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[terry paget]

Downside Motors, Chilcompton, Somerset, has for years been my local Vauxhall dealership. Since 1977 they have run a Vauxhall garage, selling new and used Vauxhalls, servicing them and selling spares. The service manager Peter Kuzemka has been helpful to me with advice and Tech II readings.

SWMBO and I spend our evenings watching TV while playing with our PCs. Yesterday at 2230 SWMBO sprang up and announced that Downside Motors was closing, news having come via internet from a chum in Chilcompton. This morning I drove the 3 miles there and checked, met Peter, he confirmed it, blaming the pandemic and consequent fall in custom.

Bother.

[TheBoy]

The car industry is suffering massively, as the Brexit issue had knackered the UK manufacturing, and the not quite ever official but everyone knew it was there, recession of the past 3 or 4 years has had a huge impact on retail sales.

The sniffle thing has just knackered the remaining business and fleet markets, and obviously the 2nd hand market.  TBH, it was likely they were going to close anyway, much like our old retail industry, but the covid thing just made it this year, not in 2 years time.


The old motto of use it or lose it rings true, but with younger generations preferring online, and insisting that local retailers fix/adjust/advise stuff when it goes wrong, the losing it bit is getting more and more common.  Thats generic across all sectors, from clothes sales to cars sales.

[deviator]

For me the PSA deal was the nail in the coffin for Vauxhall. They lost my interest when the Vec C came out, the styling just..... isn't there. Granted they have grown on me, but no thanks. I was waiting until the Insignia came down in price, as I think they are a nicer car, but the PSA news killed that off. Well PSA and the fact a lot of dealerships dropped Service Club/Trade Club (or whatever they call it this week).

I class the majority of PSA cars as 'appliance cars'. You don't know the model of your washing machine/fridge/freezer - you don't need to. If it breaks, you buy a new one and bin the last one. There is the odd exception of something mildly interesting, but the vast majority I wouldn't know what model they are by just looking. From a car guy, that is sad, for me anyway.

[TheBoy]

For me the PSA deal was the nail in the coffin for Vauxhall. They lost my interest when the Vec C came out, the styling just..... isn't there. Granted they have grown on me, but no thanks. I was waiting until the Insignia came down in price, as I think they are a nicer car, but the PSA news killed that off. Well PSA and the fact a lot of dealerships dropped Service Club/Trade Club (or whatever they call it this week).

I class the majority of PSA cars as 'appliance cars'. You don't know the model of your washing machine/fridge/freezer - you don't need to. If it breaks, you buy a new one and bin the last one. There is the odd exception of something mildly interesting, but the vast majority I wouldn't know what model they are by just looking. From a car guy, that is sad, for me anyway.

I suspect average Joe Public has no idea that Vauxhall hasn't been a British brand for decades, even less that PSA own it.  Look at the advertising tagline used since PSA bought it, and how they are trying to highlight its British

[Rangie]

It's a crying shame what's happening to businesses everywhere , must be absolutely awful for folk that have mortgages & young families to care for .

[Nick W]

I class the majority of PSA cars as 'appliance cars'. You don't know the model of your washing machine/fridge/freezer - you don't need to. If it breaks, you buy a new one and bin the last one. There is the odd exception of something mildly interesting, but the vast majority I wouldn't know what model they are by just looking. From a car guy, that is sad, for me anyway.

I suspect average Joe Public has no idea that Vauxhall hasn't been a British brand for decades, even less that PSA own it.  Look at the advertising tagline used since PSA bought it, and how they are trying to highlight its British

It's five years short of a century.


As for PSA making appliance cars, that's been Vauxhall's market since the thirties - cars that were basically OK,  but, with the very occasional exception, made you wonder just how they managed to be so dull. It's hardly a niche market, as Austin, Morris, Hillman, Toyota, VW(Golf onwards), Peugeot and others also helped fill it.


I still contend that the only reason PSA bought Opel(which is what Vauxhall really is) was to be able to control more of the massive overcapacity the European car industry has. By control, I do of course mean dramatically reduce. And with Brexit we've given them a fantastic excuse to kill off their UK factories,

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Being French, they wouldnt need any excuse. 

[Nick W]

Being French, they wouldnt need any excuse. 

True, but having one is a nice bonus. And everybody loves those.


It will also mean that Luton's workers won't need to go out of their houses

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

If for some reason I was forced to live in Luton, not going out of my house would be the best thing that could possibly happen to me. 

[Doctor Gollum]

If I were allowed to go to work, then I potentially have to go to Luton periodically, but that's a side effect of being contracted to the 'Orange product'...

Being based there permanently would make for a shitty commute... Because there's no way on this planet that I would live there

[Broomies Mate]

If for some reason I was forced to live in Luton, not going out of my house would be the best thing that could possibly happen to me. 

I have a 2017 Vivaro.  I don't think the people from Luton actually leave their house, they just let the monkeys screw the thing together and ship it out.

[Doctor Gollum]

If for some reason I was forced to live in Luton, not going out of my house would be the best thing that could possibly happen to me. 

I have a 2017 Vivaro.  I don't think the people from Luton actually leave their house, they just let the monkeys screw the thing together and ship it out.

Did they remember to seam seal the roof panel on yours?

[Nick W]

If for some reason I was forced to live in Luton, not going out of my house would be the best thing that could possibly happen to me. 

I have a 2017 Vivaro.  I don't think the people from Luton actually leave their house, they just let the monkeys screw the thing together and ship it out.

Don't forget it's actually a French van(could we have a spitting emoji?). I suspect the wine in Luton has an extra h in it

[Broomies Mate]

If for some reason I was forced to live in Luton, not going out of my house would be the best thing that could possibly happen to me. 

I have a 2017 Vivaro.  I don't think the people from Luton actually leave their house, they just let the monkeys screw the thing together and ship it out.

Did they remember to seam seal the roof panel on yours?

Yep, and in fairness, it looks similar to how I silicone a bath in.  I'm not very good with a silicone gun. 

[Broomies Mate]

If for some reason I was forced to live in Luton, not going out of my house would be the best thing that could possibly happen to me. 

I have a 2017 Vivaro.  I don't think the people from Luton actually leave their house, they just let the monkeys screw the thing together and ship it out.

Don't forget it's actually a French van(could we have a spitting emoji?). I suspect the wine in Luton has an extra h in it

Kudos to them.  The Vivaro, (whilst not the most frugal, or refined engine wise*) is the most comfortable van I've ever owned.  I do roughly 40k a year, and it's far superior to the Custom, and the T5.

*Little 1.6M9R with variable geo turbo.  Goes well enough, but I've averaged 30.1MPG since owning (currently 117k)