Just in the interest of balance!

1. Westmoorland Services M6 (if you have been there you know why)

2. Not On The High Street. Website that allows independent traders access to market via mainstream website. First place I go when I cannot find a present for Mrs S or family.

3. Arnold Clark Motorstore. Good range of cars, fair prices, cars sodl honestly, happy customer

4. Haribo. You know why.

I have no connection with any of the above

Arnold Clark you say. That’s a business that does do very well, but shouldnt be allowed to…..

Can only base this on my experience, not those of others. I’ve had three cars from them and been very pleased with the deal and the car each time.

I’ll back you up on that one.

Alpkit

Anyone that will employ me! 😀

Alpkit

Good shout
+1

I found it harder to think of companies for this list than I did for the fail list.

1. Westmoorland Services M6 (if you have been there you know why)

They have to sort out the thermostat on their pie warmers though :-). I’ve taken to buying a pie there then driving two more services up the road for it to cool enough to eat. Their pricing is all over the place too. Delicious pies – £3
Very ordinary rasher of bacon in a very ordinary roll – £4something.

I’m really glad they are there but people get far too frothy about the place

Your LBS.

Arnold Clark you say. That’s a business that does do very well, but shouldnt be allowed to…..

expand if you like Glupton, not doubting you, I hear lots of people grumble about Arnold Clark but I’m not in the business of buying cars from dealers so have no personal experience. I hire lot cars and vans from them though and from what I use and when I use it they are peerless, their van stock is excellent, both in terms of range and availability. If circumstances force me to hire elsewhere other offerings always compare poorly.

Just endless stories from a mate who works in trading standards.

I’m really glad they are there but people get far too frothy about the place

I just think it is refreshing to see somebody doing something new with the service station model.

And compared to the alternitives……….

Premier Inn. Stayed in a lot and never had any issues. A big step above the other budget hotel chains IMO.

I just think it is refreshing to see somebody doing something new with the service station model.

And compared to the alternitives……….

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a very big fan of theirs – interesting to see how their M5 project goes, although I’ll rarely see it. They’ve certainly chosen the right motorway for their next project as the M5 has spectactularly dire offerings. But people overstate how good they are to the extent of plugging them as a destination in their own right.

Not sure how the services north and south of westmoreland survive. In a horrible storm I missed the exit for westmoreland once and stopped at the next one to the south. They had two staff operating the whole place, which would have been difficult for them if I wasn’t the only customer.

Arnold clark, difficult to deal with as they have no inter-department communication at all, or even between the sales staff!
After overcoming that i found a lovely condition car, bought it, only to find on collection they had completely ruined the paintwork by letting a clown with a polishing machine go nuts all over it.
Idiots.

I think Brewdog deserve their success. Seems like a tough industry to break into with the mega-breweries drowning the market in rancid pish on the one hand, then on the other you’ve got the established real ales bringing a lot of quality and heritage.
Brewdog’s marketing likely won’t appeal to your average modish STWer, and their bars are full of Teds, but overall their ale is good and they seem a good outfit.

Your LBS.

Indeed: http://www.independent-works.co.uk/

Oh Arnold Clark…. some guys are very good and some are very bad

I wanted to buy a car – Ford Mondeo estate – 2-3yr old – called the dealership in Greenock, salesman says “we have 7 coming in next week call me back then”. Called him back and said “can you email me the spec of the cars and the price? I’ll come over and if it stacks up you’ve got a deal” – No email arrives I waited 2 days and called again – “Don’t have time and don’t know how to send and email” was the response…this was 2010.

bought my car elsewhere*.

*Menzies of Stirling – turned out to be right dicks as well!

No dealers do well in the motor trade – in a good year a well run dealer might make 1% gross margin and we haven’t had any good years for a while. Running a car dealership is a hobby, not an investment!