Kia reportedly takes a liking to Saturn retailers
Most Kia dealerships are in rural and second-tier urban areas because real estate in markets like New York and Chicago are just too expensive. With the contraction of Ford, GM and Chrysler dealerships in those areas, Kia retailers are finding that now is the time to enter the big time.
In particular, Kia appears to be interested in Saturn dealerships. Kia executives told Automotive News that they like Saturn stores because they're newer, more exclusive, and – more to the point – available. Kia is going after Saturn dealers in three ways: Current Kia dealers are opening up additional locations at former Saturn sites; Saturn dealers are converting their stores to sell Kias; and Kia is asking Saturn store owners to open a separate Kia store close-by, then share a common parts and service center.
One Kia dealer, Billy Fuccillo, has turned a Saturn dealer near Syracuse, NY into a $2.8 million super Kia dealership equipped with such indulgences as granite-lined bathrooms. Fuccillo already owns the top-selling Kia dealership in the US, and he says his new store, in a more prominent location, will fare even better. He plans to sell more than 3,000 vehicles per year and as many as 500 this month. As part of his opening marketing push, Fuccillo will give away five Kias and four Hyundais to one person. He's going to deliver all nine vehicles via car-hauler to the individual's home. That's a bit crazy, but converting Saturn dealerships to Kia stores seems to be anything but.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. | Image Source: Bill Pugliano/Getty]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Shadooky 8:33AM (6/23/2009)
Consider yourself lucky if you do not live in a media market any where close to Billy and his tv/print/radio commercials.
IT'S HUUUUUUGE!
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Dave 9:02AM (6/23/2009)
+1
He's so awful... it's some negative PR for Kia/Hyundai that he's their face for much of the Northeast.
polo 11:38AM (6/23/2009)
Just got my key in the mail to see if I won.
Anyone know the most profitable way to cash out on 9 new cars? HUUUUUGE-EH
Bluebanzai 8:33AM (6/23/2009)
It's gonna be hUUUUUGE-EH
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ack154 8:39AM (6/23/2009)
I'm down state in NY (just below the finger lakes) and haven't seen any of the commercials, but I've definitely heard the Fuccillo name.
If he's giving away Kias and Hyundais though, I'll take two Soul Sports, two Koups, and 3 Genesis Coupes (2 x 2.0T Track, 1 x 3.8 GT). Kthx!
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Nightcrawler 1:52PM (6/23/2009)
How does "just below the Finger Lakes" qualify as downstate? You have to be all the way down to Rockland/Westchester counties (northern NYC suburbs for those who don't know New York) to count as downstate.
Fucillo is big on Kia, though he owns all sorts of other dealerships in my area too.
Jake 8:42AM (6/23/2009)
"Congratulations, Mr Person, you've won 5 Kias and 4 Hyundais. They're right here on the truck."
"Um, can you put them around back so my neighbors don't see 'em?"
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Kiiks 8:45AM (6/23/2009)
9 vehicles? What's that gonna cost him? 12 grand?
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MaX PL 8:47AM (6/23/2009)
ITS HUGEEEEEEEE BUFFALO, HUGEEEEEEEee.
god i hate that guy.
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estammel 9:00AM (6/23/2009)
Billy Fucillo is an obnoxious drunken sodomizing lout, and that ain't no libel.
Seriously Billy, it's unanimous. Get off the airwaves now and I MIGHT stop praying that you're struck by HUUGE bolt of lightning.
Scott 8:57AM (6/23/2009)
One thing I haven't missed in the ten years since I left New York is Billy Fucillo and Tom Park. He is still doing the same annoying commercials?
So which Saturn store did Billy "The Fish" buy?
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wendell 2:47PM (6/23/2009)
Scott,
He bough the Saturn Sotre on Route 31 in Clay.
Be thankful you don't have to watch his HUGE commercials on every channel multiple times during any program.
He also has a Hundai store on Erie boulevard, an Auto Mall in Adams nad another one in Utica. And that is just what he has in central NY.
Alex 8:40PM (6/23/2009)
He has HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEE Hyundai, Toyota/Scion and Chevrolet dealers on Grand Island, NY.
216 9:02AM (6/23/2009)
*Raises Hand*
I'll gladly take 9 free Hyundai vehicles (as long as the Genesis and Genesis Coupe are among them)
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Seminole 9:16AM (6/23/2009)
If Kia has any aspirations to become a more upscale automaker (i.e. not know for cheap cars like the Rio) they need to reel in their dealer networks ridiculous advertising. It seems like every Kia commercial I hear on the radio has the same cheesy deep toned salesman claiming if I don't have credit its not a problem, I can get into a car for no money down, and they'll give me $10,000 for my trade.
Honestly I don't care how nice the car is, I'm not going to walk into a dealer that does business like that. The ads are a huge put off.
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Iwa 1:38PM (6/23/2009)
Come to Orlando then, the local Kia dealer has his son doing the voiceovers. The kid I think is around ten years old.
Rick 12:05PM (6/24/2009)
There are a few dealers who exploit their children in their dealer ads here. Just par for the course. I guess because Orlando is a family-disney-friendly town, people like seeing cute kids in a commercial.
Gregg 9:22AM (6/23/2009)
Sure, they are incredibly obnoxious ads...but they work. People flock like sheep and buy his cars.
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Greg 9:24AM (6/23/2009)
A free new car could dramaticly help out a lot of people. Why not give one out to 9 different people? Dumping the taxes on one person means they're going to sell them off for the cash.
My girlfriend had a great idea the other night for a way for the Big 3 to get some great free advertising. Link up with a tv network and create a show where they find people who could really use the help and give them a free car and a lifetime maintenance commitment. Just one car per week. Certainly cheaper than ABC hiring actors, writing a storyline, or doing the extreme home makeover stuff, and a much better PR campaign for the car companies than hiring faded football players to bash Honda for being large enough to make other reliable things besides cars. Plus they can offload that closed dealer surplus.
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Hank 9:25AM (6/23/2009)
Billy Fuccillo. Ugh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQO0v_HEGU0
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