New! From GM (Government Motors)!
Following The Current Trend of Retro Designed AutomobilesThe 0bamawagen
Click the Pic
Posted on 09/07/2009 2:31:27 PM PDT by MamaDearest
General Motors Corp. is dropping the franchises of 70 percent of Cadillac dealerships nationwide and southeast Wisconsin is no exception, leaving only two area dealerships confirmed as continuing beyond 2010 — Metropolitan in West Allis and Crest in Brookfield.
Metropolitan Cadillac, in fact, is running commercials urging customers whose dealers are closing to switch to its dealership.
“My understanding is that there are a lot of Cadillac stores closing,” said Metropolitan president Max Stephenson. “The only two that are staying open are Metropolitan and Crest.”
General Motors will not disclose the identities of dealerships that are closing. Only one area Cadillac dealership has identified itself as dropping its Cadillac status: Amato Cadillac in Glendale, which Aug. 21 became a Nissan dealership.
“We had seven Cadillac dealerships in our zone — we were very over-dealered,” said owner John Amato.
Don Schultz, a sales manager at Crest Cadillac, said the dealership at 12800 W. Capitol Drive is surviving as a new vehicle franchise but declined further comment.
Metropolitan and Crest ranked as the top two dealerships for new Cadillac car sales in 2008 with a 31.3 percent and 23.8 percent market share, respectively, according to Reg-Trak Inc., Waterloo. In the first half of 2009, the two dealerships again led with 25.3 percent for Metropolitan and 18.6 percent for Crest.
Russ Darrow, who owns Darrow Cadillac in Waukesha, declined to comment on the status of his dealership. Representatives of four other southeast Wisconsin dealerships either could not be reached for comment or didn’t respond to calls seeking comment.
Not all Cadillac dealers that are losing their franchise will follow Amato’s quick exit. They have until October 2010 to close, but will not receive any new vehicle inventory from GM between now and then.
GM spokeswoman Susan Garontakos said the company plans to reduce the number of Cadillac dealers nationwide from about 1,400 to about 400 by the end of 2010.
GM evaluated dealerships’ sales figures, capital structure and customer service record, Garontakos said. Dealers can appeal GM’s actions, but the company’s executives in August ruled on the appeals, leaving little recourse at the moment for those who lost appeals, she said.
The automaker believes reducing the number of dealerships will enable GM to more effectively compete with BMW, Lexus and Mercedes, Garontakos said. Those other luxury car makers have between 200 and 400 dealerships each nationwide, she said.
“Having more stores doesn’t mean you generate more sales,” Stephenson said. “Some were selling only four to five per month.” Metropolitan Cadillac is at 10221 W. Arthur Ave., near International Autos, which sells Mercedes, Audi and BMW.
Sales remain slow in the recession, but Stephenson is hoping two new Cadillacs for 2010 generate customer interest — the SRX crossover and the CTS Sport Wagon.
Stephenson said he’s not gloating over being a survivor. “We’ve all been through some really tough times,” he said.
Uh. Nahhh, I’d get banned...
The only half way decent car they still make and they’re sending it to clunker heaven...I guess that’s liberal logic.
What will pimps and rap stars drive?
Other than that gawdawfully ugly XLR, non-Blacks abandoned the brand 20 years ago.
can’t imagine why people wouldn’t want to pay a $10,000 premium for a Chevy with a Cadillac badge.
Don’t Caddies take a lot of gas per mile? I always heard they were on the gas guzzling side. Not very green.
More proof the recession is over.
That and they have golf tees embedded in the top of the dashboard
Well I’m glad to see that the bank bailout that (Paulson, Bush, Obama, Geithner, and Bernanke) shoved down our throats has helped us to avoid all this prolonged misery...
Obviously these Caddy Dealerships set to close didn’t ‘contribute’ enough to Dear Leader...
Think green!
Late model, decked out Buicks.
I like that Obamawagen. It is a perfect fit for anyone who is constantly going around in circles.
I was amused noting how Government Motors is “streamlining” its vehicles consumers will (eventually) be able to buy. How long will they permit Nissan, Toyota, Kia, et al to steamroller them in sales? Just like they plan to force talk radio off the air (charging 100% of operating fees), they’ll be tightening the noose for competition auto business profit as sure as I am sitting here now. Besides, the sting of business lost to competition in their “cash for clunkers” fiasco has been thrown in their collective faces - question is, when will they retaliate?
Undoubtedly, Obama's Government Motors Czar has determined that 70 percent of Cadillac Dealers nationwide failed to properly support our Glorious Leader.
IMO, great move. Let GM go under for all I care. I certainly won't be buying anything from them.
This has been an ongoing process since back in June 09 when GM was making the list of dealership closures. GM has/had some 1422 Cadillac dealerships which a large percentage are going to get cut by 2010.
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/09/under-fire-gm-targets-cadillac-dealers-for-closure/
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