Just drove past Livonia Chrysler Plymouth

**Sstashmoo** · June-08-09, 08:28 PM

Has been a dealership there for many years, lot is empty.

**MoparDan** · June-08-09, 08:35 PM

http://www.allpar.com/corporate/cerb...-closings.html

Chrysler Dealer Franchise Agreement Terminations, 2009

**reddog289** · June-09-09, 01:56 AM

After reading the Allpar site I have seen where the republican deal enters the picture. A Uncle of mine told me bout that slant on the deal.But the main deal is that jobs are lost and another empty building enters the picture.I was not surprised with Livonia C-J closing. As it was between Snethcamp and Fox Hills. But as for Fox Hills I can only think about the reason. Maybe cause Dick Scott is right down the road.

**thnk2mch** · June-09-09, 08:17 AM

John Rogin Buick and Tennyson Cheverolet - both on Plymouth Road in Livonia are closing also.

**Lowell** · June-09-09, 08:31 AM

Plymouth Road is shaping up to be the new Livernois. Old timers will recall that Livernois from 8 Mile south was once lined with car lots, new and used.

I don't comprehend the whole manufacturer - dealer relationship, but it seems to me that the manufacturers would want to at least offer to renegotiate the franchises to their benefit and let the dealers try to eat those losses instead of just flat out shutting them down. Why wouldn't they want as many sale points [and more importantly perhaps service points] as possible?

**Sandhouse** · June-09-09, 09:01 AM

I have been struggling to understand this issue, and so far I think the calculus works this way:

Even though all the closing dealerships were individually profitable, the reduced population of dealers means that dealer profit will be spread among fewer firms. This means that Chrysler and GM will be able to squeeze the surviving dealers a bit harder, without breaking the dealers. The surviving dealers in turn can squeeze more out of each deal with car buyers, since there will be fewer competitors for buyers to turn to. The effect will be to raise the prices of U.S. cars and restore the profits of the manufacturers.

Your new Chrysler or GM dealer may be no more eager to deal on price than your friendly Toyota or Honda store.

**edgewood** · June-09-09, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

I don't comprehend the whole manufacturer - dealer relationship

My understanding is that the companies could not figure out how to divorce from the dealership system. The relationship was not considered desirable by the companies. Perhaps they are taking advantage of the current situation to minimize dealership control.

When asked point blank about direct dealing to the consumer to avoid the dealership middleman, none other than Ron Zarella stated that it would be "ideal" but for reasons he could not state publicly, it would be impossible.

I heard that in person at a lecture by Ron Zarrella [[when he was executive vice president and president of GM North America) given at the business school at Northwestern University in 2000.

Ron Zarrella is most [[in)famous for killing Oldsmobile and for killing the EV1 program.

**FlyByDon** · June-09-09, 09:37 AM

Lochmoor Chrysler Jeep as of 6/6/2009

Attachment 1631

Attachment 1632

Sorry to see this one close.
Always gave good service when buying / servicing my vehicles.

**jlnascar** · June-09-09, 09:49 AM

As a former employee of Livonia Chrysler, today is a sad day. I still know and correspond with a lot of folks there. My heart goes out to all the employees of Livonia. They deserved better. It was a good store. A lot better than some of the others in that are left open

**Sstashmoo** · June-09-09, 09:59 AM

Quote: "Plymouth Road is shaping up to be the new Livernois"

I-96 pretty much killed retail on Plymouth road. I worked at that dealer as a kid right after they built that expressway, and they said the sales numbers dropped losing all the work traffic.

Quote: "As a former employee of Livonia Chrysler"

Does Charley C______ and Jim N_____ still own that?

**DetroitPlanner** · June-09-09, 10:20 AM

I thought Dave owned it.

**EMG** · June-09-09, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by FlyByDon

Lochmoor Chrysler Jeep as of 6/6/2009

Always gave good service when buying / servicing my vehicles.

Apparently you were fortunate with them. Me, not so much. They screwed me over so many times when I had to deal with them....well let's just say that as far as I'm concerned they got exactly what they deserved.