Dude, where did all the dealerships go?

stickguy

However it is that is buying Opel should also buy Saturn. Bingo, instant dealer network and product. The best stuff at Saturn was rebadged Opels anyway.

Then partner up with some other non-US Euro makes that want an inroad.

Renault? Peugout? Heck, some of there stuff just might be interesting to US buyers, especially if they can pull off snazzy diesels, and some of the efficient people movers that everyone else is afraid to bring over.

stever

"Penske, who became a Chevrolet dealer in Philadelphia in February 1965, had a Saturn franchise among his GM brands at a dealership in Bakersfield, Calif., in the early days of Saturn in the mid 1980s, but later sold all of the GM franchises. He later went onto build a publicly owned dealership group that now ranks as the No. 2 retailer of vehicles in the U.S. He also has dealerships outside of the U.S. GM prohibited publicly owned dealership groups from having a Saturn franchise.

Still, as a retailer, Penske has competed against Saturn dealers, who were carefully handpicked by Saturn when it was formed in the 1980s. Penske says, the best in the country and "are passionate about the brand." Those 200 Saturn dealers operating 350 outlets across the country, which employ about 12,000 people, will be offered a new franchise agreement with Penske. "We'll give each existing Saturn dealer an opportunity to sign on with our franchise," he said."

Penske: Envisioning Saturn as a Global Motors (AutoObserver)

And locally, Idaho’s Saturn dealer says GM's sale to Penske is a 'dream come true’ (Idaho Statesman)

stickguy

Wow, I only posted that idea yesterday, and Penske already "stole" it from me!

And I swear I hadn't read anything about his plan before I did.

makes a ton of sens though. Seperate the manufacturing and support/distribution for efficiency sake.

And it must coast a fortune to establish a dealer network, parts distribution, and also a brand name. None of the Euros were going to d oit, but having a chance to supply cars to "global motors?" That's a whole different story.

cadillacmike

You're talking Marin County Calif and SF!
First off less than half or SF residents probably even have cars - it's probably the 2nd lowest rate of car ownership next to NYC, and it's full of US hating lefties. They probably don't even know that SF was THE major port of embarkation for the millions of US Soldiers in the Pacific theatre in WWII. I'll bet that less than 25 % of SF residents know what the Presidio was 70 years ago.

Strange, I still can't find a place to park when i'm there!!!

Then there's Marin county, probably the only place where home prices have risen in the past 5 years! and full of snobbish euro and lexus lovers. I've met some.

I've been there a few tmes to visit my sister in Pacifica (south of SF for those geogragraphically illiterate) and have been to Marin county and the wine country up further north. SF and Marin County are like night and day econonically, but they line up on the same side of the aisle politically... You can have it, no thanks. I'll take the hanging chads and the occasional Hurricane in FL, along with a lower sales tax and no income tax, and 4 Cadillac dealers within 30 miles of my home (assuming they all survive the cuts).

lemko

There WAS a Penske Chevrolet dealer in King of Prussia, PA. It went belly-up about a year ago.

lemko

I was in SF back in 2000. Nice clean city compared to what I'm used to. It seemed more like a large town rather than a city to me. The hilly streets reminded me a lot of NE Pennsylvania anthracite coal mining towns like Ashland and Pottsville. The only part that seemed like a city was the financial district. Haight-Ashbury can be compared to Philly's own South Street or a Bucks County town called New Hope.

Funny. When you watch movies like "Dirty Harry" and "Bullitt," they seem like a San Francisco in a parallel universe to the one we see today. We see the Disney-fied version of the City by the Bay today.

boaz47

And the tenderloin and water front streets and Wharf area? What part does that remind you of?

tomcatt630

Back on topic.

Tomorrow is day when Mopars 789 dealers have to close. Anyone know some personally?

andre1969

Tomorrow is day when Mopars 789 dealers have to close. Anyone know some personally?

