Autotrail in trouble?

According to a the report attendance at the NEC was down 25%. You never know what to believe in the press but pictures on this forum of the show it certainly looked quieter than last year.

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According to a the report attendance at the NEC was down 25%. You never know what to believe in the press but pictures on this forum of the show it certainly looked quieter than last year.
We went Saturday morning and it was pleasantly quiet and you could spend plenty of time in each motorhome up until lunchtime and then got really busy.
 
We went Saturday morning and it was pleasantly quiet and you could spend plenty of time in each motorhome up until lunchtime and then got really busy.
So did we, plenty of time for chatting and then we legged it around lunchtime, we were the only ones on our bus to the car park but while waiting for the right one we saw a lot of buses coming in from other car parks and they were rammed with people.
 
That brings back memory of a conversation between me and their customer service in 2010 when we had bought a new Chieftan.

The conversation went something like if your firm ever gets in trouble you only have your self to blame, his reply was that’s not likely to happen, well I for one will not spend another penny with a company that does not look after its customers and left!

How things can change
 
We went the show on Sunday and thought it was quieter than Feb and last Oct.
In 2016 this is what happened with us.
Kate can't get into the AT at the show due to the higher step they use. We sent AT an email asking for at least one normal height caravan step as we wanted to view some of the AT.
The reply was along the lines of this is what we have at the show if you require a lower step you could take your own.
Turned up at the show and straight to the elddis stand (marquis) bought a 155.
Won't even go to the AT stand now.

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Dave Thomas will blame anything rather than except that over production and poor build quality have been the
main reason for struggling sales. Couple this with certain dealers not providing decent aftersales support and it was only a matter of time before customers started voting with their feet. We have an Autotrail and when we have had problems the dealer as been less then useless although it's under warranty. Just bodging repairs and then refusing to
to carry them out again. When you speak to Autotrail to try and resolve the situation they just refer you back to the
crap dealer.

Ray
 
If they do make anyone redundant, let's hope it's the ones that can't be bothered to fix the screws in straight, hang the doors correctly, line up the cupboards or wire in the electrics, as they just won't be missed!!!!
The one's that apply the sealant went a few years ago:rolleyes:
 
It would appear the only people in the country who did not know of their appalling build quality and lamentable after sales care is the management of Autotrail. :rolleyes::D
 
Our local dealer has dropped his Autotrail prices by £10-13k each and they are still not selling.

Tracker vans which commanded 63k previously are now at 52-52k while Apache vans attaining £61k 2 years ago are no longer shifting when advertised at £51k.

I can see a few Autotrail dealerships having a twitchy arse over the next few weeks and months.
 
If dealers are reducing the prices of new vans I am guessing it will have a knock on for 2nd hand models.

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I can see a few Autotrail dealerships having a twitchy arse over the next few weeks and months.
I had that over the weekend but put it down to having caught a bug:p
 
Interesting that the new for 2019 Roller Team Toleno, Causson Twist Uk, and Benimar Benivans which are all PVCs ,are to be made at Grimsby

As posted prviously, is the “downturn” just on coachbuilts that bits fall off whilst you watch (personal experience nor here-say)
I sold mine before it had chance to leak, lost £11k in 100 days
 
"Sales were up 17 per cent in 2017, but the first couple of months of this financial year see it 10 per cent down."
Which means sales are still up 5% on pre 2017 levels when you had the same workforce so you are lying barstewards as well.:sneaky:

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Did any of you read this comment at the bottom of the report?
Very interesting, think this says it all really, and yes Swift have the same attitude to staff and their H&S record is abysmal also.
Les


picture

<Broken link removed>
4 hours ago
Oooops
The company has a shoddy ethos. The way they treat employees is like a victorian workhouse...god only help you if you have any issues, in particular the way they treat employees with stress or mental health issues is laughable! Production and only how fast they can produce vans is at the forefront, workmanship isnt (and nearly ALL the employees are highly skilled, but the skills are swept under the carpet once employed) the wages are just above minimum wage for most which is inexcusable for the amount of bullying the employees put up with from certain line managers! Family run business no more! Its all about lining the managers pockets and nothing to do with brexit!
 
It says in the article

"A multi-million pound commitment by the French owner Trigano Group, it was to gear up the site for anticipated demand over the next decade, with exports to Australia and New Zealand strong, as well as the domestic market."

Now despite the good doctors best efforts we won't have a trade deal agreed with new Zealand or Oz for at least five years, the EU started negotiations with New Zealand and Australia in july. I guess those antipodean destined vans will be built in France now?
 
Did any of you read this comment at the bottom of the report?
Very interesting, think this says it all really, and yes Swift have the same attitude to staff and their H&S record is abysmal also.
Les


picture

<Broken link removed>
4 hours ago
Oooops
The company has a shoddy ethos. The way they treat employees is like a victorian workhouse...god only help you if you have any issues, in particular the way they treat employees with stress or mental health issues is laughable! Production and only how fast they can produce vans is at the forefront, workmanship isnt (and nearly ALL the employees are highly skilled, but the skills are swept under the carpet once employed) the wages are just above minimum wage for most which is inexcusable for the amount of bullying the employees put up with from certain line managers! Family run business no more! Its all about lining the managers pockets and nothing to do with brexit!

Those comments are not holding back! Makes the Fun thread seem like mild tut-tutting.

As for the excuse about "dirty diesel" putting off buyers ... dear me where did they get that from.
 
Well one thing is for certain Auto-trail have abandoned there customers with a public statement which is more honest than they have ever been
The diesel statement is a pile of crap, Boeing and Airbus are still making aircraft that run on Kerosene which is just a lighter diesel fuel.

Brexit has naff all to do with it, come down to Broughton just outside of Chester and see how much Airbus is investing in it's British building program, the site is being invested in and expanding at a huge rate. Auto-trail have been cutting back on build quality since 2012.

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Are the original CEO's still in place?, if so they may have lost interest since the large Trigano Tie Up, or Buy out, what ever it was, they must be minted now and just want to wind down the business and sit on their bums somewhere else in the world...maybe?
Les
 

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