A few days ago, a scandal was suddenly broke out around one of the BMW Dealers - the company "Independence". Dozens of customers who have paid cars could not get them, despite the fact that they were on the site from the official dealer. The noise began to grow, and representatives of the Russian office of BMW made an official statement, where they confirmed the fact of the availability of financial problems at the dealer and assured that they were taking measures to solve the problem.

The scale of the problem has become clear after the history of Muscovite Gleb Pimenova was posted on the Facebook network, which two months tried to pick up the paid BMW crossover. After unsuccessful negotiations with the Pimenov dealer, the main entrance of the dealership of his car was blocked and, together with friends, guarded his new car in the parking lot so that she was not taken out. This case was published in a number of media, thanks to which the car was still issued to the client. But, as it turned out, Moskvich was not alone in his problem. It was the case, one of the customers who could not pick up his car at the dealer even with the help of a lawyer, from despair, almost began to smash his purchase directly in the parking lot, but the friends turned out to be held in time. He still got the car, but almost happened to trouble.

The official representative of the Russian office of the BMW Group Vasily Melnikov said:

BMW Group Russia confirms that the Dealer Center "Independence" has encountered a number of comprehensive problems that led to the failure of the arrangement and the subsequent stop of its work. Because of this, the timing of transmission of purchased cars to customers was violated. Currently, negotiations are underway with the dealer to exit the situation, providing for various scenarios, up to the most cardinal.

For a speedy decision, the most consistent with the interests of customers, the BMW Group Russia asks for everyone who has encountered a violation of the vehicle transfer terms, contact the BMW client support service. At the same time, it is necessary to have documents confirming the purchase and payment of the car.

Currently, at the same time collecting information in order to ensure a sufficient level of safety of vehicles owned by the BMW Group Russia, car export from DC "Independence". In the importer warehouse, the full safety and safety of cars is provided: Cars, fixed by the Customers of the Independence Group, will not be transferred to anyone before the final proceedings in the current situation.

The essence of the situation is that by having received money for the car from the client, "independence" did not transfer their BMW Group, as a result of which cars were physically on the dealer platform, and the TCP importer did not give without payment. Apparently, the company's financial situation (about which is unknown is not yet known) is not the best, as a result of which there are actually no funds for buying cars.

At the same time, other dealer units of the Independence GC - Land Rover, Ford, Audi and others, such problems are not observed, dealer centers work in normal mode, although the company itself is experiencing the process of optimization, which is why there are several Centers of different brands. However, they fulfilled their obligations to customers in full.

"We do not recommend buying cars and make service work in" Independence "and send customers to other dealer centers. We deal with questions that arise from customers, and try to minimize losses, "said the representative of the BMW

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"We do not recommend buying cars and make service work in" Independence "and send customers to other dealer centers. We deal with questions that arise from customers, and try to minimize losses, "the BMW representative told.

Volvo went about a month ago with "independence" on a prepaid work scheme, but it receives customer complaints about delays in car delivery, and Mazda customers are waiting for cars longer than on average on the brand dealer network, RNS has been reported in companies. Previously, BMW reported that "independence" violates the delivery of customers of purchased cars and for the safety of cars, the company exports them from the territory of the dealer center.

"Approximately from August we work with a dealer according to the prepayment scheme, i.e. We ship it cars after receiving full payment of the cost of the car to the "Volvo Kars". We know about complaints of customers concerning the late car delivery by the company "Independence". At the same time, we also know that many customers who addressed us with complaints received their cars with a delay, "RNS told the press service of Volvo Kars.

"Unfortunately, the delay really take place in some cases, but the company's management is doing everything possible to prevent such incidents in the near future," the representative of the "independence" said RNS.

Now VOLVO has one dealership in the Yaroslavl highway in Moscow. "In July, by decision of the GC" Independence ", VOLVO CAR dealer centers were closed on the Leningrad highway in Moscow and in Yekaterinburg," the company said. Now the company is negotiating with a dealer "For further steps to stabilize the situation with the delivery of cars to customers."

Mazda customers are waiting for cars longer than usual, but customers agree to wait, signing contracts with a dealer, said RNS commercial director Mazda Mtotr Rus Marina Zanarevskaya. "Middle terms for issuing cars by customers after signing the contract at the Mazda dealer - the company" Independence "- more averages on the Mazda dealer network. However, this is initially reflected in customer contracts, thus, the dealer is corrected in the implementation of contractual obligations, "she said.

