came to sales, servicing and just about everything. If Alfa are going back to AC then if they ever get around to adding more models to the range, they are going to have to be outstanding!

Any word on the other Western Alfa dealerships in Edinburgh and Glasgow? If they retain the franchise will Alfa really want to give north Scotland to AC?

 

[PapaSmurf]

Seems odd that the whole dealership would be closed just because Alfa can't get its act together and have them lumbered with only two models to sell.

There hasn't been a Saab presence there for over two years and they have filled that side of the garage with Mercedes commercial.

Plenty of used Saabs etc on offer there too so it seems strange that they would close the whole dealership.

I used them extensivley when I had the Mito and Western Ediburgh supplied the car to me new. I had no problems with them and they were way ahead of AC when it came to sales, servicing and just about everything. If Alfa are going back to AC then if they ever get around to adding more models to the range, they are going to have to be outstanding!

Any word on the other Western Alfa dealerships in Edinburgh and Glasgow? If they retain the franchise will Alfa really want to give north Scotland to AC?

The Mercs have been gone for a while, they've been selling ISUZU lately. Either way not a massive footfall through the dealership. I wonder if their location, i.e. not on the Motor Mile, also worked against them?

Western "remain committed" to Edinburgh & Glasgow. Concerns about AC aside is having more than one company a bad thing? Maybe one of the reasons AC didn't care was because there was no competition.

 

[Mito_No3]

So sad place is looking like a ghost town now. Most of the cars are gone and winding everything down