Domain name with manufacturer in it .. is it legal ?

[MainDealerBiatch 6]

Any domain name experts on here?

Would a car manufacturer be all over me if i use their name e.g. www.usedbmw.co.uk ... or www.liverpoolvauxhall.co.uk 

Above are examples I don't own those domains.

Thanks for any input

[justina3 518]

I always found 123.reg very helpful they have a live chat feature you might be better of speaking to the people who do it for a living. 

[trade vet 703]

Don’t even think about it.I know someone who long ago was able to register Audidiesels.co.uk.All he sold was Audi Avants and was doing OK.As far as I remember,Audi lawyers informed him to desist from using the domain name to do with infringement of their intellectual property.He wrongly declined their advice and apparently finished up with a massive legal bill defending himself from being destroyed by Audi.He subsequently changed his business to selling non Audi cheaper stuff and then moved on.

 

[EPV 631]

There used to be a garage local to me that named themselves BMWise. They were an independent BMW specialists and repaired nothing but BMW’s. 

BMW asked them politely to change their name, which they refused, they then started court proceedings which were resisted initially but upon realising the David and Goliath proportions, the garage saw sense and changed their name. 

I think this story along with TV’s story tells you alot about how huge organisations protect their brand. 

[Arfur Dealy 823]

3 hours ago, Wrexham said:

Any domain name experts on here?

Would a car manufacturer be all over me if i use their name e.g. www.usedbmw.co.uk ... or www.liverpoolvauxhall.co.uk 

Above are examples I don't own those domains.

Thanks for any input

Don’t be crazy, you aren’t BMW, neither are you Vauxhall. 

[BHM 994]

A few years ago a local large VAG specialist modified his signage to the colours & fonts of VW main dealers. No proof, all hearsay from an employee, but the bones of the tale was the owner was told in no uncertain terms that he wouldn’t be getting any more diagnostic updates, loose trade account privileges & they’d prosecute under some sort of copyright infringement.

As I wrote I’ve no proof, or insider knowledge, but the discussion arose because within a few months of the new signage being erected it was replaced so draw your own conclusions. 

8 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Don’t be crazy, you aren’t BMW, neither are you Vauxhall. 

Probably just a cheeky c***  Calling yourself ‘XXXX specialists’ doesn’t appear to be a problem though.

[justina3 518]

There is this one garage that always made me wonder how they get away from it one of the main roads into Sunny Swansea just up the road from Amazon so you can work out how busy this road is, there is a garage called South Wales BMW who has been there since i was in shorts, always loads of BMW outside being repaired they do not sell only repair and there are one of the leading indys in our area.

There website isnt working but was last week maybe someone caught up with them  http://www.sw-bmw.co.uk/

[Dave2302 387]

I think the trick is to use the word 'Independent' ........................ on your blurb I have "Independent Mercedes -Benz Specialist" on mine, also all over the workshop van, no problem so far  

Shhhhhhhh 

 

57 minutes ago, BHM said:

Probably just a cheeky c***  Calling yourself ‘XXXX specialists’ doesn’t appear to be a problem though.

 

[D7neo 5]

A guy local to me has just gone through legal proceedings with Land rover, he was called 'Landy Man' and was forced to change his name.

He is now 'Lanny Man' and copyrighted the name

[umesh 336]

Manufacturers will try and protect the network if they see any one as a threat, it’s usually the local dealer that reports and the soft letter arrives.

My back ground is VAG and when I started majority of my stock was Audi – VW and I made a big thing about it inc. good old yellow pages.

When I did the YP advert I was very careful using the Audi – VW logo, I didn’t us the logo but pictures of the grille ( cars in stock) – fast forward I get a letter from VAG asking me to remove the logo off my website and stop using logo’s in future adverts.

I replied back and stated that I was not using the logos but images or cars that I either own or have owned and would not be removing them from the advert but the odd logo which may have been on the website would be removed but not images.

 I did get a letter back saying they acknowledge my comments, no more was heard.

A good friend of mine at the same had to remove BMW & Jaguar logos off his showroom windows.

[Dave2302 387]

3 hours ago, umesh said:

A good friend of mine at the same had to remove BMW & Jaguar logos off his showroom windows.

Yes I agree with that, it is the Logos andname that are normally the problem

A sentence however, that mentions the Name should not be a problem.

One could always try telling them to feck off and see what happens next LOL

For example, the Landy Man, have LR actually copyrighted "Landy" ????????????????????

[Grantlfc81 88]

We have VW Audi Tech in Chelmsford and they are ridiculously busy. Nothing to do with VW however

[L-P 15]

Not wrong. All ex VAG I believe, but not anything to do with VW. Do a good job though. 

[D7neo 5]

21 hours ago, Dave2302 said:

Yes I agree with that, it is the Logos andname that are normally the problem

A sentence however, that mentions the Name should not be a problem.

One could always try telling them to feck off and see what happens next LOL

For example, the Landy Man, have LR actually copyrighted "Landy" ????????????????????

it appears they have, he has since copyrighted 'lanny man' and is repeating the process land rover did to them, to other small indy's

[Dave2302 387]

3 hours ago, D7neo said:

it appears they have, he has since copyrighted 'lanny man' and is repeating the process land rover did to them, to other small indy's

FFS