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Over 70 years, Still going Strong.

3/20/2017

 
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WR Phillips recently featured in MTA's Radiator Magazine, with a profile encompassing the more than 70 years of the businesses history. 

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Neil Phillips (left)  with his son Paul.


Written By Karlum Lattimore.

For 70 years, the New Plymouth Phillips family have made a point of dealing fairly with people. Their livelihood has depended upon it and the family-owned dealership WR Phillips Ltd has flourished as a result.

Second generation director, Neil Philips, says “Our product is not unique, so it is important we treat people fairly and look after our relationship with them. It’s the way we treat people that drives loyalty and reduces the need for the customer to ever go elsewhere.”
The company has operated from is central city site since it was founded by WR Phillips in 1946. His sons Neil and Rex, Neil’s son Paul, and now Paul’s son Ryan, have all followed in WR’s footsteps. (William Phillips was always known to his customers, friends and family as ‘WR’).
One of the building blocks for the company’s success has been its 50 year relationship with Todd Motors and later Mitisubishi.
WR started his working life at 16 in 1919 with the Whanganui branch of Adams Ltd, which imported and distributed cars. He did a mechanics apprenticeship before working for Studebaker in the USA for two years. He returned as a Studebaker sales rep and rejoined Adams Ltd in Whanganui. 

DEPRESSION BITES
By 1932 he was the manager of the New Plymouth branch of Dominion Motors when the Depression bit. Sales plummeted, staff took paycuts, cut backs were made, and over the next few years the rm had to re possess about 250 cars.
WR had always wanted his own dealership and in 1946 he and fellow Dominion Motors workshop manager George Clarke set up WR Phillips Ltd. They took with them seven other
staff . Through a franchise agreement with Todd Motors, they started selling Hillman, De Soto, Sunbeam and Talbot cars along with Commer trucks, David Brown and Moline tractors.


GREAT PRIDE
Grandson Paul says the family takes great pride in the fact that most of the founding staff and directors spent the rest of their working lives with the company. “Over our history, we have had over 40 staff who have worked with us for more than 20 years and three of our foundation staff still deal with us today.”
The business has expanded and contracted over the years. “In the early 80s we had 94 staff across three sites – largely as a result of the energy boom,” said Paul.
Neil says “Dad always envisaged splitting o the tractor and truck sales and servicing and in 1973 we moved the truck and tractor operations out to our new site at Waiwakaiho Valley on the outskirts of town.”
Neil managed the heavy vehicle operations while his brother Rex took care of cars. Twenty years later, the company sold its heavy vehicle servicing operation and moved its truck sales back to its city site. In 2015 it moved out of truck sales altogether after losing the Mitsibushi Fuso franchise.
This was a bit of a blow to Neil. “I had always been a tractor and truck man - couldn’t be bothered with cars. So it worked well being able to go a different way to my brother Rex.” Neil retired from the operational side in 2013 but at 81 years old he remains a director and was sad to see the closure of the truck operations. 

FAMILY IMPORTANCE
Being a family business has always been important. WR made sure his two daughters, Judith and Valerie held directorships alongside their two brothers. While none of Rex’s o spring have chosen a career in the motor trade, Neil is delighted his son Paul and daughter in law Julia now have the ship’s rudder. Their son Ryan joined the rm after completing a marketing degree and now heads up the VW sales team. Is Jarod joining?
“We have always felt each generation has a responsibility to provide the same opportunities for the next generation that we had – its up to them if they want to take on the business,” said Paul.
The company’s central city site was always tight for space and over the decades more adjoining land has been bought, buildings added or extended and refurbished.
The site is now the only one the company operates from.
A large rebuild project was completed just 18 months ago to take advantage of another small piece of land that had been bought.

Dealerships have a large land footprint. Paul says, “We are still keeping an eye out for land that might be useful to us. We need to be thinking about what we might be doing in the next three to five years.” He believes multi franchise dealerships will find it harder and harder to keep up with all the diagnostic and repair equipment that is needed for each brand. 

