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Here's the Plan: GM reveals how it will deal with shuttered dealers' complaints

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:27:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, GM

Back in May, General Motors announced plans to close down a large portion of its dealership network. Since then, a number of those franchisees have lodged complaints to both the automaker itself and appropriate policymakers, leading to possible legislation on how GM is allowed to handle the closing of dealerships. This being the case, The General is proactively drafting a new set of rules as to how it will deal with these to-be-shuttered dealerships, and it promises that some are likely to be reinstated after the process.

Specific details can be seen in the press release pasted after the break, but it seems that the new plan basically will allow these affected dealerships to get some real-life face time with the automaker to hear exactly whey they were targeted for closure. If the dealer still isn't happy with the outcome, it can elect to enter binding arbitration. If that arbiter finds that GM chose to shutter the dealership for anything other than sound business reasons, the franchise stands to be reinstated.

There's plenty more detailed in the plan, including a provision for GM to help service technicians and dealership employees find new placement, after the break. This plan will go into effect by mid-January "provided that legislation related to GM's dealer restructuring does not move forward."

[Source: General Motors | Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]

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Here's the Plan: GM reveals how it will deal with shuttered dealers' complaints originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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House reportedly approves measure to restore dealerships despite bankruptcy blows

Chris Shunk — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler, GM, Earnings/Financials

One of the more controversial parts of the Chrysler bankruptcy was the decision to cut 789 dealerships by June 9. The move made for a quick, painful end to dealerships that in some cases spanned several generations of family ownership. When General Motors entered bankruptcy, it said it would cut about 1,300 retail stores, but the automaker planned on waiting until October, 2010 to pull the plug.

The dealership closings hit small and medium-sized towns particularly hard, putting pressure on lawmakers to do something to rectify the problem. The U.S. House took initial steps towards restoring the doomed dealerships by passing a bill to restore dealer rights. The bill, which has just been approved by the House by a 219-208 margin, would restore dealerships back to their previous state, forcing automakers to work through state courts to close down the stores. Since dealerships are such a big part of the employment picture in most states, GM and Chrysler face an expensive uphill battle to close the stores if the bill is also passed by Congress and then signed into law by President Obama.

Automotive News is reporting that Chrysler says the bill would cost the company $2 billion per year over the next four years. Vice President Peder Grady added on the Chrysler blog that if the bill were passed, " it flies in the face of a U.S. vehicle market that has declined 40 percent since 2007." AN also says that GM estimates the bill would cost them $2.5 billion in support, training and IT costs over a period of time.

The Obama administration is reportedly against the measure, saying that the dealership closings were "a critical part of their overall restructuring to achieve long-term viability." Thus, even if the measure passes muster in the Senate, there's a good chance it will face a veto from President Obama.

[Source: Automotive News - subs req'd | Image: Spencer Platt/Getty]

House reportedly approves measure to restore dealerships despite bankruptcy blows originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Detroit execs grilled on dealer cuts by Congress, Henderson agrees to cough up closure list

Chris Shunk — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler, GM

When it comes to dealership closings, there is a big divide between what General Motors, Chrysler and President Obama's auto task force want and what dealers and Congress want. The bankrupt Detroit automakers say that closing dealerships will save money, streamline vehicle delivery, improve brand image, and improve the health of remaining retail stores.

Some members of Congress aren't so sure that dealer closings will cure much for GM and Chrysler, and the legislative branch brought Chrysler's Jim Press and GM's Fritz Henderson before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday for yet another grilling. Broadly speaking, Congress tends to side with dealers because of the political influence of the dealer body, and because of the impact of dealership job losses in the districts/states that Congressmen and women serve.

According to The Wall Street Journal, committee chairman John D. Rockefeller (D-W. Va.) says that he doesn't "believe that companies should be allowed to take taxpayer funds for a bailout and then leave it to local dealers and their customers to fend for themselves with no real plan, with no real notice, with no real help." Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) added that he is introducing legislation that will force the Obama administration to require congressional approval to use TARP funds to obtain an equity stake in any company.

Press and Henderson told the dealers that they would need to ultimately close 3,400 dealerships. GM has so far announced 1,324 closings by the end of 2010, while Chrysler will shutter 789 retail stores by June 9. Over the course of the congressional proceedings, Automotive News notes that Henderson bowed to pressure to disclose the list of dealers GM is eliminating, although that list has not been made public yet.

