My local Chevy, Dodge and Chrysler dealers closed last week.

[Larry Callahan]

Within 5 days I lost my local Chevy dealer of 40+ years and the 34 year old Chrysler/Dodge dealer. I have bought all my cars with the exception of my '68 Camaro from them.

Anyone else seeing dealers closing? I was hoping to see the new Camaro there soon and to go test drive the new Dodge toys. Not to mention I have a recall on my Dodge truck I now have to take elsewhere.

This sucks and is scary for so many reasons.

[mpozzi]

We've lost a lot of dealers up north as well. The Monterey Chevrolet dealer (Love Chevrolet) quit after several decades. They didn't own it for all that time but Monterey has had a Chevrolet dealer there forever. Another long-time dealer (GMC, et al) quit in a neighboring town as well. Lots of empty car lots here ...

Talked to MuscleCarJohn and he told me it's flooring costs that does them in. With no one buying or qualifying for loans, cars sit on lots and dealerships get charged flooring for them. Some of these cars have been sitting there for almost a year so do the math. He said flooring can be pretty expensive depending on the car.

Mary Pozzi

[BA.]

I lost my local Fuddruckers. :(


Still gots all my dealers, and they're plenty of them.

[f1shman]

The local family owned dealers are definitely hurting. A few months back we lost a local Chevrolet dealership. Driving around the local area there are at least 5 more well established dealerships that have next to nothing in their lots at the moment.

[tones2SS]

There is one I drive by every day to & from work that is now closed.
Joe Downey Chevrolet in Canton, MA. IT IS A SHAME!!!:machine:

[dropit69]

just lost a local chevy dealer..not sure how long it was there but its gone now..and a small little local used car dealer..guy was in business all my life and all cars are there now with locked gate..a 72 monte convert too..nice car..

[77thor]

Haven't lost any around here that I know of. But they are all over the place, so I won't be surprised if some close.

[Gearhead Dude]

Expect many more to close. Read this USAToday.com article for more details
Detroit wants to thin the herd of dealers - USATODAY.com (http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2009-02-09-auto-dealers-decline_N.htm)


Here's an excerpt:

"GM wants to shed 1,675 of its more than 6,000 dealers by the end of 2012. Some will disappear because there are too many bunched together in a particular city for all to stay in business at a time of declining sales. Others would close if GM cuts its brand lineup to concentrate on what the automaker says are "four core brands." Those are Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC."

[minendrews68]

OK, maybe not the place to ask this question, so MODS, move it if necessary. BUT, I see where Chevrolet, Dodge etc is asking for billions more in bailout money!!!! What in the name of #$%@ did they do with the first Billions?

[Motown 454]

I know how you feel Larry . I was driving by my Chevy dealership and they were taking down the sign. They had it half demolished . It gave me a chill. That dealer has been there as long as I remember. I went there with my father to buy his 70 Chevelle. It sort of took the wind out of my sails and made me realise how bad the economy really is. I live in a city with 100,000 people and its not enough to suport a dealership. Their puting a drug store there , there are about five within a quarter mile radius. Depressing!

[MuscleRodz]

We have a lot of smaller dealers in surrounding towns I expect to disappear soon. One of the largest Chevrolet dealers in the state is about 10 minutes from me and their lot was as full as I have ever seen it the other day. They also just moved into their new state of the art dealership back in November. I imagine they are receiving inventory from closing dealers around the area.

[BonzoHansen]

Yes, been watching it for well over a year now.

[Steve1968LS2]

The Chevy and GMC dealer by me both closed.. well they actually consolidated back t o thier main dealerships.

IMO there are WAY too many big-three dealerships...

[WS6]

Well, I'm close to Atlanta and Bill Heard closed all it's dealerships. They were the largest Chevy dealership in the country with many locations spread all over. Everyone of them is gone. I also drove past Maxie Price which is one of the largest vette dealerships in the country and they move a lot of trucks too, their lot was very thin in the truck area. I'm talking 100+ trucks not there that normally are. They had the vettes up front and still had a good selection as well as Cobalts and others. It's a weird feeling to see such a very large parking lot normally full with trucks to be empty.

[Slow Ride]

we just lost the Pontiac,Buick,GMC dealership. The luxury car dealers look like they are about to go under too.

[moreHP]

Seeing your location, thats a local dealer to me as well. Courtesy chevy. There is a lot of dealers in ventura county that have dropped out in the last 6 months.

[MrQuick]

For the last 6 years, Chrysler has been telling their dealers to convert to a triple threat stores and most did not listen. Bye bye

You will see alot of private owned store closing. Its hard to go from 150 sales a day to 6 a week.

