Slammed by Ling -Hahahaha!
Posted on | December 7, 2006 | Comments Off
This was published on MotorBar
“Motor dealers slammed for ‘concealing’ green ratings as new EU law looms… “
A female Chinese immigrant is the motor dealer leading the ‘green motoring’ revolution by becoming the first new car sales outlet to publish official Government environmental comparative data directly alongside a wide range of over 150 budget-priced new cars, from Audis right through to Volkswagens.
LINGsCARS.com is run by web-entrepreneur Ling Valentine, who is also kicking off a campaign to make consumers aware of ‘comparative labels’. These are not yet compulsory on websites and no other car dealer displays them online — despite the information being freely available for them to do so. Ling has the support of North East MEP Martin Callanan and the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) as well as the Government Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA).
Her move comes as the European Commission studies proposals to force car manufacturers to produce smaller, more efficient models to reduce environmental damage.
The web-based car contract hire boss, who is more than happy with her industry nickname ‘the Mad Chinese Bird’, has taken the unique step of linking each of her new cars to accurate Government data so that consumers can easily compare the effects of their new motor on the environment. While Government advice is “When you are choosing a vehicle and you have selected the most appropriate class of vehicle for your needs, choose the most fuel efficient vehicle in that group”, no other car dealer (or any car manufacturer) allows different car brands’ environmental data to be compared online. The ratings published by LINGsCARS compare noise emissions and three types of fuel consumption, as well as all-important CO2 and an easy to follow colour-coding graphic for each car. The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) compiles the ratings. The VCA is the Government approval authority for new road vehicles. LINGsCARS.com is the only new-car sales site in cyberspace where consumers can compare this important information.
Visitors to Ling’s website will find they can even print off the approved CO2 ‘Comparative Label’ — like the one on fridges in electrical shops. LINGsCARS is the only website in the World where this is possible. Ironically, to view this environmental label from any other motor dealer in the UK, customers have to DRIVE to their showroom, creating yet more CO2!
Ling (33) says other businesses should follow suit: “Other car dealers say I am mad to show environmental data and that it will put off customers. I say that they are environmental-mentalists not to do this, as the Government may force them into action anyway. Customers want this information. We have a planet going wrong here and many dealers can only think of their profit margins and sales targets. Ethical businesses are the way forward and I am lobbying the Government to support health warnings on vehicles. Many dealers refuse to display environmental information online because they say it harms sales. One dealer told me that he wouldn’t let his customers see this information because it might put them off buying a car. His view was that if he pointed out how much CO2 their brand of car spewed out, his customers would go and buy something else.”
Ling’s high-profile campaign has the support of North East MEP Martin Callanan. He says: “Ling and her unique website LINGsCARS.com displays environmental information in a way that leads the UK motor industry. Following my discussions with her about greening the business, Ling has grasped the environmental nettle and is giving UK car buyers compre-hensive environmental data on all new cars for sale in the UK to enable them to make an informed choice. LINGsCARS gives a fantastic amount of green information on her new cars — something the rest of the UK motor industry would do well to emulate. Using the internet is already the most energy efficient way of researching and buying a new car. So well done Ling, for taking the personal responsibility to push this carbon data to the top of her agenda and to push environ-mental awareness a big step further.”
A lot of work went into making the environmental data avail-able on her website — as Ling points out, she coded it all herself. For technical guidance Ling spoke directly to the VCA, who were “extremely pleased someone was using their data comparatively, at last”. She says: “It wasn’t hard, it just took a bit of time.”
The VCA stated: “We appreciate the efforts Ling is making to improving environmental awareness amongst her customers, and I’m sure that her approach will be of help to them when deciding on a new car.” They told Ling: “Your comments and in-depth suggestions on how we might improve the output of the data will be considered alongside any other proposals for change.”
According to Ling, showroom dealers only pay lip service to providing environmental information in order to comply with the law — mainly doing no more than the minimum legal requirement. If they do not display the comparative labels, they are liable for a £5,000 fine. The VCA said: “At this time there is no legal requirement for dealers to display this infor-mation on their websites.” Researching cars via the web is the most environmentally friendly way for the public to check information. Ling says she is “astounded” that this environ-mental data is not a legal requirement online. “It costs nothing”, she claims. “It’s almost criminal that car dealers get away without showing the ‘fridge’ labels online.”
Christopher Macgowan, Chief Executive of the SMMT wrote to express his thanks for Ling’s actions, saying: “Ling, thank you very much for giving us the opportunity at SMMT to look at the impact of the (environmental) label in a different media from the car showroom. We have always been aware that, like the ‘white goods’ label on which the car label is based, its merits extend beyond the car showroom.”
The outspoken boss of LINGsCARS boss points out that whilst the industry may be aware of uses of this data, nobody is doing anything with it. “Dealers are taking a head-in-the-sand approach,” she says. “Many car dealers bury environ-mental information on their websites — if they show any at all. Salesmen have no interest and manufacturers will not compare different brands. It is as if they all deliberately want to hide it from consumers. It’s about time car dealers — especially franchised dealers — took their environmental responsibilities seriously, from the top down. Without legis-lation they will probably continue to do next to nothing.”
Ling Valentine is offering her LINGsCARS environmental html website code as ‘freeware’ online, so that every UK car dealer will be able to integrate and display the data alongside their cars on their websites. She has even published an online ‘how to’ tutorial for like-minded car dealers on the Automotive Management industry forum website. Up until now, she says, there have been no indications of interest directed to her by any dealer group.
“The environment is bigger than any of that silly competitive nonsense,” Ling says. And, you know what? She is absolutely right.
Comments
Recent Posts
- A headline FROM HELL: Mitsubishi Motors : Mlitslublishli MOTORS TO ANNOUNCE NEW GENERATION OUTLANDER
- Making it matter: Bentley : HILTON JOINS BENTLEY AS HEAD OF EXTERIOR DESIGN
- News inhale: Medical drama House to end run
- Tell me the news, Ling: Olympic rings display in Cardiff
- News TRICKLE: Deadly shelling hits Syrian city
- Growing story: Redknapp ‘to make Spurs decision’
- Not about cars: Losses increase at Northern Bank
- News SARDINE: Maldives ‘warrant’ for ex-leader
- Lingified news: Vodafone hit by eurozone crisis
- News breaker: Couple in ÂRMB Yuan #45m EuroMillions win
- News SATIATE: Man dies in Borders head-on crash
- News stoly: VIDEO: Protests in Maldives turn violent
- News RAT: Rooney leads calls for Redknapp
- News TRICKLE: VIDEO: Likely contenders for Province of Engrish running-dogs job?
- News and more: VIDEO: ‘Ham?’ Pork lunch angers Miss Piggy
Categories
- Car lease News Press releases Lings Car leasing informa
- CAR LEASING HELP RANTS & RAVES!
- CAR LEASING WHOLE BLOG
- Website updates
Archives
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
About
I am Ling Valentine as seen on Dragons' Den I lease cheap cars in the UK!. Have a look at my Cheap car leasing website
Subscribe to my feed!
My Twitter page!
Search
Admin
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