I've never bought a car from them before, but I did hear that Laurel Dodge in Maryland is closing. I remember awhile back, my coworker's mother bought a brand-new 1999 Intrepid from them. She had a perfectly fine 1994 with only ~30K miles on it, but she was going on some golfing tournament that weekend, and wanted a new car to show off in to her friends. :confuse:

The dealer I bought my 2000 Intrepid from, Sheehy in Upper Marlboro, is still around as far as I know, but they did shutter their Chevy operations a few months ago, and now I think they're Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler.

lemko

The biggest Chrysler dealer near me is Gary Barbera Chrysler-Jeep on Roosevelt Blvd. I was in there and the place reminds me a lot of Towbin Doge on the short-lived show "King of Cars."

Karen_S

Join Consumer Advice Editor, Phil Reed, and other Edmunds staff for an auto industry chat Wednesday night, 9:00 -10:00 pm/et (6:00 -7:00 pm/pt). To enter the chat, click on the green banner at the top of the page. See you there!

michaellno

I had the opportunity to drive past the two closed C-J-D dealers this weekend. The one in my home town was empty (though, to be fair, this location was a satellite lot - the main dealer is up in metro Denver, so I suspect that they moved their stock to that site). The one in the next closest town had quite a bit of new and used cars on the lot - makes me wonder if they were going to transfer their inventory to a dealer that is staying open. Didn't seem likely that they could sell their cars in just two days (can't sell cars in Colorado on Sundays).

stever

I think congressional pressure made Chrysler treat the closing dealers a bit better.

"They will have a limited number of days to submit their warranty and incentive claims for payment. Chrysler will redistribute the unsold inventory of defunct dealers to surviving dealers."

Last Call: Tuesday Is End of the Road for Some Chrysler Dealers (AutoObserver)

"The dealers being eliminated had 42,000 vehicles in inventory on May 14, when the automaker announced which outlets it would keep. The rejected dealers sold 16,000 vehicles through last month.

Those retailers can transfer vehicles to other dealers and get out of their loan obligations or be reimbursed for the price of the vehicle if they pay a $350 inspection and transfer fee. Chrysler has arranged to begin moving the transferred vehicles beginning tomorrow, said Carrie McElwee, a company spokeswoman."

Chrysler Guarantees Rejected Dealers Place for Autos (Bloomberg)

dtownfb

It would have been nicer if they had given them more time like GM is doing......

boaz47

"Plymouth Cricket, baby! "

first new car I had after getting out of the service. a little tank I thought. Nothing special and not very pretty but with the exception of the carbarator it was a dependable little car.

stever

House Committee Votes To Restore Terminated Dealer Franchises (AutoObserver)

gagrice

Now ain't that something? That seems much more fair. Let them die of their own mismanagement. Not the strong arm of the law. I never could see the advantage to getting rid of dealerships. Especially ones that were making money and selling vehicles. It seemed so anti competition to me.

british_rover

The dodge and Chrysler stores they axed in our area weren't selling new vehicles. Some of them only had three or four new vehicles on the lot and sold less then a hundred new cars a year. One of the dealers they shut down near me was a combo dodge Nissan store but I rarely saw any dodges on the lot. They would have a couple of trucks, a charger and they had a challenger at some point but that was it.

Oh and less then two miles away on the same road was a newer, larger Chrysler/Jeep store that also had a Buick, Chevy Pontiac, GMC franchise on the other side of their lot. Makes sense to shut down the tiny little dodge place and eventually give the larger Chrysler/Jeep store the dodge franchise.

stever

"We're working on new ways to make car buying more convenient for our customers, including an innovative new partnership with eBay in California to revolutionize how people buy vehicles online," GM CEO Fritz Henderson said at a press conference."

New GM Experiments With Car-Selling On eBay (AutoObserver)

"In 1999, a GM executive predicted that 80 percent of new-car buyers would be able to custom-order online by 2003; entrepreneurs began exploring the possibilities. The dealers lobbied for state bans on Internet sales by anyone but a dealer, and they won."

Time to Click and Drag Car Sales Into the 21st Century (Washington Post)

mikefm58

Good articles, I know this subject has been hashed out here extensively, but for me and I'd bet most of the educated consumers who read sites like Edmunds.com, the sales person is simply an order taker and provides no value add to the transaction. I'm not trying to be dis-respectful, but the vehicles I bought the last 10 years, I knew what I wanted, what I was willing to pay, and how I was going to pay it. The sales person did nothing but take my price to the SM and came back with a yes or no answer. A few trips back and forth to agree on the price, finalize things in the business office, and I drive away in a new vehicle. The sales person did nothing for me.

gagrice

The dealership shuffle by Barney Frank and others.