Chrysler came up and told us (nation wide dealers) we had to buy 10 new cars...no if, ands or buts.

This will be an interesting year. 3000 more lay off's coming.

[SatisTraction]

we have lost a few small dealers but the big ones are still around for a little bit longer.

I say a little bit longer based on what i expierenced last week.

we went to look for a good deal on a used tahoe. they had a 05 model with 50,000 miles on it. looked nice and ran great. price $18000. i should have known not to waste my time when it did not have a price on the sticker. :confused:

[Mike Holleman]

The Chevy and GMC dealer by me both closed.. well they actually consolidated back t o thier main dealerships.

IMO there are WAY too many big-three dealerships...

Nail on the head!
As sad as it is, in the long run this will make the survivors more likely to be profitable. And that is the main reason to be in business.
Mike

[96Z28SS]

We have had 22 New car dealerships close in 2008 up here in Oregon. Recently 2 more closed Kuni Cadillac and Kuni Saab.

My GF parents now own the only Saab dealership in the State of Oregon. Its a family owned and run dealership. For the last few months it was very stressfull, didn't know if it was going to be around much longer. The bigger dealer with the bigger overhead had to close, and now biz is picking up.
As I write this the GM district Rep and 3 Big Wigs from Detroit are there visiting the dealership.
Hopefully they don't try to push him to doing stuff that is going to cost him.

[Twentyover]

..........of I live in a city with 100,000 people and its not enough to suport a dealership. Their puting a drug store there , there are about five within a quarter mile radius. Depressing!

To dispense all the anti-depressants we need..

[69LT1Nova]

we went to look for a good deal on a used tahoe. they had a 05 model with 50,000 miles on it. looked nice and ran great. price $18000. i should have known not to waste my time when it did not have a price on the sticker. :confused:

And here you have the root of the problem.

Lower the price - and people will buy. Duh.

The problem with used cars is what is still owed on them often is more than what the car is worth.

[JEFFTATE]

Well, I'm close to Atlanta and Bill Heard closed all it's dealerships. They were the largest Chevy dealership in the country with many locations spread all over. Everyone of them is gone.

Bill Heard Dealerships did NOT close because of the bad economy .
They closed because GMAC revoked their credit.
They couldn't get parts, or cars through GM anymore.
GMAC did this because Bill Heard was doing unethical business practices .
Like not paying off peoples trade-ins for 60 days and sending out fake recall notices to get business into the service dept..
GM had enough of that crap and shut them down.
It was a self inflicted death for the Bill Heard Dealerships.

But , it is sad to see a lot of the hometown dealerships close.
It's like a landmark or a comfortable part of history is gone.
Makes you feel unhinged.

Now , I just hope my dealership doesn't close because of the economy.
I haven't sold a part all day !
We've been slow !

[buickfunnycar.com]

this is just the tip of the iceberg guys & gals...worst is yet to come.

[PARKERRS]

Now , I just hope my dealership doesn't close because of the economy.
I haven't sold a part all day !
We've been slow !


I've been trying to help you out all I can Jeff! LOL:geek:

[Tony_SS]

I drove by the Dodge Plant in the middle of the day and it was weird seeing the massive parking lot completely empty.

[BonzoHansen]

I still think those dodge plants never reopen. I hope I am wrong.

[David Sloan]

Now , I just hope my dealership doesn't close because of the economy.
I haven't sold a part all day !
We've been slow ![/quote]

Yo i came by to get a paint code!! an shoot the bull:pat:

[ProTouring442]

It's going to be a tough one, but it's nothing we cannot endure. We've been through worse times in the past, and we are still here. Unfortunately, the economy overheated, and just like when your car overheats, the only thing that can be done is to let it cool.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

[JEFFTATE]

I've been trying to help you out all I can Jeff! LOL:geek:

Thanks Tommy !

[vp23271]

It's going to be a tough one, but it's nothing we cannot endure. We've been through worse times in the past, and we are still here. Unfortunately, the economy overheated, and just like when your car overheats, the only thing that can be done is to let it cool.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

+1, Hoping for the best, but planning for the worst.

[96Z28SS]

From what I hear. Hummer is all done like Oldsmobile.
Saab And Saturn is going to the highest bidder.

[BLT2DRIVE]

A buddy has a large dealership, multi-brands. He has had customers, but couldn't even get the ones with 750 -800 plus FICOS financed. His local, unemcumbered( by mortgage mess) credit unions are keeping his lot moving..... He has people wanting vehicles, but they need financing.