Car Dealers Nationwide Sound the Alarm in the UK (Biggest Crisis in 30 Years)

0:00 Cargiant and the warning signs for dealers 2:44 New brands and changing buyer loyalty 3:56 Why the used-car market is getting harder 5:17 Showroom closures in a growing market 6:33 Electric targets and costly discounts 8:41 The agency model and dealer margins 11:10 Chinese brands reshape the UK market 12:41 Rising costs and shrinking dealer profits British car dealers are selling more cars, yet many are keeping less money—and some are shutting their doors. I investigate why the trade is under pressure despite Britain recording its best August for new car sales since 2001. I look at Cargiant’s closure in West London, the rise of Chinese brands, a tougher used-car market, showroom closures and the discounts being driven by the zero emission vehicle mandate. I also explain how agency sales, disappearing badges, higher employment costs and the motor finance scandal are changing the business. The big question is what buying a car—and the showroom itself—will look like by the end of the decade.