Inside the industry with Micheal McAleer
ON THE MAP: Irish motorists finally have access to a cost-effective in-car Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system, complete with the road map of Ireland. Cork-based CharterNav GPS's Navman GPS receiver and combined software enables motorists to navigate around Ireland as well as 13 other European countries. According to Mairead O'Keefe of CharterNav, the user can access information such as turn-by-turn instructions, calculate the best routes and display current position on a background map. Owners of PDAs (personal digital assistant) such as the Compaq iPAQ, Palm, or the Casio, can add the Navman GPS receiver and software to provide a solution for navigation needs. We'll be putting the system to the test in the coming weeks.
FIAT RENEWAL: The second phase of a renewal programme involving both Fiat Auto Ireland's own operational structures and its national dealer network has begun. This involves mainly counties Carlow, Meath, Westmeath and Roscommon. Pratts of Carlow, Fiat Main Dealers in the county for 15 years, has just completed a major rebuilding programme to expand and upgrade both sales and service facilities to the highest standards. In Navan, Co Meath, Brendan Brady Cars has opened a large new premises on the Kells Road where it will operate as Fiat Main Dealer for the county. Westmeath Motor Group, one of the longest-established Fiat dealers, has just completed a huge redevelopment on site at Dublin Road, Mullingar, doubling its sales and service areas. The company has also been appointed Main Dealer for the Alfa Romeo range. Another new dealership in the Fiat family is at Lanesborough Road, Roscommon, where J&C Motors has recently opened for business in purpose-built premises which are among the very largest in the entire county. Although a new dealership, the Jackson and Cameron families both have extensive knowledge of the motor industry.
Earlier this year the focus for the first stage of the expansion and development programme was broadly south of a line between Dublin and Galway, involving Colemans of Millstreet, Co Cork; Motorzone, Limerick; Millennium Autos at Briar Hill Business Park, Galway; Paddy Corcoran Motors in Monasterevin, Co Kildare; and Airton Motors, Tallaght.
JAPANESE GRAND SLAM: The results of the first Customer Satisfaction Survey held in Germany by J D Power and Associates must have sent shivers round the homeland of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Porsche and Volkswagen. Local manufacturers didn't win any of the top awards in the seven market segments surveyed, and only BMW's success for "vehicle appeal" stopped the whole survey being a Japanese grand slam. The survey involved more than 15,000 owners of two- to three-year old vehicles who were asked about car, dealer and cost of ownership. Toyota recorded five segment victories with the Yaris, the Corolla, the Celica, the RAV4 and the Picnic. Lexus won the upper medium class with the IS200, while Nissan won the remaining category with its Maxima. Altogether, the survey took in 32 makes and 132 individual models.
MOVE TO LEXUS: Lexus Ireland has appointed Stephen Jackson as marketing operations manager. He moves from Vodafone, where he was marketing communications manager. The appointment is a further move by Lexus Ireland to enhance its premium brand positioning.