The automotive bloodbath continues today as GM plans to eliminate up to 1,200 dealerships. The dealers could start getting notification as soon as Friday.
dealerships
Chrysler Will Close One Fourth Of Its Dealerships Next Month
By 5.15.09
Mark Calisi, 47, who owns Eagle Auto-Mall in Riverhead, New York, says he was “devastated” to learn that his dealership would be closed. He said Chrysler accounts for a third of his business, which also sells Volvo, Mazda and Kia, and that on Thursday he had to sack 30 of his 100 employees.
Car Warranty Racket Exposed On Today Show
By 4.30.09
The Today show recently aired a terrifically entertaining exposé of US Fidelis, one of the biggest companies behind the auto warranty racket that you’ve probably encountered via junk mail, telemarketing, or even on TV. They start by looking at an individual who spent $3,180 on one of their auto warranties only to be left stranded when her car overheated and they refused to pay.
Where Did The Cars Go? Manufacturers Are Confiscating Cars From Dealerships
By 3.18.09
Here’s a weird symptom of the disease that’s killing the auto industry — empty car dealerships, some of which are still open for business.
Vincent To Get Car He Wants
By 3.4.09
Yesterday we brought you the story of Vincent who got “gold misted” at a Chevy dealership. After his story went up he learned that his brother-in-law’s cousin works at a Chevy dealership and will get him the car he wanted. “Life is good :-)” announced Vincent.
Chevy Takes Time Away From Failing To Try To Rip Off Customer
By 3.3.09
UPDATE: Vincent To Get Car He Wants
Jeep Incapable Of Selling To Man With $24,000 In Cash
By 3.2.09
It’s amazing the hassle Bruce went through trying to buy a Jeep with $24,000 cash. Even though he’s ready to buy the car outright, the car salesman almost convinces him to finance because that way you get $1,500 back. Total cost of the loan: $31,732…they wanted him to spend an extra $7,132 to “save” $1500. Luckily his mom steps in and saves him from getting taken for a ride. His journey doesn’t stop there, nor does it end with a successful Jeep purchase. They can’t even sell a car to a guy who shows up with cash in hand ready to buy… no wonder they needed a bailout. Full story inside…
How Can I Write Great Complaint Letters?
By 12.18.08
Nancy asks, “I’m preparing to send a letter to Nissan’s customer service about a horrific experience I had at my local dealership. Do you have any pointers about tone or what specifically to include so that I know my letter will be taken seriously?” Great question!
Zombie Trade-Ins! When The Dealership Goes Under, Your Old Cars Come Back To Haunt You
By 12.4.08
Meet Christine O’Kelly. She just bought a new Kia and traded in her old car. Kia of La Quinta, California sold her a new Sorento and offered her $4,000 for her trade-in. They then took the other $4,000 she owed on her old car and rolled it into the new loan. That was in October. Now she’s getting calls from former employees of the now out-of-business dealership — telling her that she is still responsible for the trade-in and had better come pick it up.
Expensive Cars Are Cheap Right Now
By 8.28.08
Consumer Reports analyzed late-summer car deals and the results are none too surprising. The biggest incentives are on gas-gourgers and big vehicles, the cars no one wants right now.
Maybe GM Can't Sell Cars Because Its Dealerships Won't Sell Them
By 8.21.08
Consumerist reader Chris decided to take advantage of GM’s please-buy-a-car Employee Discount sale that we wrote about yesterday, so he headed off to two different dealerships in the NY/NJ area. What he found were deserted showrooms with salesmen who ignored him or argued with him over the existence of specific models he’d looked at online. He adds, “tonight I’m off to Toyota for some hard numbers on a Corolla and Camry.”
Ditching Your Gas-Guzzling SUV Could Be More Expensive Than You Think
By 8.3.08
SUVs are worth so little that it could take 15 years for a more fuel efficient vehicle to pay for itself in gas savings. Before rushing to trade-in your gas-guzzler, do the math and make sure it isn’t economical to hold onto your unfashionable behemoth. Here are three questions to consider…
Best Buy Tries To Install Remote Starter, Wrecks New Nissan Altima
By 7.19.08
While cramming a remote starter into Andrew’s new Nissan Altima, Best Buy managed to break the car’s locking system, window controls, and a brake light. Andrew hauled the crippled car back to the dealership, which immediately blamed Best Buy for burning out the car’s wiring, and told Andrew that the parasitic system had to go. Best Buy defended their quality workmanship, and refused to issue a refund unless Andrew signed a waiver absolving them of any responsibility for damaging the car.
Castle Toyota Rescinds Scholarships After Students Decide To Mourn Their Dead Teacher Instead Of Staging A Commercial
By 6.8.08
Poor Howard Castleman. All he wanted was a little PR for his car dealership. Castleman planned to give four scholarships to students at Patterson High School in Baltimore, but instead of honoring Castleman’s charity by inviting the media and displaying his dealership’s banner at the senior’s farewell ceremony, the school instead decided to honor a long-time teacher who recently died of a heart attack…
New Car? Put It On The Credit Card
By 6.1.08
Why should dealers tell you what you can and can’t charge to your credit card? Cars represent a jackpot of credit rewards that every consumer is entitled to collect. There’s nothing stopping from charging your new car straight to your credit card, if you storm the dealership armed with the right tools…
By 5.24.08
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The Brits are amused by a Missouri car dealership that is rewarding buyers with either a $250 gas card or a gun. According to owner Mark Muller, everyone chose the gun, “except one guy from Canada and one old guy.” Muller, whose sales have quadrupled since the start of the offer, explains to the BBC: “We’re just damn glad to live in a free country where you can have a gun if you want to.” [BBC] (Thanks to Jodie!)
8 Monthlong Dodge Charger Problem Fixed After Consumerist Post
By 4.22.08
Whenever Brian drove his Dodge Charger in the rain, all the dash lights flashed and he had trouble restarting his car, but after 8 months of strife, his problem got fixed after his story posted to The Consumerist. The next day after the post went up, Brian got a call from Paul at Danbury Dodge, his dealership. Paul wanted Brian to bring his car in so the Chrysler tech could inspect it. Brian brought in the car during a rainy day, the problems were recreated, and the Chrysler tech diagnosed and fixed the problem in less than four hours. On repeated visits before this, the dealership kept claiming they couldn’t recreate the problem. A rep for Chrysler VP TP Lassdora also called Brian up, apologized profusely, and offered five years of free oil changes and extended Brian’s service contract. “In the end, I believe that the Consumerist story forced Chrysler to get involved, whereas Danbury Dodge was content to ignore my complaints,” writes Brian. “Thank you to the staff and the readers of the Consumerist for motivating Chrysler and Danbury Dodge to fix my car.” Inside, the original video showing how Brian’s dashboard reacted in the rain.