Henderson calls bankruptcy "our last chance to get it right, to fix permanently those parts of the business that have diverted us from consistently building winning cars and trucks and the consumer experience to match." Dealers called the closings "hasty," and contend that the actions taken against them won't be nearly as effective as GM and Chrysler expect. Hat tip to Dave!

[Sources: Wall Street Journal; Automotive News - subs. req | Source Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty]

REPORT: Detroit execs grilled on dealer cuts by Congress, Henderson agrees to cough up closure list originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dealership has five days to sell entire inventory

Chris Shunk — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:45:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep

The soon to be terminated 789 Chrysler dealerships have all of five days to sell thousands of Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep models, or else the damned dealers may have to eat their remaining inventory. When the termination letters went out on May 14, the pink-slipped dealers had 44,000 new cars and trucks on their lots, and there are still plenty of vehicles left to sell. Times are tough for the 789 closing Chrysler dealerships, but for customers looking to get into a new Chrysler, Dodge, or Jeep, this may be the best time ever to get off the sidelines and buy.

Virginia dealer Pohanka Chrysler-Dodge is having an "everything must go" sale to rid itself of its remaining models, and the deals are reportedly off the charts. The dealer's sales team already moved 80 models since the notices went out, leaving a substantial 40 vehicles to be sold off in less than five days. One woman, who was interviewed by CNN, received 40% off of the price of a well-appointed Dodge Nitro. The midsized SUV carried a $29,170 price tag, but she paid only $17,510. With only five days left to sell its remaining vehicles, dealer Ray O'Bryhim says he may have to discount vehicles even further to avoid losing big with unused inventory.

Since Chrysler is in bankruptcy proceedings, it isn't obligated to buy back any leftover inventory, and the dealers aren't legally able to sell new Chrysler products without a franchise license, which they'll lose after their contracts expire in five days. Chrysler points out that since it hasn't produced vehicles since May 1, many dealers are hungry for inventory, and they've been buying vehicles from the soon to be closing retail stores.

Gallery: Closing Chrysler dealer sale

[Source: CNN]

Dealership has five days to sell entire inventory originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bill Heard Chevrolet files Chapter 11, owes $229 million

Chris Shunk — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Chevrolet, GM

Bill Heard Chevrolet, which had been the largest Chevy dealer in the world by volume, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week after closing down all of its 13 stores last week, and the tale of financial ruin is surprisingly bad. The dealer conglomerate owes $229 million to GMAC financing, BMW financing, and JP Morgan Chase, but with the Chapter 11 filing, much of the money owed will likely never see the light of day.

Bill Heard Chevrolet was the self-proclaimed "Mr. Big Volume" car shopping superstore that pushed Motown metal out its showroom doors even for customers with bad credit. The Georgia-based dealer seems to have had as many enemies as it had vehicle sales, and the state of Georgia just last month accused it of misleading business practices and forging signatures. The over 2,000 employees at the 14 dealerships are also considering a class action wrongful termination lawsuit that stems from the abrupt conclusion of their employment. Bill Heard Chevrolet was losing between $2 and $5 million dollars per month since mid-2007, and with woeful sales across the U.S., we're guessing it won't be the last dealership conglomerate to end abruptly. Thanks for the tip, Rahim!

[Source: Forbes]

Bill Heard Chevrolet files Chapter 11, owes $229 million originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo denies reported dealer cuts

Chris Shunk — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Ford, Volvo

A couple days back we received word from Automotive News that Volvo was looking to downsize its dealer body by 30 percent in an effort to cut costs. The Swedish automaker says that isn't going to happen. PR VP Geno Effler said that while Volvo doesn't plan to cut almost a third of its 350 US dealers, it will try to persuade its struggling dealers to call it quits. The problem with Volvo's denial is that we'd heard about Volvo closing a significant amount of dealers way back in December, before the car market took it's most recent nose dive.

With Volvo sales down 14 percent for the year and constant talk about a Ford/Volvo split, we wouldn't be surprised if there are more than a handful of dealers in need of coercion. Not that the prodigious dip in sales volume has everything to do with dealers, either. Volvo's lineup isn't exactly fresh or fuel efficient, which spells disaster in this vehicle market.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Volvo denies reported dealer cuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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