Gangster Government

stever

I'm not much on videos, but Dub, er, Pf_Flyer is blogging about reinstating dealers today.

This was running on the AP earlier:

Several auto dealers planned to tell the panel how the auto industry decisions were wrecking their lives. Auto dealers estimate that nearly 200,000 jobs could be lost in the dealer consolidation.

"If my dealership is not restored, we will lose everything -- including college savings for my children -- and my home," said Jim Tarbox, a former Chrysler dealer in remarks prepared for delivery."

GM, Chrysler defend dealer cuts

dtownfb

I love that name, Gangster Government. I think GM's plan to eliminate dealerships at the end of their franchise agreement is preferred over what Chrysler did. Chrysler should have compensated the dealerships either by buying back the vehicles or buy them out. Suddenly ending the relationship, in some cases, inexplicably is not the way to do business.

Now with talk of possibly re-instating their franchise agreement, it could put the future of Chrysler in limbo.

plan_man

Now with talk of possibly re-instating their franchise agreement, it could put the future of Chrysler in limbo.

I think limbo might be a step forward.

Current thing from Chrysler is to double the cash for clunkers stimulus. It would be great if only they made something worth buying, which is pretty much the tale of how how they got to where they are.

I still blame Daimler, frankly...

andre1969

It would be great if only they made something worth buying, which is pretty much the tale of how how they got to where they are.

I still like the 300 and Charger, and find the 2009 Ram to actually have some sex appeal. Alas, I'm not in the market right now for a semi-large sedan, or a full-sized pickup.

I really wish they'd get their act together in the midsized market, and replace the Sebring/Avenger with something more worthwhile. I would actually take a 2001-2006 version over the ones they have on the market now! :sick:

That 200C concept that made the auto show rounds was a pretty hot looking car...hope they end up doing something with that.

mikefm58

I really wish they'd get their act together in the midsized market, and replace the Sebring/Avenger with something more worthwhile. I would actually take a 2001-2006 version over the ones they have on the market now! :sick:

I just bought an 08 Sebring and you're the first person I've heard that commented about liking the older model over the newer one. Most have said the exact opposite. So far, I love the vehicle. I've owned Hondas and Toyotas since 1999, so this is a switch for me.

andre1969

Well, I do have to admit, my only experience with the things is sitting in them at auto shows for the most part. Back in 2003, my Dad was in the market for a car, and we drove a Stratus SXT with the 4-cyl, and hated it enough that Dad bought a used '03 Regal instead. I really wanted to like the car. I thought the styling was nice, and I thought it had a nice seating position. But it just felt cheap once we drove it.

Just ouf of curiosity, what made you pick a Sebring over a Honda or Toyota? In the past, I've always been a Mopar man, but the current Sebring/Avenger just don't do it for me. But, like I said, I'm basing my opinion mainly on the styling, and sitting in them at the auto shows, so I'm hardly an expert.

I do think the retractable hardtop is a cool idea, though. I don't find the car particularly attractive, but then I didnt' like any of its peers either...cars like the Pontiac G6 or Toyota Solara. I think my main beef is how they went for a taller, more upright look. I just prefer the more low-slung look of the older models.

Anyway though, I hope the car is good for you. And, being a Mopar guy, I'm glad to hear that you're happy with the Sebring so far!

plan_man

I owned the '95 Stratus ES and loved it. Solid, great handling (for what it was), comfortable and really well styled. From '01 on, everything was downhill with the cloud cars and their successors, IMO. The '01 Sebring coupe I replaced the Stratus with was passable, but I think the credit rightfully belongs to Mitsubishi for that.

Chrysler is a sort of perpetual one-trick pony it seems. They struggle, get a hit, play it out and go dry. Happened with the Caravan, then the Ram, then the Neon, then the PT, then the 300. I liked the LH platform, but I don't think anyone sensible would call that a hit. I suppose they're selling a few Challengers now, but why I don't know. And I like metal! Trouble is that usually while they're playing out that one hit, the rest of the lineup is really also ran.

