List of Metro Detroit Chrysler Dealerships that are set to close

**kraig** · May-14-09, 11:23 AM

In metro Detroit, the following dealers are on the list:

Birmingham Chrysler Plymouth, Inc., located at 2100 W. Maple Road in Troy
Bruce Campbell Dodge Inc., located at 14875 Telegraph in Redford
Clarkston Motors Inc., located at 8105 Big Lake Road in Clarkston
Colonial Dodge Inc., located at 24211 Gratiot Ave. in Eastpointe
Fox Hills Chrysler Jeep, Inc., located at 111 W. Ann Arbor Road in Plymouth
George Ordus Ford Mercury Inc., located at 123 South Port Crescent in Bad Axe
Century Dodge, located at 13500 Telegraph Road in Taylor
Joe Ricci, located at 14765 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn
Livonia Chrysler Jeep, located at 30777 Plymouth Road in Livonia
Meadowbrook Dodge, located at 3050 South Rochester Road in Rochester Hills
Monicatti Motors Inc., located at 40755 Van Dyke Ave. in Sterling Heights
Mount Clemens Dodge, located at 43774 North Gratiot Ave. in Clinton Township
Russo Group Enterprises Inc., located at 18165 Mack Ave. in Detroit.
Tamaroff Dodge Inc., located at 24625 W 12 Mile Road in Southfield
UAG Hudson CJD, located at 2555 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills
Village Chrysler Jeep, located at 31200 Woodward Ave. in Royal Oak

Sorry to all of those effected.

**Ray1936** · May-14-09, 11:54 AM

Here in Las Vegas [[four dealerships closing), Chrysler-Jeep dealer Jim Marsh just recently opened a new Kia dealership and advertised heavily on TV.

He's one of the four being shut down. No doubt he saw it coming.

**professorscott** · May-14-09, 12:17 PM

...which is funny, because more people have access to a car than ever before in our history. I wonder what the sustainable world-wide sales level will end up being. Even a well kept car doesn't last forever; you need to replace it [[or abandon driving).

**DTWflyer** · May-14-09, 12:27 PM

The only dealership on that list that really surprises me is Birmingham Chrysler-Jeep [[which is actually in the Troy Motor Mall). I believe that is a rather large dealership, although they didn't have Dodge.

Most of the dealerships didn't have all 3 Chrysler brands and/or were in very close proximity to much larger dealerships.

There had been an overabundance of Chrysler dealerships in the area to support all of the employee sales, and the overabundance of cheap leased vehicles over the past several years.

**MoparDan** · May-14-09, 01:23 PM

http://www.allpar.com/news/index.php...f_dealerships/

List of Chrysler dealers to be cut and kept

It's in PDF format so you'll need Adobe reader.

**faygoredpop** · May-14-09, 02:01 PM

I'm really sorry to see Bruce Campbell Dodge go. That's where I'd take my car to get it serviced, they knew the car and they knew me. The people there are so friendly and so helpful. Now where will I go to get that same service????

**French777** · May-14-09, 02:24 PM

ahh We have been customers of MeadowBrook Dodge in Rochester Hills for many years

**mbr** · May-14-09, 02:34 PM

"Russo Group Enterprises" = Lochmoor Chrysler Jeep on Mack in Detroit near Grosse Pointe.

**dcmorrison12** · May-14-09, 02:47 PM

this is definitely out of bad taste, but these revelations sort of give the region a better taste of what Detroit proper has gone through... not that the year long recession wasn;'enough.

**Onthe405** · May-14-09, 02:49 PM

Interesting you should say that French, considering the shoddy service I received at Meadowbrook was one [[of several) motivating factors in me vowing to never purchase another Chrysler product. In their defense, this was many years ago. Perhaps there are new owners.

This is only a cursory, non-analytical observation----but it appears the closings are disproportionately in the Midwest and western portions of the Eastern seaboard. Considering [[other than MI) the recession is slamming CA & FL the worst, I figured they would top the list.

lilpup · May-14-09, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by Onthe405

Considering [[other than MI) the recession is slamming CA & FL the worst, I figured they would top the list.

probably fewer dealerships there - it's not as if either of those areas are huge supporters of domestic autos

**luckycar** · May-14-09, 03:26 PM

We are still open.

**firstandten** · May-14-09, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by professorscott

...which is funny, because more people have access to a car than ever before in our history. I wonder what the sustainable world-wide sales level will end up being. Even a well kept car doesn't last forever; you need to replace it [[or abandon driving).

