December 5, 2008.
Opened 1926.
http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20081205/BIZ/81205005
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Lithia Ford - Omaha, NE
October 17, 2008.
http://www.ketv.com/news/17745276/detail.html?rss=oma&psp=news
http://www.ketv.com/news/17745276/detail.html?rss=oma&psp=news
Reagan Buick Pontiac GMC - Omaha, NE
January 10, 2009.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1208&u_sid=10533672
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1208&u_sid=10533672
Peninsula Dodge - Redwood City, CA
January 2009.
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/7_on_your_side&id=6613470
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/7_on_your_side&id=6613470
Score Chrysler Jeep Dodge - Middletown, OH
January 6, 2008.
http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/01/05/daily11.html
http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/01/05/daily11.html
Capitol Buick Pontiac GMC - San Jose, CA
December 30, 2008.
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=6579051
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=6579051
Alan Young Pontiac Buick GMC, - Richland Hills, TX
December 22, 2008.
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2008/12/22/daily9.html
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2008/12/22/daily9.html
Eddie Wiggins Buick Pontiac GMC - Warner Robins, GA
January 14, 2009.
http://www.macon.com/197/story/585987.html
http://www.macon.com/197/story/585987.html
Bill Buckner Dodge Chrysler Jeep - Emmett, ID
December 10, 2008.
http://news.beloblog.com/ProJo_Blogs/carsblog/2008/12/bill-buckner-do.html
http://news.beloblog.com/ProJo_Blogs/carsblog/2008/12/bill-buckner-do.html
Bauer Jaguar - Irvine, CA
Their website calls it a "consolidation" with their Newport Beach location. Sounds like a shut point to me.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
EDITORIAL: Little Sympathy
I know that it isn't proper to say that I don't feel much sympathy for all of the car dealers going under, but I can't help it. The automotive retail industry has been bloated with hacks and idiots for eternity.
George Carlin said, "Dogs think everything is forever." He could have said the same about car dealers.
Let's take a look at why dealers are some of the least progressive business people in the world.
Let's start with the owner. Who owns dealerships? It is either a sales guy who worked hours on end and got a chance to buy in, or the dealership was handed down from daddy. Either way, chances are they have only a high school diploma. Some may have gone to a college nobody has ever heard of. But really the chances are they started on the sales floor at 18 and never needed to go any further with their education.
Which brings us to GMs. Why would an owner who got his education from the school of hard knocks ever hire someone smarter than they are? God forbid someone comes in and tells the owner that things can be done much better. The owner's ego couldn't take it. Their name is on the building for Christ's sake, they must know best. I think I can count the number of GMs I've met with an MBA on one hand, even if I cut off three of my fingers.
So what we have is an entire industry, with the extremely rare exception, that has a deep contempt for higher education (want proof, ask ANY factory rep). The result are dealership owners and managers with huge egos who think they know all there is to know about business when all they really know is the car business, which is far from the same thing. Just look at how long it takes to drag dealers kicking and screaming into new technology! Ask them about a histogram or a standard deviation from the mean and watch the glazed look on their faces.
Here's an interesting idea for a dealership too radical to ever be implemented...stock it with managers for whom an MBA is mandatory. Then, and only then, will dealers start to look at problems strategically and actually plan for downturns instead of reacting to something new every 30 days.
George Carlin said, "Dogs think everything is forever." He could have said the same about car dealers.
Let's take a look at why dealers are some of the least progressive business people in the world.
Let's start with the owner. Who owns dealerships? It is either a sales guy who worked hours on end and got a chance to buy in, or the dealership was handed down from daddy. Either way, chances are they have only a high school diploma. Some may have gone to a college nobody has ever heard of. But really the chances are they started on the sales floor at 18 and never needed to go any further with their education.
Which brings us to GMs. Why would an owner who got his education from the school of hard knocks ever hire someone smarter than they are? God forbid someone comes in and tells the owner that things can be done much better. The owner's ego couldn't take it. Their name is on the building for Christ's sake, they must know best. I think I can count the number of GMs I've met with an MBA on one hand, even if I cut off three of my fingers.
