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'Are there 2 Hyundai authorised dealers in the VI?' – Readers ask

- Tortola Auto Group & Nibbs Auto Sales both advertise as being the authorised dealers for Hyundai vehicles in the VI
Tortola Auto Group in collaboration with Scotiabank and Nagico Insurances will hold a massive car sales event on November 28, 2015 offering new 2016 Hyundai models. Photo: VINO/File
The sign outside the construction site for Tortola Auto Group in Prospect Reef. Photo: VINO/File
The sign outside the construction site for Tortola Auto Group in Prospect Reef. Photo: VINO/File
Nibbs Auto Sales has been bringing in vehicles for sale in the Virgin Islands for some 55 years and have vowed to remain in business despite the competition. Photo: Provided
Nibbs Auto Sales has been bringing in vehicles for sale in the Virgin Islands for some 55 years and have vowed to remain in business despite the competition. Photo: Provided
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Now that Tortola Auto Group (TAG) has publicly voiced the news of their coming on to the VI market as the official dealer for Hyundai, persons have been flooding our newsroom with calls and have been emailing us asking what is the status of another local dealership which has purported also to be the official dealer for the Korean automotive giant.

Although TAG has not announced an opening date for its new dealership complex comprising showroom and service centre in the final stages of construction at Prospect Reef, the company has already partnered with Scotiabank and Nagico Insurances to offer a range of 2016 vehicles with special financing and insurance rates.

In fact, an advertisement placed online said that come November 28, 2015 the company will be having a massive sales event in the parking lot of Courtesy Car Rental on de Castro Street opposite Scotiabank.

The sale is being marketed as the ‘I Love Change’ car sales event and is asking persons to take advantage of special offers for Christmas.

“Tortola Auto Group, the BVI’s only authorised Hyundai dealer, Scotiabank and NAGICO Insurances will offer competitively priced vehicles, unbeatable low insurance premiums and an unbelievable 6.99 % interest rate. Best of all, no application fee and up to 100% financing is available,” said the advertisement.

The company is also offering a five-year factory warrantee on all vehicles, something people are calling the best feature of the sales event.

Persons have put to us that Nibbs might have lost the rights to market Hyundai vehicles in the VI but because of this news site's reputation for not engaging in speculation we preferred to hear from that company itself as to its status with the Korean brand.

As such, we sought a comment from the owner of Nibbs Auto Sales, Leando Nibbs, but were unsuccessful as we received no response up to post time.

However, a sales agent told this news site that Nibbs Auto Sales, which was the first to bring vehicles for sale into the Virgin Islands some 55 years ago, will continue to bring Hyundai vehicles into the territory, but directly from the USA.

The sales agent also admitted that Nibbs Auto Sales has lost its dealership with its supplier in St Martin.

"Nibbs Auto Sales has been in the auto sales business for 55 years and we will continue to remain in business and bring vehicles into the Virgin Islands including Hyundai, Ford and Toyota. We are bringing our vehicles from the USA. They may be a bit pricey but they would be standard vehicles. We are not going anywhere," the sales agent stated.

30 Responses to “'Are there 2 Hyundai authorised dealers in the VI?' – Readers ask”

  • Doc sat there and allowed it (26/10/2015, 09:44) Like (6) Dislike (6) Reply

    That in***n man threw a curve ball on Nibbs.