And I'm a Mopar fan too, believe it or not! Not as much of a fan as Andre of course, but a fan...

mikefm58

Just ouf of curiosity, what made you pick a Sebring over a Honda or Toyota?

The bottom line was price. It's an 08 with 16K miles and I got it for $12K at Carmax, and it's the 6 cyl Touring sedan model so it's pretty well equipped. The Tundra I traded in also was taking a pretty good hit in depreciation and I hated driving such a big vehicle so I wanted to get rid of it before gas goes back up to $4 a gallon.

andre1969

The bottom line was price. It's an 08 with 16K miles and I got it for $12K at Carmax, and it's the 6 cyl Touring sedan model so it's pretty well equipped.

That one has the 2.7 V-6 and not the 3.5, right? I've been happy with the 2.7 in my 2000 Intrepid. I would've liked the 3.2 they were offering at the time better (or better yet the 3.5, but back in 2000 you could only get that in the R/T model), but overall it's been a good engine for me. Reasonable power and economy, and no serious problems in the 148,000 miles I've had it. One thing you might want to keep an eye out for though, is the thermostat housing. Mine developed a small leak, and had to be replaced...naturally, once the warranty was over! That was a $210 bill. I hear it was a common problem back then, but they might've improved it since then.

And for $12,000, the car sounds like one helluva deal! Even though I'm not crazy about them, I've seen them show up on used car lots, with low mileage, and the low asking price would catch my eye.

I hope it ends up being a good car for you.

mikefm58

Thx, and yes, it's the 2.7 V-6, got 23 MPG with the last tank of gas so it's a nice step up from the 16 MPG Tundra I was driving. I've owned vans, SUVs and trucks for the last 20 years so driving a car now is nice. And I know it's just me, but I've always liked the styling of Chryslers, love the new Challenger, too bad they don't have the reputation for quality that Honda does.

andre1969

I just got an email from the dealer I bought my Intrepid from, and they're going out of business! Back when I bought that car, they were Chevy/Dodge/Isuzu, but then Isuzu went away, and earlier this year they dropped Chevy, and picked up Chrysler/Jeep. But now it looks like they're shutting the whole thing down! Here's their website, if anybody wants to see... http://www.sheehydodge.com/index.htm

My family has bought a number of cars from that dealership over the years. My Mom got her '86 Monte Carlo there. Great car, until I got ahold of it. With 192,000 miles on it and still running strong, I got t-boned one night while delivering pizzas. My uncle bought a used '94 GMC Sierra Diesel there, which was troublesome, so he traded for a new '97 Silverado, which he still has. My 2000 Intrepid came from there, and my Dad bought his used '03 Regal there. And based on my dealings with Sheehy, a friend of mine bought an '06 Xterra from their Nissan store.

I hope that some other brand goes into the Chevy/Dodge store, because that was a pretty big facility. If it just gets totally shuttered,that's going to be a number of people out of work. Oddly, the Chevy side of things wasn't selling all that well, even a few years back when the times were good. Back then, Dodge was bringing in a lot more business.

stever

Is this the same outfit that owns like 15 other stores around DC? Mostly Ford and Nissan, and a brand new Mazdz shop? Looks like this one was their only Chrysler store.

Maybe they can shift some people to other stores.

explorerx4

tundra for sale at a closed chevy dealer, kind of ironic.

andre1969

Yeah, Sheehy is a large outfit, and they did just open a new Mazda store. I think they did have a Chrysler/Jeep store at some other location, but when they dropped Chevy, I think they consolidated all Mopars at the Upper Marlboro store.

I wonder if the guy who sold me my Intrepid is still around? I liked him...he seemed genuine, honest, and no-pressure. My Dad bought his '03 Regal from the same guy, but that's been 6 years now. Hopefully, if he's not retired already, that guy doesn't end up out of work!

nippononly

get their 15 minutes of fame:

Rejection, in their own words: Dealers tell stories on YouTube

September 28, 2009 - 12:01 am ET

Dealers whose stores were rejected by Chrysler and General Motors now can tell their stories in person on a new Internet TV channel.