One of the benefits of Japanese then worldwide competition was that it made American car manufacturing change their estimates of Planned obsolescence of their vehicles. Eventually, doing that would hurt the dealers in terms of sales. The auto dealership industry finally had to address falling vehicle sales due to foreign competition and better quality of vehicles in general.

**raptor56** · May-14-09, 03:38 PM

My dad just bought a used Durango from Monicatti a couple months ago. I'm glad Sterling Heights Dodge and Richmond Dodge are still in business. I'm due for a new vehicle next month on account of my lease. Unfortunately, the awesome salesman I leased 2 trucks from at Richmond no longer works there. Need to find the guy! I'm hoping the guy my dad used to deal with at Sterling Heights is still there. Unfortunately they did not have a Durango for him.

**Tsomyak** · May-14-09, 04:14 PM

Maybe someone here can explain this. I'm having a hard time understanding why it is to Chrysler's advantage to revoke dealership franchises. Since they are independently owned, what is the downside of letting them exist as is? If you want customers to buy your products, isn't it to your advantage to have more retail outlets? Since they are not owned by the corporation, it would seem they are little burden to Chrysler. Why not let them exist and let the market forces decide which dealers are viable enough to remain?

**douglasm** · May-14-09, 04:57 PM

Let's put it this way. In the Central Washington area I live in [[Grant/Okanogan/Douglas/Chelan Counties) with a population of about 150,000 widely spread out people, there are 2 Toyota , 2 Nissan, and 2 Honda dealers. There are 3 Ford stores, 3 Buick/Pontiac/GMC dealers, 4 Chrysler/Dodge dealers and 6 Chevrolet dealers. Guess which retailer has the strongest dealers with the most car sales per dealer? At one time it made sense to have a dealership in every jerkwater little town, but not now. Over half the dealers that Chrysler is eliminating sold less than 100 cars a year.

It's like any other retail business. You don't want a bunch of weak outlets fighting for sales between each other. You want good strong centrally located outlets. The way the dealer network is set up now, it's a lot like having 4 Sonoco gas stations on each corner of an intersection......

**econ expat** · June-04-09, 08:26 AM

It's all political, the 'big boys' among the Chrysler dealers seem to benefit most.

Sales goals, etc- yeah right.

Blame an excess of sales outlets for the bankruptcy, there goes their credibility.

In your state- in Spokane- there are THREE Chrysler branded dealers, none on the list, guess none of the 3 are big 'players' waiting like a vulture to snap up the others' business. Amazing, in Spokane one dealer sells only Chrysler cars, another only Dodge vehicles, and another [[an anomaly) sells only Jeep products.All 3 are on the same road within a mile or 2 of each other.

Originally Posted by douglasm

Let's put it this way. In the Central Washington area I live in [[Grant/Okanogan/Douglas/Chelan Counties) with a population of about 150,000 widely spread out people, there are 2 Toyota , 2 Nissan, and 2 Honda dealers. There are 3 Ford stores, 3 Buick/Pontiac/GMC dealers, 4 Chrysler/Dodge dealers and 6 Chevrolet dealers. Guess which retailer has the strongest dealers with the most car sales per dealer? At one time it made sense to have a dealership in every jerkwater little town, but not now. Over half the dealers that Chrysler is eliminating sold less than 100 cars a year.

It's like any other retail business. You don't want a bunch of weak outlets fighting for sales between each other. You want good strong centrally located outlets. The way the dealer network is set up now, it's a lot like having 4 Sonoco gas stations on each corner of an intersection......

**econ expat** · June-04-09, 08:47 AM

Most dealers are afraid to speak out, but here's one with nothing left to lose:

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/artic...3814793696.txt

Obviously the shareholders, Chrysler employees, closed dealer employees and taxpayers will lose some.

Consumers will lose also.
Someone's gotta pay for the interest all them cars on those huge lots, and the golf car ride you'll take to view the car you think you chose.
There's still unsold 2008 vehicles on some dealer lots. The dealer 'players' bought all the vehicles the manufacturers shoved down their throats, and somehow someway they intend to profit from a vehicle sale of course.
Silly little game- hopping from dealer to dealer armed with 'invoice prices' and bragging to friends you got the dealer to lose $ selling that car. Excepting Saturn, most of the domestic dealers have played right along for years. Look at the million $ + dealership buildings, and um what's paying for that?
Bottom line- the already dreaded visit to a car salesman will only get worse once we are herded into the 'mega dealers' and taken for a ride [[literally) in that golf cart to the back 40 to look at cars.