    • Hmph (26/10/2015, 10:48) Like (15) Dislike (2) Reply
      eveywheres else in dis world, a lil bit of comptitition is sen as de good ting
    • chad (26/10/2015, 11:43) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
      What was Government to do here? Not give another local an auto dealer's licence or dictate to Hyundai as to who should be their dealer?
  • Fed Up (26/10/2015, 09:51) Like (11) Dislike (19) Reply
    Why are we allowing another local to be shafted by an outsider?
    • Binocs (26/10/2015, 10:09) Like (7) Dislike (13) Reply
      That is our Government. They always sit back and watch others abuse the few Virgin Islanders and our businesses. only when some make noise they pretend they are getting involved. But in actuality they don't give a hoot. so sad because it is a reflection of destruction/territorial ruin.
      • EE resident (26/10/2015, 14:55) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
        Government have NOTHING to do with distributorships/dealerships YOU have to go after them YOURSELF and prove you will do more for the brand. When a business person contacts a potential brand they don't have government on a 3-way call making the deal. Obviously Mr. Nibbs did not or could not meet the demands of being a Hyundai dealer. Its not like he is going to put out a notice that he is no longer the dealer in the VI.
    • @Fed Up (26/10/2015, 10:45) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
      Competition!!
    • Dizzle (26/10/2015, 11:33) Like (11) Dislike (1) Reply
      I believe it is locally owned....
      • brian hodge (26/10/2015, 12:53) Like (19) Dislike (2) Reply
        locally owned front !! is same st martin people who run nagico and car dealerships over there coming in through the back door
        • my2cents (26/10/2015, 16:45) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
          so you thank NAPA is a Tortola brand, it is also an overseas company, Nibbs is just carrying the name and products.
    • Amore (27/10/2015, 00:46) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      @Fed up Aren't the Romneys from here? If Nibbs can't handle his business then let someone else from here ie the Romneys (or more precisely the VIP candidate) be the true "authorised" dealer!
  • born here (26/10/2015, 09:58) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
    Look trouble for we
  • typical bvi (26/10/2015, 09:58) Like (41) Dislike (1) Reply
    2 basket ball leagues, 2 showtime bands, 2 vip parties, 2 ndp parties, 2 hyundai dealers.......LOL
  • LCS (26/10/2015, 10:27) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Competition is good.
  • dog (26/10/2015, 10:47) Like (9) Dislike (6) Reply
    why do we need more cars on island anyway? where is public transportation? the proposed location at Prospect Reef also begins to make that look like an industrial/ commercial area when it is the perfect place for more tourist attractions. We need car regulations, not more cars.
  • Competition (26/10/2015, 10:49) Like (34) Dislike (1) Reply
    God help us if we allow competition in the BVI - suddenly prices will drop, service will improve and our whole way of life will change!
  • wize up (26/10/2015, 11:17) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
    to the best of my knowledge some vehicle are amercia speck while other are not; again to the best of my knowledge you have a given model vehicle made in USA and that very same model made outside the USA( you have the amercia speck and the european speck)....in the past the amercia models were thought to be the best)......it is so easy now to bring cheap vehicles into the territory these days, then make a killing on them( look at all of these right hand drives, cheap $hit from Japan then resold for 3 X as much in BVI....
  • GT (26/10/2015, 11:26) Like (0) Dislike (3) Reply
    Why we can't can a $bus here in the bvi ?
  • 1Q (26/10/2015, 11:26) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    it's unfortunate that it happen but in business you can never get comfortable. customer service and good business practice keeps you ahead of the pack. pretty sure this happen elsewhere locally and abroad some grander than other but it always hurts when the home team gets the hit. For the other local business....tighten up!!!
  • FRANK (26/10/2015, 11:34) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Best comment of the day!
  • Lawyer (26/10/2015, 14:42) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
    The dealers should be regulated to bring in right hand drive vehicle as we are regulated to drive on the left hand side of the road. Look at all those buses and taxi with the driver on the left and the passengers forced to exit on the right - directly into oncoming traffic. Everywhere else in the Caribbean - vehicles have to be right hand drive or they have to post a sign at the back to say they are left hand drive. The right hand driver could see traffic ahead.
    Its a safety and common sense issue.

  • long look me come from (26/10/2015, 14:50) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
    I sticking with the romney shurn connection!
    • Mirror (26/10/2015, 18:23) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      Finally someone is brave enough to mention the name "Romney"...aren't they local enough for you belongers? Just another Romney business so don't hate on your own!
  • illegal act? (26/10/2015, 15:10) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply

    An establishment is allowed to bring in old right hand drive cars from Japan and selling them by partial payment using rental plates..This is clearly rental plate abuse.

  • Well Sah (26/10/2015, 21:26) Like (0) Dislike (15) Reply
    Romney them want to be in everything


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