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Dude, where did all the dealerships go?

654 messages,  Last post on Nov 23, 2009 at 7:56 PM

You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires

What is this discussion about? Car Buying, Automotive News, Legislation


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#21 of 654
Re: Just for kicks... [fezo] by carthell
Nov 21, 2008 (9:57 am)
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Replying to: fezo (Nov 21, 2008 9:20 am)

Well, when you live in the megalopolis known as Baltimore-DC-NoVa, there's a lot of people with money that have to be served. Government money. Private research and tech money. Health care money. To a lesser extent, manufacturing, water-dock and transport money.
 
Even so, there were (in the Baltimore area) four long-standing, new-car dealerships or dealership chains went bust over the past three years. No new Ford/Lincoln/Mercury, Kia, VW, or Suzuki products can be bought in the city. If you're a young 'un in the city who wants a new car, the bus can be taken to the local Toyota (1) or Chevy/Pontiac/Buick/Honda (1) dealer.
#22 of 654
Re: In Portland [fezo] by nippononly
Nov 21, 2008 (10:00 am)
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Replying to: fezo (Nov 21, 2008 9:47 am)

You've been thinking that for 20 years and you haven't applied to Toyota for a franchise? What are you waiting for???
 
One thing I DO expect to disappear is Lincoln Mercury dealers - I expect they will mostly be consolidated into Ford dealerships. None of the new Lincolns has really hit the sales sweet spot including the very latest ones.
 
Dealers that WANT to consolidate and are not being assisted in doing so by the manufacturer would be another group I think should be eligible for some bailout money, before we hand billions to corporate execs at the automakers.
#23 of 654
by jspagna1
Nov 21, 2008 (10:07 am)
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General Motors has over 7,000 dealerships for its Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer, Pontiac, and Saturn brands in the U.S. (Saab excluded), while the Ford Motor Company has around 4,400 dealerships. The linked article compares both to Toyota Motor Co. which currently has 1,430 dealerships.
#24 of 654
Re: In Portland [nippononly] by fezo
Nov 21, 2008 (11:19 am)
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Replying to: nippononly (Nov 21, 2008 10:00 am)

I thought about seeing what would be involved in a Toyota franchise but I can't imagine actually putting all that together. I guess no one else did either...
 
20 miles isn't far. I would think Toyota likes it that way.
 
Some of the luxury brands aren't even in te county - Lexus, Infiniti, Acura. We used to have BMW, Mercedes, Porsche and Audi franchises up by the Toyota dealer is but they've been gone for years.
#25 of 654
Re: [jspagna1] by nippononly
Nov 21, 2008 (11:31 am)
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Replying to: jspagna1 (Nov 21, 2008 10:07 am)

There's no link in your post as far as I can tell. Would love to read it if you would post again and provide the link.
#26 of 654
Last night by boaz47
Nov 21, 2008 (6:16 pm)
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The news had a picture of the Port of LA harbor. The lots were full of cars, imported, and they were not moving. It was either NBC or CBS I don't remember which. The did a brief special on the problem. The largest premium foreign car dealer in Orange county just closed. There are more than domestic dealers taking a hit. he OC register said:
"At least nine Orange County auto dealers – selling Chevrolets, Chryslers, Dodges, Nissans, Saturns and other brands – have closed since January, brought down by sluggish sales and tight credit."
 
 It isn't likely to get better anytime soon and I wouldn't be surprised if more dealerships close. But the used car market should blossom.
#27 of 654
Re: Last night [boaz47] by steve_ HOST
Nov 21, 2008 (6:31 pm)
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Replying to: boaz47 (Nov 21, 2008 6:16 pm)

This one is Long Beach (maybe the same place?).
 

 
Imported vehicles piling up at ports of entry
#28 of 654
I'm surprised by jchan2
Nov 21, 2008 (8:02 pm)
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to see a few Priuses in that lot- aren't those selling well, despite the slump?
 
I would think that Toyota would want to get those Priuses out of the port and into dealers...
#29 of 654
Re: I'm surprised [jchan2] by nippononly
Nov 21, 2008 (9:52 pm)
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Replying to: jchan2 (Nov 21, 2008 8:02 pm)

Everything imported sits in those lots for a few days, they have to clear customs or something.
#30 of 654
Re: Last night [steve_] by boaz47
Nov 21, 2008 (10:08 pm)
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Replying to: steve_ (Nov 21, 2008 6:31 pm)

Yes, that looks like the Vincent Thomas Bridge in the back ground. But that is only a small part of the number of cars there. I can remember when those lots were almost empty at least half of the time. It is pretty much as Nippon posted earlier in a forum about Toyota, even they are suffering. No new cars are selling well, some are selling but there is a glut in the California market. Nissan is even worse off from what I have been reading. The news said the dealers simply don't have room for them so they are sitting there in that salt air for 60 to 90 days. It is absolutely true the domestics are being hurt and the domestic dealers are suffering but the imports didn't escape and we can't see the end of the tunnel yet. This is not the normal turn around that those of us living in this area have seen for years. But then the News could be just pushing our buttons. But Edmunds published the article and when they say MB has had cars there for a few months that is more than two. This is way beyond clearing customs. Just read the article it sounds pretty much like what the News said.

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