“Selling a car is easy, the art is in selling for tomorrow, so your customer buys, not just their first car from you, but also their next.” 
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INVESTMENT PRESSURE
“The pressure is on to invest in diagnostics and service and that more equipment taking up more space. For example, if a VW windscreen breaks, it a affects the forward-looking laser system and all the lasers have to be recalibrated when the screen’s replaced. That recalibration equipment is just one of the many new pieces of technology that are needed today.”
WR Phillips holds franchises for Mitsubishi, VW, Audi, and Skoda.
Neil Phillips has the final word. “Selling a car is easy, the art is in selling for tomorrow, so your customer buys, not just their first car from you, but also their next.” 




Spectacular- 2WD  Triton VRX

3/15/2017

 
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VITAL STATISTICS-
  • 437nm  Torque
  •  7.5L/ 100km
  • 3 tonne towing             ​

​The Low Down-     
  • ​Everything you need on your phone is now integrated with your Triton.  Just plug your Apple or Andriod in and make phone calls, receive or send messages and navigate all via the large touch screen.
  • After a hard days work, or on a long drive you will appreciate the smoothness of the leather seats. On those frosty mornings the driver and passenger will be  looked after with the under seat heating feature.
  • All that brawn is no good without brains, which is why the VRX has headlamps that sense failing light and wipers that activate the moment rain touches the windscreen.
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Conceptually Stunning.

3/6/2017

 
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The Volkswagen line-up will soon be enhanced with the arrival of the all-new Arteon.
  • This fastback model will feature an Avant-Garde design with a high level of versatility, combined with revolutionary interior architecture and the latest generation in driver assist systems. 
  • The name Arteon is a creation of two parts, that, taken together provide a certain connotation. The word "art" is used to describe the harmonious lines and emotionality of the fastback. The ending "eon" identifies the car as a premium model uniting it to the Volkswagen Phideon.
  • The combination of avant-garde elements with a high level of versatility means the interior architecture is extraordinary and sleek for its body form. Boasting ample leg and head room, key design elements include a remarkable shoulder section, coupled with a striking new front.

CADDY Runner... Just around the corner.

3/1/2017

 
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The Runner.
The Caddy range has expanded and become even more accessible thanks to the new Caddy ‘Runner’ – priced from just $29,990 +orc. This well specified model arrives in NZ from mid-March and continues to deliver class-leading driver comfort, easy load access height and is super proficient for inner city deliveries where a larger van is just not required, much like the rest of the Caddy range. Catch a Runner now by contacting your local dealership to find out more.

All New Engine and Design.
No matter what industry you work in, the new Caddy always exudes a high degree of competence and dependability. It features an all new generation TSI engine with similar power and torque as the previous model TDI (92kw/220Nm) along with fuel consumption from 5.6L/100kms combined. It’s styling features sharper and clearer lines, a more dynamic front, and redesigned tailgate. Further highlights include the chrome trim strip on the radiator grille, the striking headlights and optional alloy wheels.

Hop in.  Hop Out.  Load, Unload.
The doors of a commercial vehicle are opened and closed repeatedly over the course of a working day – and heavily strained in the process. That is why the new Caddy is built with hinges, rails and handles that are equal to the most demanding conditions. The low front cabin entry position (built on a Golf platform) and loading sill height allow for easy access for both driver and equipment, while the rear tailgate is equipped with a soft touch open and close function for additional comfort.

    Author'S

    Ryan and Julia Phillips

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​W.R. Phillips - Taranaki

W.R. Phillips Ltd is a privately owned family company formed in 1946 by Mr WR (Bill) Phillips. ​
The business has a proud history of serving the motoring public of Taranaki. Customers have become friends.. ​

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156 - 158 Devon Street West 
New Plymouth 

SALES: (06) 968 5679 
SERVICE: (06) 968 5676 
PARTS: (06) 968 8841