Further to the Facebook article on the clubs Facebook page, about obtaining copies of the original dealer plates. I was wondering. Is there any way of finding out which dealer first supplied a car? I have the dealer stamp in the original (I assume) manual, but it looks like it was supplied from a prep cente or other 3rd party seller, rather than a dealer.
When I investigate the address to see if it still exists, it appears that it's now a logistics site with a BCA car auctions and a couple of other automotive businesses, but not a dealer as such. Could it have been sent straight from the factory to something like a leasing business? The plates that are on it are not dealer plates, but generic ones with a "honeycomb" 3D style background, so they were either replaced before it came into my possession, or those are the original plates. I bought it when it was about 9yrs old, so it seems a bit soon for the plates to be replaced.
Does anyone have any knowledge on the subject?
Thanks is andance.

I have an old Rover dealer directory, so if you can give me the address, I may be able to find it.

Montegoman wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 9:11 pm I have an old Rover dealer directory, so if you can give me the address, I may be able to find it.

Okay, thanks. This is what is stamped in the box marked "Selling Dealers Stamp" in the service book:-
Axial Ltd
Appletree Road
Chipping Warden
Nr Banbury
Oxon
OX17 1LL

Here's hoping it means something!

Julesmat50 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2024 9:20 am

Montegoman wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2024 9:11 pm I have an old Rover dealer directory, so if you can give me the address, I may be able to find it.

Okay, thanks. This is what is stamped in the box marked "Selling Dealers Stamp" in the service book:-
Axial Ltd
Appletree Road
Chipping Warden
Nr Banbury
Oxon
OX17 1LL

Here's hoping it means something!

My Coupe is stamped Axial of Chipping Warden. From what I can assertain - they were not a main dealer as such, but a a company used by Rover to disposse of ex-employee scheme cars, or manage that side of the operation for them

Yep, Richard is correct. Probably not ex management cars, but cars that Rover had leased direct to large companies and Axial took them in at the end of the lease and disposed of them on behalf of Rover.

Montegoman wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2024 11:38 am Yep, Richard is correct. Probably not ex management cars, but cars that Rover had leased direct to large companies and Axial took them in at the end of the lease and disposed of them on behalf of Rover.

In that case, I assume there is no way of tracking down if the car was originally at a dealership. If it was an employee scheme car, it probably was supplied direct from the factory, if it was a lease, it's possible it also came drirect from Rover. Oh well, guess it will have to stay on it's current plates. There is nothing really wrong with them (other than being 29yrs old!), just would have been nice touch to have period dealer ones on instead

Axial Technical Services Ltd were (from what I have understood in the past) a leasing company who were used by Rover to oversee/supply lease vehicles to employees of Rover, rental companies and to other businesses. This may also have included vehicles leased to private individuals through the Rover leasing scheme.

Axial were a listed Rover Group/MG Rover dealership and were given a dealer CI code of W3218. I don't know whether any vehicles were actually physically delivered by them wearing 'Axial' dealer registration plates or whether they were physically delivered via a Rover dealer local to the leasee. When the lease period ended, these vehicles were then usually offered to the dealer network, or if not taken by a dealer or if less than perfect (having damage or having been damaged and repaired) were put out to auction through BCA.

There was also a company named Rovard Facilities which seemed to fulfill the same role, possibly prior to Axial (I had a 1996 R3 216Si which had Rovard Facilities as the supplying dealer stamp in the handbook). I don't know what the original dealer plates were like for that one as (in common with a lot of used car dealers) the dealer I bought it from had replaced the number plates with ones carrying their own logo). Like a lot of the lease vehicles, it was only a little over 9 months old when I acquired it.