In July, one of the "Independence" centers was closed on the Leningrad highway in Moscow, where Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover were attended, as well as two centers in Yekaterinburg. The remaining center of Jaguar and Land Rover is now working, RNS spoke by the representative of the Russian office JLR.

Now "Independence", except Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo, Mazda, BMW, sells Audi cars, Volkswagen. The brand press services did not respond to the RNS request. Also on the service of "Independence" - cars Ford, Mitsubishi, Peugeot.

"The management of the Independence Group of Companies is regularly found with representatives of importers, including today there was a meeting with Volvo. As part of this meeting, a collaboration plan was discussed in order to normalize the situation. The company's activities continue, we are in constant communication with all participants in the process - importers, clients, partners. We issue a car daily and provide services for service, "said the representative of" Independence ".

Multibrend retailer for the sale and maintenance of automobiles "Independence" no longer trades in Moscow: its metropolitan salons are closed, the phones do not respond, and such brands BMW, Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda and Mitsubishi Dealer contracts signed with him. The company's regional centers still cooperate with Audi, Volkswagen, Ford and Peugeot, but this partnership will end in December.

The debt of the group in front of creditors - Gazprombank and Sberbank, according to RBC, reached 6 billion rubles. We studied the possibilities of debt restructuring, but it turned out to be impossible, and in November Gazprombank filed claims of bankruptcy to a number of "independence" structures.

During the bankruptcy procedure, arbitration managers will be appointed, which will carry out an inventory and implement the property of a group of companies in order to resolve the requirements of creditors. The liquidation of "independence" due to the large portfolio of assets can delay up to two years. As noted on the market, lenders can count on a return of only 30% of debt - with the current situation to sell dealerships as an object of real estate is very difficult. However, the Capital Autocentre BMW Group is ready to save Avilon. Some centers show Genser's interest, who closed several own centers due to the fact that they were leased. This, by the way, was the reason for the breaking of relationship with Gensen Renault.

BMW RUSSLAND Trading in October took to themselves cars paid by customers "Independence", since they did not wait for money from the dealer. But the representative office of the Bavarian company began to issue cars at their own expense, interconnected in each case individually.

Buyers of machines of other brands were lucky less. Now they will have to go to court to return money or get cars. Soon the first hearings in the case will be held.

Financial difficulties at the Independence GC began a few years ago due to the fall of the car market. This year there were numerous customer complaints that the company does not give already paid cars. In October, employees announced the closure of metropolitan sales points, and the existence for several months of work amounted to 20 thousand rubles. Employees were first going to sue, but, understanding how much the deplorable state of affairs from the company, as well as the fact that as a result they will spend more efforts than they receive compensation, changed his mind.

• Association asks to maintain the state support of the auto industry in 2018, otherwise all dealers are waiting for difficult times.
• In 2016, the market left 300 dealers, it is expected that by the end of this year the reasons for bankruptcies became low business marginality.

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BMW Russia has banned the GK independence to sell their cars

The major Moscow dealership holding, which also has car dealerships in the regions, it seems to be in a difficult financial situation. There is no discussion about bankruptcy, but the company has already closed several dealer centers, and in the near future the right to sell the German bonus machines can be lost. We are talking about GK Independencethat representation BMW. In the Russian Federation actually accused of fraud, disconnecting from the car order system.

The fact is that BMW. Russia. Recently, it began to receive complaints from customers that GK Independence It does not give them already paid cars, breaking the terms of the contract. In this regard, the representative office of the German brand turned off the dealer from the machine ordering system and began the removal of cars from the territory of the Autocentrers of the GC Independence. Also BMW. Deleted this Moscow company from the list of its dealers on the site and recommended customers to contact other official sellers. IN BMW. Russia. do not exclude that GK Independence It may eventually lose their dealerships, however, it is noted that this is a very long process.

In the gk itself Independence refuse to disclose the details of the situation and say that they are trying to conduct a constructive dialogue with representatives BMW. Russia.. Sales of cars of this brand company has been engaged in 2008. For this gk Independence Dealer centers opened in the 60th anniversary of October and 14 km of Moscow Ring Road. At the same time, it can be noted that the company in recent years is not in the best situation - sales fall, turnover is reduced. So, last year GK Independence It was able to implement only 9'100 new cars, which is 27.5% less than in 2015. This is significantly worse than the market - sales in the Russian Federation decreased by 11% for the year. Naturally, the monetary turnover, which, according to the year, amounted to 28.6 billion rubles (-15%).

