Coughlans create thriving car trade

With several car models available, Coughlan’s Garage in Co. Clare has been one of the foremost car sales garages in the county for over three decades writes Cian O Raghallaigh.

The impressive Kia Sorento

Lissycasey, the small County Clare village may only have a population of only a few hundred people but that hasn’t prevented Coughlan’s Garage Ltd from achieving success in the car sales business. The company, under the direction of dealers Martin Coughlan and his wife Margaret has been established in that area of the county for over three decades. During that period of time, Coughlan’s Garage Ltd has been a highly successful outlet, serving the people of county Clare and beyond. Outside their main business of selling cars to customers, Coughlan’s Garage Ltd has offered several other services in this field of work. Such facilities have added to the company’s growth over the years.

Senan Coughlan took time from his busy schedule at work to talk about the history of the company. He also gave Irish Trucker an insight into all the current developments in the firm. He explained that the company is a family-run business under the direction of his parents Margaret and Martin. Alongside them, Martin’s two brothers also play an important role in the company: Frank works in after-sales while Paddy works in the company, doing “a bit of everything”. Senan’s role is as general manager. He explained how Coughlan’s Garage Ltd came into being; how it started off as a small company and developed into something bigger later on.
“The company was established in November 1968 and it only started off as a small garage. The firm started by dealing in second hand cars. Later on Opel joined up with us in 1978 and became our main dealer until November 2003.
“The company has been the main Kia dealer since 2002 and the main Isuzu dealer since 2003. Those two marques would be the two main franchises that we have had in the last few years,” he says.

The luxurious Kia Magentis

However, several new models have come on stream in the new year. In January 2007, the company started selling four new models. These included the new Magentis (diesel and petrol), the Carens 7 litre, the Sorrento 4x4, the Carnival 7 litre and the See’d 1.4 car. Senan stated that the Kia range has been selling well over the last number of years. The new models boast huge warranties and are already drawing huge interest.
“The See’d is selling very well and has a seven-year warranty. The D’max is going well too as has Kia in recent years. The Isuzu has also become renowned over the last few years and has been doing well,” he says.
Signs are, then, that Coughlan’s Garage Ltd has become a very successful enterprise. Ten people are employed in the company over the last few years. As Senan explains, the company is ideally situated and has taken whatever advantages it can in the industry in order to strengthen itself in the area. Over the years that it has been established in the county, it has built up trust because of the reliability it can offer to all car owners.

The inside of the latest Kia Carnival

“We are based only ten minutes from Ennis, right down in the centre of Clare. A lot of the work that we get is in west Clare. We are the only Kia dealer for the whole of Clare and the only Isuzu dealer as well in the county.
“It’s a big advantage really as your name can get out when people know you are the only dealer and it’s up to yourself really to establish yourself,” he says.
His own role is as General Manager. So what does a normal day involve? His is a varied job. Rather than be confined to one area, he works across several different departments.
“A typical day for me would involve sales, after-sales, organising the workshop and booking the NCT, working across every department,” he says.

Companies such as Coughlan’s Garage Ltd have availed of the opportunity to carry out pre-NCT checks since the test became mandatory in Ireland. The company allows people avail of a fast, efficient service.
Senan realises that there is a big demand for NCT testing although he says people aren’t as worried about it as they used to be.
The NCT testing service is one of many services which the company offers. General workshops and roadside assistance are two such services.
“We do general repairs; we have a full workshop. We have three year roadside assistance on the Kia/Isuzu models. We also do recovery on our own roadside vehicles so if one of our own customers is in trouble, we’d go out to them. We’d get the odd callout late at night though it’s very rare that that happens,” he says.

Being called out to an emergency may be somewhat unusual for a company such as Coughlan’s Garage Ltd. One can be sure, however, that if they are on call to do something like that, they will respond quickly and professionally. In the years since they have been established, the company has proven itself in the car business and this looks set to continue.