Car dealers feel disaster pinch

Dealers in the area say they desperate for new stock. Neil Dwyer, long-time owner of Daddows Honda Cooroy, said he was struggling, even though more customers were coming through the door.

"They are coming in and want to spend money at last, but I can't get any cars,'' he said. "Honda's factory in Japan closed after last year's tsunami and now the factory in Thailand has been flooded. 

"I also sell used cars, but without any new car sales, I'm not getting the trades, so that's affected, too.'' 

Mr Dwyer - who opened the Cooroy dealership in 1973 and a new, Noosa dealership last year - is awaiting delivery of the new Jazz Vibe, 2012 Honda Civic and Wheels Car of the Year, the hybrid CR2. 

"Production has started up again in Japan, so the cars should be here late February, early March. It's definitely worth people coming in now for a chat,'' he said. 

"Things are still tough on the Coast, there's no denying that. One of the problems is that we no longer have major industry in the Noosa area.

All the young guys are flying in, flying out to the mines. "Coast retirees have also been hit by lost super and that has impacted sales.''  John Madill of Madill Motor Group said business was definitely on the up. "There is a lot more community confidence and we have been taking orders,'' he said.

The Toyota factory didn't go under water, but the supply of components from Thailand has been affected.'' He was expecting a delivery in late February or early March.