Earlier, in the middle of the summer of this year GK Independence refused to dealeristry Kia. and Volvo. In Yekaterinburg, closing both car dealerships in this city. The company explained its decision to optimize the brands portfolio. Two years before that, some details of the financial state of the GC revealed Independence. Then it became known that the car was agreed with Gazprombank On the restructuring of the loan in the amount of 2.6 billion rubles and the payroll extended until 2019.

Cars, GK independence

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Automobile dealer "Independence" actually died. In the fall, contracts with him broke out all automakers and brands, and at the end of November the dealer closed all the salons, and one of his creditors - Gazprombank Submit claims about the bankruptcy of six companies of the Independence Group. The ghost chance of salvation remains, but everything has already come too far, the employee of another bank is the creditor of "Independence". According to the agency "Ruspers" , the co-owners tried to save the company - Alpha Group Mikhail Friedman, Peter Avena and German Khan, but the $ 20 million allocated to spend them to test the $ 20 million. The minister of foreign affairs may be involved in disappearance Sergey Lavrov .

No machines

"I blocked my main entrance to my car," In this car dealership, I will never buy anything and recommend it to someone too, "" I made a big mistake that I paid for the car immediately, "" Waiting for the car one month and more Hell "... Such messages on the BMW forum wrote customers of" Independence "at the end of the summer - early autumn. As it turned out, the company delayed the issuance of cars for months, not explaining anything to customers.

The twelfth of September BMW blocked "independence" access to the system of ordering new cars, and from October 1, broke the contract. The delay in issuing cars "Independence" violated the terms of the contract on the status of the official dealer with the importer, explained BMW. .

The termination of the contract with BMW became the strongest strike for the group, recognizes the representative of "Independence". Following BMW, relations fell and with other importers. In October, the contracts with the dealer were terminated by Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover. The representative of Volvo explained the gap "reputational and other losses", and Jaguar Land Rovera- the fact that "the views on business development" of the importer and "independence" stopped the coincidence. In November, the contracts were terminated by Mazda, Ford, Audi, Mitsubishi, Peugeot and Volkswagen.

Buyers BMW "Independence" did not issue 47 fully paid cars, says a representative of the automaker. "BMW Group Russia" had to give them at their own expense. A couple of dozen people made a symbolic prepayment for cars (from 10 thousand to 50 thousand rubles, less than 1% of the cost). Their cases are solved individually, says the representative of the BMW Group Russia.

"Independence" did not give out a little more than 30 fully paid Volvo cars, said the representative of the autocontraser: the importer recommended customers to solve the problem with the car with the car. That not with the best side characterizes this automaker. The representative of Volkswagen Group Rus recognizes that the dealer did not give out fully paid cars and did not return the initial payments to customers. He refused statistics. But he said that the company at his own expense passed cars to buyers. Also found a solution for customers who made an advance payment for new cars in the amount of less than their cost. Details Representative "Volkswagen Group Rus" disclose did not.

Among the buyers of Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, Peugeot and Mitsubishi there were no problems with obtaining cars, representatives of these companies said. Their colleague is "Mazda Motor Rus" did not provide comments.

Debt "Independence", according to the company, to banks exceeds 6 billion rubles. "The management of the Group, along with key creditors, conducted a joint work on finding the debt restructuring options, says the representative of" Independence ". - Unfortunately, under current conditions it is not possible. " The company, according to him, expects new bankruptcy processes of the Group's companies.

« Gazprombank Repeatedly restructured the debt of the "Independence" group, "said the representative of the bank. But some lenders in October began to present the first requirements for the recognition of the dealer bankrupt. In this situation, the Bank "found that healing is impossible and advisable to also go to court with a bankruptcy statement," said the representative of Gazprombank. To return debt, lenders will consider the possibility of bringing to responsibility for the bankruptcy of the final beneficiaries of the "Independence" group and its top managers, promises close to one of the banks dealer.

Hope for growth

"Independence" was founded in 1992 Roman Tchaikovsky And in 2008 its shareholder was the investment unit of Alpha Groups Mikhail Friedman and its partners A1 (49.95%). At that time, the group, according to Avtiversurev, was included in the top ten of Russia's largest dealer holding. A1 - "Not a strategic investor" and from business will leave when will be able to sell a share in "Independence" at a fair value, told earlier in an interview with "Vedomosti" now former President A1 Mikhail Khabarov . Soon Khabarova changed his posts by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov Alexander Vinokurov , But this moment did not come.

