With the used car market growing significantly in recent times (100% in just the first six months of 2020, according to MAA), it’s not unusual to see car brands jumping into the used car segment themselves. Not looking to miss out on the opportunity, Proton has now announced its plans to expanding its own Used Car Management (UCM) network, along with the Proton Certified Pre-Owned (PCPO) operations.
The UCM network was first started last year as a pilot project with eight outlets to establish operating procedures and to train used car inspectors who would manage transactions in each outlet. In 2020, the company aims to expand the network to 36 3S and 4S centres nationwide.
Unlike a more conventional pre-owned cars programme, Proton’s UCM is designed to “support new car sales and to improve the resale value of Proton cars”, essentially helping customers to dispose of their older Proton vehicles by trading it in for a newer model.
Proton aims for this process, called “replacement sales”, to eventually account for a minimum of 10% of the volume for outlets with UCM operations. To help achieve that target, the national carmaker has also established programmes such as Proton Xchange to incentivise customers.
At the same time, the company is also able to essentially dictate the resale value of the older Proton models by setting the prices when they are put back on sale on its UCM platform. These vehicles, sold under the Proton Certified Pre-Owned banner, will all undergo a comprehensive 201-point inspection, and are guaranteed to have never suffered any flood or major accident structural damage.
Additionally, they will also receive a one-year extended warranty which covers the engine and transmission, and are eligible for a one-time free service (engine oil and oil filter only), up to 6 months after their registration date.
The company says that it will also set up a dedicated online sales platform for its UCM operations to attract tech-savvy used car buyers. Proton Head of UCM, Brian Cheah adds, “Potential customers will be able to view our stock remotely and they can also browse the website to get estimated valuations for their current cars.”