So what we have is an entire industry, with the extremely rare exception, that has a deep contempt for higher education (want proof, ask ANY factory rep). The result are dealership owners and managers with huge egos who think they know all there is to know about business when all they really know is the car business, which is far from the same thing. Just look at how long it takes to drag dealers kicking and screaming into new technology! Ask them about a histogram or a standard deviation from the mean and watch the glazed look on their faces.
Here's an interesting idea for a dealership too radical to ever be implemented...stock it with managers for whom an MBA is mandatory. Then, and only then, will dealers start to look at problems strategically and actually plan for downturns instead of reacting to something new every 30 days.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Eckenhoff Cadillac Buick Pontiac GMC - Jenkintown, PA
Not quite dead as of 12/30/08, but soon. GM took back all the inventory.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Michael Holly Chevrolet Kia - Lakeland, FL
December 22, 2008. Holley has been charged with 26 counts of grand theft and more.
EDITORIAL on Automotive News Headline: S&P downgrades five top dealer groups
No surprise there. The big dealer groups have never fully realized their potential. Sure, some have centralized accounting, etc., but for the most part they have never fully taken advantage of some of the economies of scale available to them. Lithia seems to be the exception, however they have hitched their wagon to traditionally weak brands.
Ask the big wigs at the publicly held groups and they say "our dealer operators are entrepreneurs." OK, if that is true, then why not be just a holding company with no national staff? This economic crisis has demonstrated that most GMs can't think their way out of a paper bag (more on that later).
If the big groups really want to provide added value, they would have uniform procedures, uniform vendors (even for uniforms), etc. so that one employee could be picked up and moved and wouldn't even blink.
Ask the big wigs at the publicly held groups and they say "our dealer operators are entrepreneurs." OK, if that is true, then why not be just a holding company with no national staff? This economic crisis has demonstrated that most GMs can't think their way out of a paper bag (more on that later).
If the big groups really want to provide added value, they would have uniform procedures, uniform vendors (even for uniforms), etc. so that one employee could be picked up and moved and wouldn't even blink.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Pensinsula Dodge Hyundai - Redwood City, CA
November, 2008
Part of the Denny Hecker closing (Minnesota)
Part of the Denny Hecker closing (Minnesota)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Jackson Lincoln-Mercury Pontiac - Honolulu, HI
Lincoln-Mercury has gone to Honolulu Ford and Pontiac has gone to Pflueger Buick GMC.
Bill Heard - Multiple locations
World's best-selling Chevy dealer closing doors at all 13 stores
Bill Heard Enterprises sells more Chevy cars and trucks than any dealer in the world, but that distinction isn't enough to keep the doors open at the dealer's 13 stores. The soft economy, fuel prices and an over-reliance on the sales of trucks and SUVs were the reasons stated for the demise of these Chevy superstores. Another possible reason for the mass closure could have something to do with a pending suit against Bill Heard Enterprises involving signature forgery and deceptive marketing that could result in up to $50 million in fines.
2,700 people worked at the stores, and now all of those workers are out of a job. The dealer consortium didn't give workers any notice, either. Managers were told yesterday at 2PM that the stores were closing, and the doors are locked today. Customers with vehicles in the service area were told to pick up their cars, fixed or not, and customers arriving to pick up their new cars were given back their trade-ins. What a mess. We know GM is looking to cut back on its overpopulated dealer-body, but we're pretty sure the General would want the situation handled better than this.
[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]
Stay tuned for updates on which stores get bought.
Ellis Brooks - San Francisco
From the website ellisbrooks.com:
Dear Valued and Loyal Customers:
It is with great sadness I announce to you that after 53 years as a proud Chevrolet dealer, we have come to an extremely difficult and emotional decision.
After December 15, 2008, we will no longer be a New Car General Motors dealer.
We’ve been through tough economic times before but with the added burden of union pension problems and the onerous taxes and conditions legislated by our city we find this necessary at this time.
While we will not be operating as a new car dealership, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SELL THE CLEANEST USED VEHICLES MONEY CAN BUY!
Our dealership in Yreka, Ellis Brooks Motors, where we have Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac and Honda, is not affected by this change.
Cordially,
Marie K. Brooks, President
John Brooks, General Manager
Arthur Brooks, Facilities Manager
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