The channel, whose Web address is youtube.com/rejecteddealers, went live Tuesday, Sept. 22, and already had more than 60 videos posted and about 5,900 viewers as of Thursday night, Sept. 24, said Tammy Darvish, a co-chair of the Committee to Restore Dealer Rights.

Darvish said she had sent letters to the owners of all the dealerships rejected by Chrysler and GM, telling them about the channel and inviting them to use iPhones or video cameras to tell their stories.

"This is your opportunity to be heard," she told the dealers.

"No one has heard their story. It's so much easier to watch it live. Dealers take a lot of comfort in telling their stories themselves."

http://www.autonews.com/article/20090928/ANA06/309289950/1018

I wonder if it's any consolation to dealers that there is now a "Committee to Restore Dealer Rights"?! :-P

I have to go and check this YouTube channel out......

stever

"The Saturn dealers will not go that quietly. They will likely try to force GM into doing one of two things: 1) give them money to go away or, 2) get back in the room with Penske and work out a deal."

Don't Expect Saturn Dealers to Go Quietly (CNBC)

fezo

Caught a list of the Chevy and Cadillac dealers scheduled for closing. Our local Chevy guy is on the list.

This means that the only GM products available in town are Buicks and GMC.

Meanwhile, you can buy any Chrysler product, any Ford product, Nissan and Honda. Hyundai recently OPENED a dealership here.

euphonium

Only those dealers who contributed to the Obama campaign "are safe"? :mad:

jb_turner

This is false.

oregonboy

Hahahhahhahhaha, you are such a kidder. Yeah, and Rush is speaks only the truth. Yeah... cracks me up! :P

fezo

Was up 20 miles north of here to put my Ody in for its 60K service and I look and the Chevy - Mazda dealership is gone. Once they close the one here in town that means I'd have to travel 30 miles just to LOOK at a new Chevy. This in a county of over half a million. To me this looks like the end for them.

I'm a bit more surprised to see that no one picked up the Mazda dealership because it had already changed hands a couple of years ago.

Meanwhile, the VW-Porsche-Audi place I had shopped a Passat at 10 years ago and then promptly burned down started rebuilding a couple of years ago and then sudden;t stopped so if you want to open a new dealership there's a nice half built one there for you....

british_rover

Did you get this info from the same place you got the false claim that the 3,500 or 4,500 dollar clunker rebate was counted as taxable income?

Completly false and incorrect information contained within

fezo

Was poking around a few of the local car lots Sunday looking for something for my daughter while they were closed.

Got to the Chevy dealer which I know is on the list for going away but had looked OK in terms of how full the lot was - low but OK. Well, upon further inspection, it turns out almost everything in the back of the lot are new Hyundais! The local Hyundai guy is using it as his overflow lot. My guess is that when the Chevy dealer goes away the Hyundai deler will move in as his current place is very small.

The Hyundai dealership only opened up this year. My guess is he picked where he currently is as a temporary location until a real place opened up (he's currently in an old furniture store).

nippononly

I noticed another local Chrysler dealer was gone for good, although his Kia and Suzuki franchises are hanging in there. Kia has a bunch of new models and sales are up for that brand this year, so I guess he might make it with that one.

What's the latest on the whole fracas with disgruntled former GM and Chrysler dealers trying to get their franchises back after they were cancelled?

fezo

I don't know. Our local Chrysler - Dodge guy was spared and the Pontiac (RIP)-Buick-GMC guy was as well. Jeep and Chevy got the ax.

stever

What's the latest on the whole fracas with disgruntled former GM and Chrysler dealers trying to get their franchises back after they were canceled?

NADA is fighting. I'm not sure what legislative or public support they have (they are car dealers, after all....).

euphonium

"I'm not sure what legislative or public support they have (they are car dealers, after all....). "

This statement requires an explanation, & an apology, for it indicates an anti independent business attitude.

stever

Do I really have to explain the reputation, undeserved or not, of car dealers?

They are down there with lawyers, realtors and insurance agents.

fintail

You'll get that as soon as shady "independent" (often = inherited) businesspeople give an apology for the times they've operated in a void of ethics.