I remember my buddy Jack Anderson (Laura Buick) telling me that GM came down and said he couldn't have all of the old gas pumps he owns in the service area. These were really nice refurbished gas pumps, but GM said they didn't fit their vision for a dealership.
Jack moved them, but everyone complained that they were gone. LOL, all the elderly people loved those things.
So many times a business is a character of how they go to market. You might perform the same tasks, or sell the same thing as others do, but it doesn't mean that you need to be the same as everyone else.
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Isn't this part of the deal of being a franchise owner? You are at the mercy of the corporation you are making your money from? I feel like these demands to remain up to date in accordance with their standards comes with the territory.
This whole dealership experience thing is out of hand.
I don't want to spend ANY time there. I want to pick my car, sign some papers and leave.
The Dodge dealer I got my Charger from has a friggin ice cream bar inside with an old timey ice cream slinger behind the counter. Its neat and all, but why? Nobody should want to 'hang out' at a dealership...
If they want to maske me a satisfied customer, let me fill out and sign ALL the paperwork online before I even show up at the dealership, then hand me my keys when I walk in and say 'Thanks, have a nice day and enjoy your new car'.
/done.
Just a little ahead of my time is all, lol.There have been countless studies over the last 5 years that suggest upwards of 85% of consumers still want face to face interaction when purchasing a vehicle. They say by 2030, the number will be less than 40% and at that time the majority of vehicles will be purchased exactly how you would like for them to be.
So basically dealers cost goes up then dealers pass the cost on the customer. Sounds like a crappy situation all around.
+1
Talk to McDonald's franchisees ,etc.
Or Porsche dealers...
Hoehn Porsche Carlsbad breaks ground on expansive new facility
How much do you think Hohn Porsche spent on this build?
"The 71,614-square-foot showroom and service center, with rooftop parking, will double the sales and service capacity."
"The total building space adds up to 98,846 square feet when factoring in rooftop space. "
"The existing Porsche dealership that was demolished on the 1.5-acre property comprised a one-story service building and a two-story showroom building totaling 18,000 square feet."
You think they just woke up one day and decided to spend 8 figures on a new building?
Needless to say, he renovated the Volkswagen store again to combine both into the same building and tore the other one down.
I cannot wait till the dealership regulations are finally killed and we can buy cars direct LIKE EVERY OTHER THING IN THE WORLD.
.I cannot wait till the dealership regulations are finally killed and we can buy cars direct LIKE EVERY OTHER THING IN THE WORLD.
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And after the " direct buy " you take it where for warranty work ??
Coming to a dealership near you:
+1
Talk to McDonald's franchisees ,etc.
Or Porsche dealers...
Hoehn Porsche Carlsbad breaks ground on expansive new facility
How much do you think Hohn Porsche spent on this build?
"The 71,614-square-foot showroom and service center, with rooftop parking, will double the sales and service capacity."
"The total building space adds up to 98,846 square feet when factoring in rooftop space. "
"The existing Porsche dealership that was demolished on the 1.5-acre property comprised a one-story service building and a two-story showroom building totaling 18,000 square feet."
You think they just woke up one day and decided to spend 8 figures on a new building?
Travis, Dowling Ford (here in small-town Cheshire) started up in 1976. It's a family business. It's still in the same building, 43 years later. Rare, for sure.I love seeing the small town dealerships that have survived in the same building since the 70s/80s. I went out of my way to buy my F-350 from what had to be one of the smallest Ford dealerships in existence at the time. Point Marion Ford, it's now closed. They only had one salesman, and he was great.
Ford should be as concerned about the product as they are about showroom/dealership image. I say this after just seeing the thread about bubbling paint on a hood and reports of bubbling/corrosion associated with poor prep and thin paint. Dealerships should fire back at Ford Corporate saying, "produce a signature product and we'll provide a signature dealership experience".
I'm so glad I decided not to go Ford this time.
I did not hear one thing about dealer subsidies....
How about dropping prices. My main complaint is that Ford is so damn expensive now.
Travis, Dowling Ford (here in small-town Cheshire) started up in 1976. It's a family business. It's still in the same building, 43 years later. Rare, for sure.