G. Bedford Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Anyone have more news on the closings? http://www.stillwatergazette.com/articles/2008/11/25/news/news410.txt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Grim reality... Quote: "Ford management in prior meetings has indicated that the Twin Cities is 'overdealered' and ... when dealership vacancies happen they have indicated to the dealer body that they would not be filled and at that point would be terminated," he told the Gazette. "In this case, the Twin Cities is considered an 'overdealered' area. If Ford management is consistent with what they have indicated and vowed to the dealers, then the dealer point would be terminated." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff_E Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 Yeah, this is right in my 'hood actually. We've had quite a few Ford stores close in the past few years including my previous dealer (R.I.P. Planet Ford of Minneapolis). Denny Hecker is one of the 4 huge dealer groups in my area. He just closed 6 of his dealerships last Saturday - including both of his Ford Dealers. One of the two that closed had my resume on file, and the other one had been trying to recruit me for a while, but was too far of a drive, so I declined until my house sells... So yes, I know them well. I had been planning to change employers for a while, but now I think I'll stick where I'm at. Ironically, both of Denny's Ford stores had non-union service departments, which are definitely minorities in the Twin Cities area - even more so now. I think one of Denny Hecker's big problems is that he has his own finance company, which is heavily involved in the financing of cars, as well as homes. I still remember his cheesy commercials with testimonials from people who said things like "I thought for sure with my credit, that no one would give me a car loan, but Denny Hecker did" or something to that effect. Then the commercials would end with a musical jingle with the lyrics: "Were good people helping good people!!!" I think the combination of the current economic climate, as well as the "special finance" and sub-prime collapse, was finally what made these chickens come home to roost. I already noticed a job application on my svc managers desk from a former Hecker employee, but we've been slow, so odds aren't good for that guy. Denny will be ok, he still owns other car dealers, and he's married in to (or at least used to be) to the family that at one time owned the Minnesota Vikings. I feel bad for all of the techs without jobs now, that's for sure. I still vividly remember what it's like, as I went through it around Christmas 2006. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 27, 2008 Share Posted November 27, 2008 I feel bad for all of the techs without jobs now, that's for sure. Amen. We need to remember that in the end all of this turmoil affects a lot of individual people. We have lost a few dealers in our area, Ford and Lincoln Mercury. With all of the rest of the stores being slow I wonder where all these techs end up. Now, every day I wake up wondering "will it happen to me?" If it does, where would I go? I don't see anyone hiring at dealers in the classifieds ads on line. The only up-side to dealers closing is that there should be an increase in traffic for the dealerships that are still around. The only increase I have noted is more ambulances and Lincolns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G. Bedford Posted November 27, 2008 Author Share Posted November 27, 2008 This is an older article that caught my eye at the time. Along with worker legacy costs, the size of the dealer body is dragging at the Big 3, too. If bankruptcy occurs, the car makers could "bust" the union, but also "bust" their franchise agreements with the dealers. Imagine, instead of gradual buy-outs, the carmakers could decide(by market sales areas)overnight who stays and who goes. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2006/1016/050.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shlep Posted November 28, 2008 Share Posted November 28, 2008 Seems to be a disturbing trend, We just lost a local one just outside of town, and they'd been open for 4 decades under the Miller name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff_E Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 THIS is interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamageINC Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Holy Suicide Attempt! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARRY BRUDZYNSKI Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Or maybe upset ex-employees..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregKneupper Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Ford is planning on closing approximatley 606 dealerships across the country. 367 of those are going to be in their large markets. This is stated in their business plan to congress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff_E Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Well, here's some more bad news about Denny... His employees too for that matter. I just want to know how he managed to take Chrysler for a half billion dollars. http://www.startribune.com/business/38840312.html http://kstp.com/news/stories/S861306.shtml?cat=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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