Würzburg, May 05, 2008
The mood in the industry is subdued. Although the industry indices for contract-based and independent automotive businesses climbed to 122 points (previous month: 115) and 110 points (previous month: 99) respectively in April, not all entrepreneurs are satisfied with their sales performance in the first quarter of this year: Only one-third of manufacturers recorded higher revenues compared to the previous year. This was the result of a survey conducted by the Bank Deutsches Kraftfahrzeuggewerbe (BDK) and the weekly journal "kfz-betrieb".
New car sales were lower for 41 percent of brand-bound car dealerships. Dealers who market German premium cars are particularly dissatisfied with sales - almost half of them recorded falling revenues. The used car business of dealerships is also struggling to gain momentum: Around 40 percent reported lower sales and only one in five reported higher sales.
"While March brought double-digit losses for dealers, garages benefited from the wintry weather," reports the German Association of the Motor Trade (ZDK). However, this statement only applies to a third of authorized dealerships and just under 14 percent of independent service companies, which registered higher turnover in the workshop business in March. In contrast, a quarter of brand-name businesses and around 38 percent of independent garages recorded falling revenues.
The respondents' assessment of their future sales development is better: a good 45 percent of brand-name companies and a third of independent service companies expect higher revenues in service and spare parts sales in the coming month.
"kfz-betrieb" is a trade magazine published by Vogel Auto Medien in Würzburg. The most widely read trade magazine in the automotive industry has been informing the automotive trade and service sector for 97 years. "kfz-betrieb" is the official organ of the German automotive trade (ZDK), the professional interest group for over 40,000 car dealerships and workshops. Daily news from the entire automotive industry can be found at www.kfz-betrieb.de and in the daily newsletter.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Norbert Rubbel
Editorial office "kfz-betrieb" weekly journal & online
Service & Technology department
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97064 Würzburg
Tel. 0931 418-2634
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norbert_rubbel@vogel-automedien.de