A1 was the financial investor of "Independence" and did not deal with its operating activities, his representative says. At the end of last year, the dealer management reported a difficult financial situation and requested the support that was provided, he added. Shareholders participated in the preparation of Independence Group of Companies in the amount of 1 billion rubles. In addition, in addition to this spring, 2017, a change was made to restructure the company's debt burden and optimizing financial activities. "Unfortunately, as we see, the normalization of the situation did not occur," the representative A1 complains. The "Independence" itself explains the collapse of the wrong business development strategy. The crisis of 2008, she was successful, making a bet on the premium segment, recalls the company's representative: then the market quickly recovered. In 2014, "independence" chose a similar strategy, counting on rapid market recovery. But the crisis turned out to be completely different, he recognizes: fell and sales, and the profitability of new cars. But the high debt load, turning from past periods of active growth and increasing the infrastructure, without anything. This led to the fact that over a few years a serious loss was accumulated, the representative A1 said. And the constant pressure from manufacturers to fulfill the sales plan led to the fact that new cars were sold almost at cost. According to "Automotiveness," from 2012, the company's revenue fell 2 times, and the sales of cars - by 4.6 times.

Even before the crisis of 2014, "Independence" managed ineffectively, a former employee of the company objects: management was sitting on multi-million annual salary, each had several deputies, many with personal drivers. The company had a lot of unreasonable spending.

I did not add stability and a large proportion of dealerships in the regions, considers a person close to the company. According to Avtivershevia, in 2015, from 24 independence dealerships, Eight was located in the regions. And in 2017 - six of the remaining 13. In addition, many buildings under the dealer centers of "independence" were rented, and after the crisis, the company did not engage in the revision of rental rates and renewing contracts. For example, a dealership center on a white dacha occupied about 7 thousand square meters. m. Such giant areas could be afforded to itself except on the growing market, the rental could do at $ 2 million per year, and this is a lot of money. "Of the 10 dealer centers in the lease there were four, the rental was carried out on commercial conditions and was revised regularly," the representative of "Independence" objects.

Sales fell, and loans remained

The problem of dealers is that at first people stopped buying cars for their own, then they stopped buying them on credit, and then ceased to be repaired in official centers and went to the garages, says the bank employee - the creditor of "Independence".

Over the past decade, dealers survived two crisis. First, sales collapsed after 2008. But after three years later, the fall was played, and in 2012 a record number of cars was sold in Russia.

And then four years in a row, sales fell, and the market of new passenger and light commercial vehicles has been halved - according to the European Business Association, with almost 3 million bills. In 2012 to 1.43 million in 2016. Dealer's bankruptcy in such conditions is inevitable. But the pace of reducing dealerships did not correspond to the scale of falling sales. According to the analytical agency Avtostat, from 2012 to 2016, the number of dealerships decreased by 16% from 4068 to 3413.

A car dealer business is a traditionally high-dryed industry, explain the two top manager of dealership companies: successfully and quickly developing a business is obtained only by attracted funds. Dealers attract loans for the development of a dealer network, building centers to which manufacturers can have special requirements, says VTB Capital analyst Vladimir Bespalov.

Traditionally, the profitability of the dealer business and so low, indicates the blizzards: in good years it is approximately 3-6%. "On new cars, dealers do not earn almost nothing: the main income is from the service and sale of spare parts," says Sergey Doblov, executive director of Avtostat. Attempts to diversify revenue to special successes did not lead. Sales of new cars still bring the lion's share of income dealers. Hope to receive comparable money from the service and trading used cars did not justify.

An analyst of Alor Broker Kirill Yakovenko believes that the complex of factors could be aggravated by the situation in Independence: the crisis state of the economy, a sharp decline in sales in 2016, weak market activity compared to the rest of the participants, an illiterate strategy for working with autoconecerts, as well as increased debt burden. "Six months ago, one of the shareholders of the dealer, the A1 group, already proven the" independence "of $ 20 million, but to continue the work of such a business, it was already necessary to narrow the number of car dealerships and the first to turn contracts with ineffective brands," he notes in an interview with RBC. Agency "Ruspers" Already paid attention to the fact that after the disappearance of this money, Alexander Vinokurov had to leave the presidency A1.