Opinion: 2019 proved to be a tough one amid Brexit uncertainties

GW columnist Andy Parsons takes a look at his business performance in 2019

Opinion: 2019 proved to be a tough one amid Brexit uncertainties
Image: Bigstock.

As we race towards the end of another year, I can’t help but think 2019 has been a pretty tough one.

Andy Parsons of Shortfield garage in Surrey.

This time last year we had a Conservative Prime Minister trying to lead us out of the European Union without a majority.

We were promised months of uncertainty.

12 months later we have a Conservative Prime Minister trying to lead us out of the European Union without a majority.

In the meantime, the uncertainty continues.

We kicked off 2019 with ambition and high hopes here at Shortfield Garage.

We had modest targets for used car sales but, regretfully, they were pie in the sky.

Our total turnover on used cars for 2019 looks to be about 27 per cent down and with margins squeezed tighter than my belt on Christmas day.

The biggest challenge we’ve faced over the last few years is the lack of decent new stock with enough margin in them for us.

The decline in new car sales since 2016 is only going to make this worse as there will be less used stock around for an ever increasing UK population, projected to surpass 70 million by 2029.

Diesel cars continue to get a hammering but try finding a four-year-old petrol Passat.

I’m yet to be convinced that electric vehicles are the new Model T, as I explained on GW earlier this year.

Aftersales fared slightly better, up six per cent on 2018 but still way behind our targets.

It’s partially a result of losing an experienced technician that had a few too many miles on the clock.

I don’t think we can blame Brexit because we have been rammed to the gunnels as usual.

2019 saw us pick up two further accolades after being being highly commended for Aftersales Team of the Year and Technician of the Year in the Aftermarket Excellence Awards held in February at the Spinnaker in Portsmouth.

In April we invested in new plastic flooring after years of twice annual floor painting.

May came and went, June arrived and the other May left.

Meanwhile, we made our usual pilgrimage to Automechanika Birmingham.

We took some time out during the summer months to plan for 2020.

We’ve aims to improve our waste strategy with separate bins for recyclables and plans to invest in a new air conditioning service machine to accommodate vehicles with R1234yf, which we’re already seeing in our workshop.

We’ll also be investing in ADAS calibration equipment, which is something we feel is a must having been following the growing need for it over the last couple of years on Garage Wire.

We’ve already started to train our technicians in hybrid and electric vehicles and will continue to do so as we move into the new year.

In the meantime, have a very Merry Christmas, I’m sure you’ve earned it and, a prosperous New Year.

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