Ask the Car People.SM


Dude, where did all the dealerships go?

720 messages,  Last post on Apr 19, 2013 at 9:32 PM

You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum.

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

Messages Page 72 of 73

#705 of 720 shuttered dealers stay shuttered by steve_ HOST

Mar 29, 2012 (6:36 am)

"A federal court judge in Detroit has ruled in favor of Chrysler Group LLC in a long-running dispute with eight shuttered dealers, saying the company doesn't have to immediately reinstate them."
 
Detroit judge rules Chrysler doesn't have to reinstate shuttered dealers (detroitnews.com)

#706 of 720 pendulum swings by steve_ HOST

Jun 13, 2012 (8:25 pm)

"Sixty-six auto dealerships opened in the first three months of the year, and the number of people employed in that part of the automotive industry is up, too.
 
The uptick comes amid growing auto sales. Last year, U.S. auto sales rose 10.2 percent and sales are up 10 percent through May.
 
In May, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association, the nation's new and used car dealers added 2,400 jobs to 1.08 million. May's total payroll was 30,000 greater than in May 2011."
 
More jobs, stores for auto dealers (Detroit News)

#707 of 720 dealer lobby flexing its muscles by steve_ HOST

Oct 23, 2012 (7:57 pm)

"Underriner also attacked stair-step incentive programs, which reward dealers for meeting sales goals. That can create some unfair advantages to dealers who are closer to meeting a quota, Underriner said. Those dealers can significantly beat a price that another dealer cannot because they know they can make up the cost with incentives. Competitive dealers, meanwhile, that are not close to the quota, cannot offer the same consumer-friendly deals."
 
Automobile dealers chairman says stair-step incentive program unfair (Detroit News)

#708 of 720 more fun with state franchise laws by steve_ HOST

Oct 26, 2012 (3:43 pm)

"When electric-car company Tesla Motors Inc. started selling its flagship Model S luxury hatchback earlier this year, it eschewed the traditional dealership network to open its own stores.
 
But that's not sitting well with U.S. auto dealers, who have controlled new-vehicle sales for nearly a century.
 
Over time, car dealerships became crucial sources of employment and tax revenue for local communities. To prevent manufacturers from opening their own stores and undercutting neighborhood dealers, states developed laws governing the franchise relationship. Bottom line: Carmakers had to leave their retail sales to someone else.
 
Tesla isn't buying it. The company wants to sell directly to consumers. That way it gets to keep the profit that dealers make on new-car sales. It's also the only way an electric car will get a fair shake, co-founder and Chief Executive Elon Musk said."
 
Electric-car maker Tesla bucks traditional dealership network (LA Times)

#709 of 720 Re: more fun with state franchise laws [steve_] by carthell

Oct 26, 2012 (8:20 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Oct 26, 2012 3:43 pm)
Yay for Mr. Musk! Drivers (no pun intended) of change never get any respect initially. I hope that Tesla survives this trial-by-fire. (The car dealer associations sure picked an underhanded way to extract a profit from someone else's efforts struggle through the current economic downturn.)

#710 of 720 where Wagoner landed by steve_ HOST

Jan 26, 2013 (7:17 am)

"A new online service enables car shoppers to test drive vehicles without going to a dealership.
 
Tred, a Seattle startup with ties to former GM CEO Rick Wagoner, cuts dealership trips by delivering new vehicles for consumers to test drive and possibly purchase.
 
Tred drivers, not salespeople, deliver the vehicles wherever the shopper wants. The service ensures that dealerships can keep salesmen on the floor at all times, the company said."
 
Seattle startup tied to Wagoner delivers cars for test drives (Automotive News)

#711 of 720 Re: where Wagoner landed [steve_] by carthell

Jan 26, 2013 (8:12 am)

Replying to: steve_ (Jan 26, 2013 7:17 am)
Rick's been doing a few things since his ouster from GM, a Google search shows. Mainly, sitting on boards of other corporations and at least one university it appears.
 
If it were me, I would not mind Mr. Wagoner's counsel in the new business. You don't work for one of the largest companies in the world for 30 years, even a declining one, without picking up some skills and knowledge that can be taken, rebuilt, and applied in a new way.

#712 of 720 Dealers thriving on stronger volume, more franchises by steve_ HOST

Feb 15, 2013 (9:45 am)

"The number of car dealerships in the U.S. remained stable in 2012, but the volume per store set a record, according to data released Thursday by Urban Science, a Detroit-based retail consulting firm.
 
There were 17,851 dealerships in the U.S. in 2012, up 0.5% from the previous year’s 17,767. The industry lost some Saab and Suzuki dealers, but that was offset by stronger overall sales, said vice president John Frith.
 
Most dealers who survived the downturn in 2009 are thriving."
 
U.S. car dealerships post record sales in 2012 (Detroit News)

#713 of 720 Lincoln by otis12

Feb 17, 2013 (6:27 am)

I know Ford wanted to shrink the # of Lincoln dealers and here in North Jersey, we've lost about half of the dealerships thru closures and at least one merger. I'm also seeing some odd combinations of brands under one owner/location. A Ford dealer added Kia a few years ago and about one year ago, added Infinity. So you got those three brands in one location, tho each has its own showroom. Just kinda odd to see Kia/Infiniti/Ford models side by side in one large lot.

#714 of 720 Re: Lincoln [otis12] by steve_ HOST

Feb 17, 2013 (7:04 am)

Replying to: otis12 (Feb 17, 2013 6:27 am)
That is a bit odd. I'm used to seeing "second tier" brands together, but Ford and anyone other than Lincoln (or Mercury, back in the day) is odd.
 
The strange one up in this area (although it's over in N. Wisconsin), is a joint Toyota/Honda dealer.

Messages Page 72 of 73

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement