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Ford Retail spent two years setting up its online businesses and believes dealer groups using social media should react to customers rather than broadcast to them. “We tend to react to customers not broadcast to them. It’s not our space, it’s theirs. It is important to have two-way communication,” said Steve Hood, managing director of Ford Retail’s internet division.

Dealers need to revaluate the way they engage with customers visiting their websites outside of opening hours and specifically on Sundays, according to Tim Smith, commercial director of GForces.

Dealers who get their social media strategy wrong run the risk of alienating customers and prospects. That's the view of Andrew McLelland, director of operations and regulatory affairs at Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG).

Car production fell 4.9 in May but overall in the year to date is ahead 4.6 per cent, according to figures released by the SMMT. CV production was down 5 per cent in May and 5.5 per cent in the first five months of the year.

Dealer group Windsors, which is celebrating its 90th year in business, taken on Peugeot at its site in Wallasey, Merseyside. The firm already operates Citro?n, Mazda and Mitsubishi businesses in Wallasey.

Pent-up consumer demand will prompt a rise in the new car market in 2012, according to Mike Allen, an analyst with Panmure Gordon, the investment bank. Allen said demand in the prestige sector continues to outperform the volume market.

Prices of nearly new vans rocketed in May, up 14.6 per cent compared to April, according to BCA. The auction house said there was exceptional demand for nearly new vans with an average Cap performance of 108.4 per cent.

Sharp falls in used car values of 6 per cent over the past eight weeks are making for a nervous used car market, according to the Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA). Demand for high mileage cars has fallen while that for fuel efficient cars has grown.

Motor Codes is calling on dealers to take part in a consultation on used car sales. It wants to reduce the number of complaints the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) receives each year by introducing a used car sales code.

The National Franchise Dealers Association is to hold a forum to discuss with dealers changes to Block Exemption Regulations and the new European Franchised Code. The meeting, which starts at 10am on Tuesday 21 July, is open to all franchised dealer members of the NFDA.