10:08 am, December 30, 2022
It has been another great year for all of us here at Car Dealer with plenty of stories to sink our teeth into and keep us busy.
But which articles have performed best? To mark the end of 2022 we have been looking back at the last 12 months to find our ten most-read stories.
This is what we found…
10. Upcoming winter fuel crisis set to drive used car prices down as dealers face up to ‘worrying times’
Page views: 57,889
Our tenth most-read story of the year was originally published in September as we looked ahead to the expected winter fuel crisis.
We spoke to a variety of industry experts who gave us their thoughts on how the struggles would impact used car prices and dealers more generally.
Despite those in the know predicting that prices could be pushed down by the cost of living crisis, they have thus far remained stable with no immediate cliff fall expected.
The story was read by close to 60,000 of you and takes the first place on our list.
9. Land Rover dealers forced to conduct ‘due diligence’ on buyers to stop them flipping cars for a profit
Page views: 66,524
In October we spoke to Land Rover dealers who claimed that the brand was forcing them into background checks on potential customers.
The British manufacturer was concerned that, with huge waiting times, buyers may be looking to sell their cars on immediately for a profit.
Bosses were even said to be even handing out heavy fines to car dealers that fail to conduct the necessary checks on buyers.
There were also reports of customers being forced to sign documents promising not to sell their cars within six months of purchase.
This was an incredibly unusual story that has been read more than 66,000 times.
8. Student declared bankrupt after claiming £50,000 bounce back loan for car dealership that did not exist
Page views: 69,588
Cast your mind back to the early months of 2022 and national lockdowns were still a VERY recent memory.
With Covid still such a relevant topic, it was little surprise to see so many people latch onto this article.
Kurt Barkhuizen, 28, successfully applied for a bounce back loan from the government in June 2020 in order to help his apparent car dealership through the pandemic.
However, it was later revealed that he was not running any firm at the time of the claim and he actually spent more than half of the loan on buying an insuring a car.
He was declared bankrupt and our story bagged close to 70,000 visits.
7. Disgraced used car dealer jailed for selling ‘death traps’ that were a ‘risk to life and limb’
Page views: 79,851
Over the past 12 months we have covered our fair share of dodgy dealers getting themselves into trouble but it was this story that performed best.
Nishar Batha, from Leicester, ran We Sell Any Vehicle which sold a number of cars which were deemed ‘unroadworthy’.
The 54-year-old was sent several notices by Trading Standards officials but he ignored them to carry on selling dangerous vehicles.
In court it, the cars were described as ‘death traps’ and a ‘Risk to life and limb’.
Batha was jailed for 20 months and banned from being a company director in the UK for ten years.
His case certainly resonated with the Car Dealer audience and was viewed almost 80,000 times.
6. Cost of living crisis having ‘profound’ effect on used car buyers
Page views: 100,149
Another story about the cost-of-living crisis, this piece – published in October – focused on how soaring bills were affected customers.
A study by eBay Motors Group found that the crisis was influencing 75 per cent of buyers’ next car purchases.
Its Consumer Insight Panel quizzed 2,000 new and used car buyers across the UK, and found that of that 75 per cent, 32 per cent said they were putting their purchase on hold.
The study painted a worrying picture for car dealers and the story is the first on our list to break 100,000 visits.
5. Mechanic banned for five years by DVSA for issuing false MOT certificates but judge decides against jail term
Page views: 107,120
August brought with it the news that 27-year-old mechanic Anton Fricker had been spared jail for issuing false MOT certificates.
Car Dealer had reported on the case previously but this – the conclusion of a long-running investigation – was the story that really soared.
Fricker failed to carry out the necessary tests before issuing certificates at the Halfords Autocentres in Castle Street, Taunton, pictured, and at Reckleford, Yeovil.
He was handed aan eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 15 months and banned from MOT testing for five years by the DVSA.
The story has now been read more than 107,000 times making it our fifth most popular article of the year.
4. Used car dealer Cinch comes under fire on BBC’s Rip Off Britain
Page views: 126,308
Stories involving online disruptors like Cinch and Cazoo always produce good numbers for us here at Car Dealer and this story gave us the best of the lot.
Back in October, Cinch was slammed on the BBC’s Rip Rip Off Britain for selling a paramedic two cars with problems.
Paramedic Lee told the programme that he had bought an £18,000 2018 VW Golf model that had an issue with its battery.
Recovery services came out to the car to find the battery had been swapped for an ageing model from another car and spotted it had been repaired after a crash.
The story of the Constellation-owned company’s woes proved popular with our readers and it the page has been visited 126,000 times.
3. Much-loved family dealership to close after owners decide to sell after three decades
Page views: 156,222
Sometimes a story explodes and surprises even us at Car Dealer with how well it performs. That was certainly the case when we reported how a small family-run dealership in Grimsby was closing down after 30 years.
Heneage Motors had been run by husband-and-wife team Neil and Mary Worthington since 1992 but they made the difficult decision to retire earlier this year after the toll of the pandemic proved too much.
The site was sold a national auto parts distribution firm but neither Mr or Mrs Worthington could have imagined the reaction their retirement would garner.
The story is the first on our list to top 150,000 views and is a fitting tribute to a much-loved local business.
2. Car dealer loses court appeal over buyer’s claim £140k Bentley couldn’t tow caravan
Page views: 221,025
It’s a tale as old as time. You shell out £140,000 on a luxury Bentley only to find when you get home that it’s not capable of towing a caravan!
That was the situation that unfolded back in June and it caused more than a minor headache for car dealership, Park’s of Hamilton Townhead Garage.
Elizabeth Deas initially asked for a £3,000 towbar to be fitted to her Benteyga to pull her caravan but the unit that was fitted was at an incorrect height – 500mm instead of 420mm.
She said that led to the rear of the caravan striking the ground as soon as she tried to use it and claimed the car wasn’t fit for purpose.
Taking her case all the way to the Sheriff’s Court in Scotland, she successfully claimed Park’s was in breach of its contract.
The whole scenario was utterly bizarre and has now been read no fewer than 221,000 times.
1. Land Rover Discovery is most unreliable used car – top 10 worst offenders named and shamed
Page views: 369,189
Our most-read story of the year explored the most unreliable cars on the road and the winner came as little surprise to many.
The What Car? Reliability Survey found that Land Rover Discovery models made between 2017 and the present day were the most likely to break down after quizzing owners.
Audi’s Q5 and A3 followed close behind in a list of worst offenders that also included the Porsche 718 Cayman and the Mercedes A-Class hybrid.
A story that interested both dealers and consumers, this article was our most popular story of 2022 by a huge margin, with close to 370,000 views.
*All information correct as of December 20, 2022
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