
Absa puts data, demographics and purchase decisions under the spotlight at DealerCon
Demand, opportunity and timing – these are some of the key factors driving South African consumers’ vehicle purchasing decisions.
- Industry News
- 18 September 2025
Just like the branches of a tree need pruning to actually strengthen the tree and produce quality fruit, it sometimes makes business sense to “move” a part of a business to be able to strengthen its core. With this in mind, Motus Honda Northcliff recently merged with Motus Honda West Rand.
“Frankly, it made basic business sense,” explains General Sales Manager of Motus Honda and Subaru, Maxine Prince. “People tend to think that the lockdown and COVID-19 were the start of the economic downturn, but let’s face it, 2019 wasn’t exactly a great year either.”
According to her, the merge is exactly what you would expect from a successful business. “When the going gets tough, why would you tolerate exorbitant overheads when it can be consolidated at one single premises?” she asks. “We had to make sure that it is a lean and winning machine with our customary focus on service excellence and profit.”
Ever since the move, her sales teams at both Honda and Subaru were hard at work making sure sales levels were up to pre-lockdown standards. “I have a fantastic team who works non-stop on prospecting, following-up and clinching deals,” she says. “There is a reason why the saying ‘there is no I in the word team’ is a cliché, it is because it is true,” she smiles proudly.
While the economy has been tough on everyone, motivated people will always be at the top of their game. Maxine Prince is no exception. Apart from the more than 20 years of sales and management experience in the motor industry, she especially excelled during her recent 5-year management stint resolving customer complaints and conflict as well as leading diverse teams.
At the 2019 West Rand Chamber of Business and Tourism’s Business achievers’ awards, Prince was a Finalist in the Businesswoman of the Year category, while Motus Honda West Rand was crowned winner in the National Corporate Motor Industry Medium Business category and received the Overall Winner 2019 award.
Mahindra South Africa held its Dealer Conference 2025 in Dubai with a focus on strengthening dealer partnerships, enhancing the customer experience and shaping the future together.
The traditional art of haggling with car dealers is getting a digital makeover. A subscription-based artificial intelligence service in the USA is now doing the negotiating for thousands of customers, promising to eliminate the stress and time commitment of securing a better price on vehicle purchases.
“I’m excited and ready for the new challenge,” says Brian Looney, the newly appointed Dealer Principal at CFAO Mobility’s brand-new Isuzu dealership at Cape Gate, which is set to be fully operational from October this year.