Economy Affecting Dealers

jhm · October 8, 2008

The dealership I bought my truck from is out of business. They had been in business for as long as I can remember, even expanded across the street a few years ago. Got a post card from GM yesterday saying they were gone and telling me where to take my truck for service. Only about 45 miles away. I never went there after the warranty was up anyway. I can see this becoming a pattern. How much traffic does the average dealership get today? Got to sell a lot of vehicles to pay the bills. Used car lots will probably do ok.

seadoons · October 8, 2008

It has long been know a fact that car dealerships are not staying open based on the money they make from new car sales. Used car sales and service / parts are what keeps them alive - the new car sales part is just a front.

Bowtie2Sierra · October 8, 2008

We haven't lost any dealers around here yet.

While its no surprise that dealers are reducing their inventory of SUVs/trucks due to the market, I am surprised at they don't appear to be getting any '09s on the lots. The dealer I bought mine from has less than 10 '08 trucks left and 5 or 6 Yukons in stock. The salesman at my dealer is a buddy of mine and he said they haven't even ordered any '09's yet unless a customer special orders one. This is a dealer that typically has 30-50 new trucks and SUVs at any given time.

VMax2007 · October 8, 2008

The GMC dealer I bought my 2000 from back in 1999 just turned into a Ford dealership this summer. It was called Routson Motors in Stillwater, MN. It got bought by Denny Hecker in the mid-90's and this summer it became a Wally McCarthy's Ford dealer.

omegafiler · October 8, 2008

I haven't seen any GM dealers disappear around here. They were all actually fairly busy when I went car shoping a month ago. Chevy, GMC, Pontiac, Caddy, Buick, etc. Even this one crappy GMC/Pontiac dealer that always has the worst service in the world was still around (there are 3 GMC/Pontiac dealers nearby).

jrrod2004 · October 8, 2008

I haven't seen any GM dealers disappear around here. They were all actually fairly busy when I went car shoping a month ago. Chevy, GMC, Pontiac, Caddy, Buick, etc. Even this one crappy GMC/Pontiac dealer that always has the worst service in the world was still around (there are 3 GMC/Pontiac dealers nearby).

That one on 183 and lamar closed down (anderson lane or anderson square).. that was a GMC/Pontiac dealership. 'Bones told me about it.

pennzoil29 · October 8, 2008

It's all sad, and I fear that it will only get worse.

4x4orbust · October 8, 2008

we had a pretty major dealership close in N. Attleboro... pride ford/dodge/pontiac/gmc/chevy. they were really big at one point. they supposedly owned their own financing company and gave a lot of auto loans to people who couldnt afford them, and eventualy stopped paying, and the dealership suffered.

I tried to buy a truck from them once, and it was the worst high pressure sales i have ever seen. i had the loan before i even saw the truck, then they sold the truck to someone else before i could say yes. (it was a gmc for the record)

the chevy dealership (paul masse) near me seems to be doing just fine tho.

omegafiler · October 8, 2008

I haven't seen any GM dealers disappear around here. They were all actually fairly busy when I went car shoping a month ago. Chevy, GMC, Pontiac, Caddy, Buick, etc. Even this one crappy GMC/Pontiac dealer that always has the worst service in the world was still around (there are 3 GMC/Pontiac dealers nearby).

That one on 183 and lamar closed down (anderson lane or anderson square).. that was a GMC/Pontiac dealership. 'Bones told me about it.

Oh really? I think that was the crappy dealership.

We've tried to buy vehicles from there quite a few times over the years and they just didn't seem to care. I suppose it was a matter of time!

jrrod2004 · October 8, 2008

I haven't seen any GM dealers disappear around here. They were all actually fairly busy when I went car shoping a month ago. Chevy, GMC, Pontiac, Caddy, Buick, etc. Even this one crappy GMC/Pontiac dealer that always has the worst service in the world was still around (there are 3 GMC/Pontiac dealers nearby).

That one on 183 and lamar closed down (anderson lane or anderson square).. that was a GMC/Pontiac dealership. 'Bones told me about it.

Oh really? I think that was the crappy dealership.

We've tried to buy vehicles from there quite a few times over the years and they just didn't seem to care. I suppose it was a matter of time!

Yep, visited there once and never returned. Hell i did not even notice it until 'Bones told me about it. (Sad part is I drove by there until my recent move into the new house)

Sinkhole · October 8, 2008

My Chevrolet dealer is doing just fine. My sales man was telling me they have sold 14 new Malibu's alone, this month so far. New cars sales in my area are way down for almost every brand. I work for Land Rover and we are not moving many many vehicles. Our service dept. is not light on work though, which is a steep contrast to many dealers in the area.

GMAnimal · October 8, 2008

I haven't seen any GM dealers disappear around here. They were all actually fairly busy when I went car shoping a month ago. Chevy, GMC, Pontiac, Caddy, Buick, etc. Even this one crappy GMC/Pontiac dealer that always has the worst service in the world was still around (there are 3 GMC/Pontiac dealers nearby).

That one on 183 and lamar closed down (anderson lane or anderson square).. that was a GMC/Pontiac dealership. 'Bones told me about it.

Oh really? I think that was the crappy dealership.

We've tried to buy vehicles from there quite a few times over the years and they just didn't seem to care. I suppose it was a matter of time!

Yep, visited there once and never returned. Hell i did not even notice it until 'Bones told me about it. (Sad part is I drove by there until my recent move into the new house)

They were part of the Champion group of dealers. They are all over Texas.

jrrod2004 · October 9, 2008

Did Champion go under all over Texas?

Zembonez · October 9, 2008

Did Champion go under all over Texas?

Nope. That particular dealership didn't actually go out of business. They Incorporated it into the Champion Chevy dealer up 183 a bit and sold the Jeep portion to the Maxwell auto group. Not sure what happened to the KIA and Pontiac stores.