7:29 am, December 31, 2020
When we started Car Dealer Live in March, we had no idea it would be come so popular with you – the dealers.
Our first Car Dealer Live – which actually features in this Top 10 list – was designed to give some answers to questions asked in a bewildering set of circumstances, and an odd time not just for the motor trade but the country as a whole.
Since the first show in March, Car Dealer Live has become a big part of what we do here at Car Dealer. Every week we chatted to dealers and companies right across the industry, giving top advice and crucial business insight and there were a few laughs along the way.
We thought we’d look back at the 10 most popular shows all year and as you can see below they cover a wide variety of topics and themes, and are a mixture of Zoom calls and on-location films.
We’ll be back in 2021 with more Car Dealer Lives. If you’d like to be involved then get in touch via the About Us page.
1. Car Dealer Live 29: Mike Brewer on Edd leaving, his favourite cars and Wheeler Dealers
One of the most popular Car Dealer Lives this year was when founder James Baggott chatted with our good friend Mike Brewer.
The Wheeler Dealers TV star has appeared in many of our videos this year, from explaining why dealers needed to enter the Used Car Awards to naming the used cars to avoid, but it was Car Dealer Live 29 that was the most popular. Brewer chatted about his career, his favourite cars, being a telly star and why Edd China left the show. It’s a show that’s well worth a re-watch.
2. What is happening to used car prices at auction?
Just a few weeks after showrooms were allowed to reopen again after the first national lockdown, we visited Snows BMW in Portsmouth to get the lowdown on how used cars have arguably been the saviour of the motor trade in 2020.
In a fascinating video, James Baggott saw first hand the crazy prices used stock was going for at auction, which was part of a wider boom in used car sales across the country. With used cars being a big theme of 2020, it was hardly surprising this video was so popular.
3. Online used car sales: Big Motoring World boss Peter Waddell on Carzam
One of the big things to happen in 2020 was the launch of a handful of purely online used car retailers, and one of those was Carzam. Partly backed by Big Motoring World owner Peter Waddell, the business originally had a summer launch date but eventually opened its online doors in December due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Before the business officially opened, Car Dealer had an exclusive behind-the-scenes look around to find out more not just about Carzam, but the new trend of purely online used car sales – a trend that was catalysed by a major shift in consumers’ buying habits in 2020.
4. Used car prices: What’s happening in car dealerships?
Many of our videos this year focussed on the used cars side of the motor trade, and one of the most watched was when we spent time on the shop floor.
In September, we visited Big Motoring World’s new Enfield premises to witness the boom in used car sales – from small city cars being snapped up by customers too afraid to use public transport, to big ticket purchases as buyers treated themselves to a new set of wheels.
5. Used car prices rise by as much as 25 per cent in June
Yet another video focussing on the used car side of the motor trade but further proof, if it were needed, that this was a major theme of interest for dealers in 2020.
While our other two most popular used car videos were shot on the shop floor, this video was one of our hugely popular Zoom call Car Dealer Lives. In it, Cap HPI’s Derren Martin chatted with James Baggott about the strong used car market in June with some models, rather unbelievably, rising in value by as much as 25 per cent.
The pair discussed why the used car market was so strong in June and the models that were performing the best.
6. Car Dealer Live 38: Supercar dealer Tom Hartley
You’ll have no doubt seen our full walkaround of Tom Hartley’s impressive showroom in our special video (which you can watch by clicking here), but that video was born from this Car Dealer Live we filmed in May.
James Baggott sat down with Hartley for 40 minutes and chatted about everything from how Hartley set up business and what motivates him, to the fine art of selling the world’s most expensive cars to the richest people.
7. Car Dealer Live 3: We are at war with coronavirus, says Daksh Gupta
One business that has been riding out the coronavirus pandemic in impressive fashion is Marshall Motor Group. In October, it shocked the industry by announcing it would be revising its earning forecast up rather than down, and during the year it appointed new members of staff in key positions.
But none of that was expected when Car Dealer first spoke to the group’s boss Daksh Gupta in late March, just days after the UK was put into lockdown. At the time, Gupta said the country and the motor trade were now at war with coronavirus. How true he was.
8. Car Dealer Live 1: Lawgistics on furloughing staff during the coronavirus crisis
No list of our most popular Car Dealer Lives would be complete without the ‘furlough’ word. Our very first Car Dealer Live focussed on furloughing staff – a concept that was unheard of at the beginning of the year, but something that businesses right across the board used to stay afloat.
A lot has changed since that first Car Dealer Live in March. You can find out the latest advice in our dedicated section here, or sit back and watch how innocent and naive we all were back in March by watching the video above.
9. Car Dealer Live: Click and Collect – The Detail
Car Dealer was the first to break the news showrooms across the country could operate a click-and-collect service during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. But, just like everything in 2020, the goal posts changed a little during the year which is why we filmed a deep-dive into the rules with guests Lawgistics and CG Professional.
These advice shows were some of the most popular content on the Car Dealer website and our YouTube channel, as we gave dealers the answers they needed answering. Stay tuned in 2021 for much more help and advice.
10. Car Dealer Live 40: Pendragon CEO Bill Berman
One of the highlights of 2020 for Car Dealer has been getting the bosses of the big PLCs on Car Dealer Live and asking them the tough questions. One of those bosses was Bill Berman from Pendragon.
The dealer group was one of the most talked about firms in the motor trade in 2020 as it grappled with the pandemic, and the ebullient Berman was generous with his time to answer some tricky questions. This video was a hit with viewers, and if you watch it it’s easy to see why.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our new Car Dealer Live series this year. We will be continuing with our shows in 2021, and if you’d like to come on the show please get in touch via the About Us page here.
For more Car Dealer Lives, click here.
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