**MoparDan** · June-04-09, 10:06 AM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_chrysler_bankruptcy

Judge: Chrysler has good case for franchise cuts

**East Detroit** · June-04-09, 11:41 AM

How would closing a franchise dealer help the company? Image of only big volume dealers? Too much overhead to maintain all those dealers in their list of dealers?

Doesn't seem like a big save at first glance.

**Tsomyak** · June-04-09, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by East Detroit

How would closing a franchise dealer help the company? Image of only big volume dealers? Too much overhead to maintain all those dealers in their list of dealers?

Doesn't seem like a big save at first glance.

I've been asking the same question since this story first broke. One plausible explanation is that more dealers drives more competition, which in turn drives down the price of vehicles. But I still wonder. The corporation sets the price that the dealer must pay for his inventory. If the dealer chooses to drop his price, it would seem that the dealer would take the hit, not the corporation. I guess it might eventually put downward pressure on the price the corporation could charge, but I think you would see a sort of economic natural selection happen first. The weaker dealers would go out of business if the process were allowed to play out. The outcome is the same, in that you drive the numbers of dealers down, but no one is arbitrarily force out of business overnight. Just my 2 cents worth....

**econ expat** · June-04-09, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Tsomyak

I've been asking the same question since this story first broke. One plausible explanation is that more dealers drives more competition, which in turn drives down the price of vehicles. But I still wonder. The corporation sets the price that the dealer must pay for his inventory. If the dealer chooses to drop his price, it would seem that the dealer would take the hit, not the corporation. I guess it might eventually put downward pressure on the price the corporation could charge, but I think you would see a sort of economic natural selection happen first. The weaker dealers would go out of business if the process were allowed to play out. The outcome is the same, in that you drive the numbers of dealers down, but no one is arbitrarily force out of business overnight. Just my 2 cents worth....

You're not alone.
Most people [[read CONSUMER!) are wondering the same,
that's been talked about for a long time.
But what do we know? We only buy the cars.

Let's not forget GM's great experiment to compete with the Japanese imports.
Build a totally unique product, not at all related to the other cars produced by the corporation. [[Sounds good, too bad they let the brand languish for years with only 2 cars)
Then.... since it worked with the Japanese, let's limit the amount of dealers, cherry pick only the best dealers, even if they never sold a GM product. And oh yes, 'one price', no haggling.
Gee, something went wrong, GM is abandoning the brand that did have a limited amount of dealers and a 'fixed price' on the cars.
Yes, I know this thread is about Chrysler.
Point being, did having a smaller dealer network help the Saturn brand?

And will any dealer focused on being the biggest in the world care about a customer, or will that dealer get by with a 'win some lose some' attitude?

Retroit · June-04-09, 07:32 PM

GM CFO Ron Young was on Paul W. Smith this morning and answered this question. Here are his reasons why more dealers cost more.

1. Information technology systems for the network
2. Dealer and salespeople incentives
3. Field sales service and training support
4. Service parts support
5. Local advertising
6. Weak dealers force GM to offer more incentives in the marketplace. These incentives must be given to every dealer in the country

http://wjrpodcasts.com/podcast/paulw...ung-060409.mp3

**douglasm** · June-04-09, 07:39 PM

OK, let's try it this way. I'm going to use a couple of Chevrolet dealers, but it's a good example of the problem.

Omak, WA is the largest city in Okanogan County, with a population of about 4,700 people in a county of about 40,000. It has a Ford/Mercury/Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep dealer, and a Chevrolet/Buick/Pontiac dealer. That should about cover the county, right? So why, for pity sake, 24 miles up the road is there another Chevrolet dealership in Tonasket, WA, population about 1,000. Who is OK Chevrolet in Tonasket competing against? Not Damskov Ford/Dodge/Jeep, but Sunrise Chevrolet.Buick in Omak, thus making the Omak dealer weaker. One of GM, Chrysler and Ford's problems are their dealers are stealing customers from themselves, not from other competing dealers.

Retroit · June-04-09, 07:53 PM

douglasm, that makes sense [[and I agree), but it doesn't jive with people's perceptions with regards to other retailers. For example, you will see the same fast food chains and the same gas stations every few miles. If they are able to all have enough customers, people think that car dealers should be the same. But they are not taking into account the low sales volume of a car dealer vis-a-vis other retailers.

I think that GM and Chrysler should offer the dealers the chance to stay in business if they are able & willing to cover the cost of all those things that the automakers are claiming that they must bear.

As to why there are so many dealers so close: remember way back when, cars required a lot more service than they do today. One of the selling points was that if you bought a certain brand of car, you would have a dealer nearby to get service.