General Motors may be looking to expand its (formerly) shrinking U.S. network, but the soon-to-be owner of GM's orphaned Saab is sticking with a leaner, meaner game plan: Koenigsegg intends to nix 81 Saab dealers from the company's current network, leaving just 137 outlets in the U.S. Of course...Read More»
When Chrysler and GM underwent restructuring earlier this year, they took the opportunity to thin out their dealer networks. As you might recall, that resulted in substantial consternation among dealers, lobbying groups, and elected officials. But while threats of litigation and offers of mediation...Read More»
With the recent restructuring of Chrysler and General Motors, there's been a lot of focus on auto dealers -- particularly those who were axed from the two companies' networks. Considerable time and energy on Capitol Hill has been dedicated to protecting dealers during the bankruptcy process, but...Read More»
And now comes the unpleasantness: in the aftermath of its failed sale of Saturn to Roger Penske, General Motors has begun winding down the Saturn network. The brand will close for good just over a year from now. GM executives held a conference call with Saturn dealers yesterday to talk through the...Read More»
General Motors' new "60-Day Satisfaction Guarantee" (pitched by new CEO Ed Whitacre in the TV spot above) has sparked a good bit of comment, both positive and negative. Those in support of the policy argue that GM has finally taken notice of customer-oriented programs offered by its competitors...Read More»
To say that the federal government's bailout of Chrysler and General Motors has been contentious is a little like saying that the Bugatti Veyron is kinda fast -- an understatement at best, cause for a righteous uproar at worst. But roughly a year since the Big Three began wooing Washington, the...Read More»
A Southern California couple who decided to trade in their 2001 Nissan Xterra under the Cash for Clunkers program in August later found the vehicle for sale in the same dealership's used lot. Oops. It seems that the dealership, Volkswagen of Garden Grove, decided to forget about the CARS claim on...Read More»
Toyota Motor Sales USA made an intriguing announcement this week: the automaker told U.S. dealers that Toyota is extending the range of its Prius lineup in American showrooms. Based on statements from dealers with first-hand knowledge of the announcement, it appears that Toyota's intent is simply...Read More»
Not so long ago, congress considered forcing Chrysler and General Motors to reinstate dealers eliminated from their networks during their respective restructurings. Today, those legislative efforts may have stalled, but the National Automobile Dealers Association is pushing hard to address the...Read More»
Remember Cash-for-Clunkers? Gee, that was fun. Wouldn't it be cool if we could keep those good times rolling? Well, that's exactly what 73 auto dealerships (and counting) have opted to do -- and their plan has fewer restrictions than the fed's. Check the video above for details, then click over to...Read More»
The reports are mounting of an increasingly common scene: a would-be new car buyer is thwarted in their attempts to trade in a car under the government's cash for clunkers program, and leaves the lot dejected. But now a private group of automotive retailers has joined forces to offer their own...Read More»
Yesterday afternoon, the US Senate passed a $2 billion extension to the Car Allowance Rebate Systems (CARS) program--better known as "Cash for Clunkers"--by a vote of 60 to 37. President Barack Obama is expected to sign it today. The vote approved a bill identical to the one passed last Friday by...Read More»
Well, that was quick. Just four days after the launch of the Car Allowance Rebate Systems (CARS) program, better known as "Cash for Clunkers," it appears that it may be suspended due to its own success. Apparently eager buyers have blown through the $1 billion allocation, and dealers are worrying...Read More»
Today marks the official start of the federal government's cash-for-clunkers program (sometimes referred to as the "Car Allowance Rebate System" and sometimes as the "Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save" program, both of which cleverly spell "CARS"). On Friday, we mentioned that a set of...Read More»
World Nissan in San Antonio, Texas is making customers an interesting offer: buy Nissan Altima between July 15 and August 1, and if it rains in San Antonio on August 8, the dealership will refund the car's purchase price. The promotion comes by way of the dealership's car sales manager, "Big Al"...Read More»
In an effort to meet its deadline for releasing the rules of the federal "Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save" initiative (i.e. the official, clunky name of the cash-for-clunkers program), the government has released a 136-page PDF offering more detail than many will want about CARS. However...Read More»
Though less than two weeks old, the young, nubile General Motors Company seems slightly more savvy than its bloated parent, General Motors Corporation. First, Bob Lutz recanted his position on the Pontiac G8, which was bad news for enthusiasts but good news for GM's bottom line. And now vice...Read More»
From Washington comes potentially bad news for Chrysler Group and General Motors Company: yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would reinstate 789 Chrysler dealers and around 2520 GM dealers to their respective networks. To recap: the dealers in question were cut...Read More»
Last week we mentioned that Congress is considering legislation that would turn back the clock on the Chrysler and General Motors bankruptcies -- at least as far as dealers are concerned. Now comes word that GM is putting pressure on its remaining dealers to oppose that legislation, and some...Read More»
