Dealers report declining relationship with manufacturers

NFDA’s Summer 2023 Dealer Attitude Survey, conducted over August and September 2023, has revealed a general downward trend in the relationship between dealers and their manufacturers.

The survey attracted 2,531 responses from 32 franchised networks, with 47 out of 55 questions showing a decline compared to the previous winter 2022/23 edition.

It found that ddealer satisfaction levels for profit returns has fallen on average from 6.7 in winter 2022/23 to 6.2, equating to a 7.5% change.

Meanwhile, franchised dealer sentiment around EVs is being weighed down by the high levels of investment required for EV preparation, in conjunction to manufacturer support. In particular, dealers have raised concerns with their manufacturer’s support for on-site EV charging infrastructure, returning an average of 4.9 out of 10, the lowest returning score for the entire survey.

However, dealers were satisfied with their respective manufacturers’ used car standards, returning the highest average score of 7.1 out of 10, while dealerships reported that new car supply is steadily improving in the UK.

Overall, the dealers gave manufactures a score of 6.3 out of 10 when asked how they would rate them, down from 6.5 in the winter.

Sue Robinson, chief executive of the NFDA, said: “NFDA’s Dealer Attitude Survey is a comprehensive analysis that delves into the perspectives, insights, and sentiments of the working relationship between franchised dealerships and their respective manufacturers across the UK.”