Car dealerships claim Toyota damaged their businesses

Toyota Ireland has said it will "vigorously defend" a legal action launched against it by 15 car dealerships or garages over alleged, anti-competitive behaviour.

In a plenary summons lodged at the High Court, the 15 named dealerships or garages are seeking an injunction against Toyota Ireland and damages, amid claims that their repair and maintenance businesses have been damaged and relationships with long-standing customers adversely affected.

The plenary summons lodged on behalf of the plaintiffs claimed that Toyota Ireland introduced a policy that all its dealerships would not be permitted to stock or sell other brands of new car.

The dealerships that had operated as Toyota dealers became authorised Toyota repairers instead, while stocking other car brands, but claim that Toyota Ireland has denied them access to the Toyota three-year free service promotion with the purchase of every new car.

The claimants allege that this effectively means they are prohibited from servicing half of the Toyota cars sold each year.

Toyota Ireland “strongly refutes the claims made against it by this group”.

“Toyota Ireland is satisfied, and is advised, that it has at all times complied with competition law and the terms of its agreement with these authorised repairers.

“It intends to vigorously defend its position against what it regards as an unmeritorious claim.”

The dealerships/garages who bringing the action against Toyota Ireland are: Cranley Cars Ltd in Dublin; Cavanaghs of Charleville; Fitzpatrick’s Garages in Carlow, Kildare, Naas and Tullamore; Hogan Motors in Ennis; Kearys of Cork, Mallow and Midleton; Linders of Chapelizod; McCoy Motors of Lucan; Motorpark Galway; Murphy and Gunn in Rathgar; and White and Delahunty Motors in Sallynoggin.