Is the Camaro coming too late?

[pruettfan]

GM has way too many dealerships. Toyota, Nissan and Honda sell far more cars per dealership because they have been much tighter on allowing new dealerships. This is of the reasons that Honda, Nissan and Toyotas dealerships can survive selling cars with less margin. GM, Chrysler and Ford have all been working on plans to reduce the number of dealerships to try and create a smaller network of more profitable dealers.

[CamaroScotty]

Originally Posted by joes3rdcamaro82/91/2010

Heard is not closing cuase of the economy, they were doing some big no no's.

Most of which can be found on the web. Tennessee had a real treat of a dealership....taking back cars at night after they were driven home....saying they made an adding error and sold the car for less than they wanted to, etc etc

[fastball]

Originally Posted by CamaroScotty

Most of which can be found on the web. Tennessee had a real treat of a dealership....taking back cars at night after they were driven home....saying they made an adding error and sold the car for less than they wanted to, etc etc

Yikes! Someone ever did that to me there'd be a REAL LIFE Shunt saga for that person!

You might take the car, but be carefull when you open the trunk!

[srtclg1007]

Lets face it, Camaro isnt gonna be the car to 'save' GM. Not that they need saving. Its just that with gas prices having every one freaked out, GMs big sellers like the tahoe, silverado, and other rides with not so great gas mileage, are not what people are looking for. The market has changed. They'll adjust. But seriously, we can live with gas at $4. Its $6 and $7 that will start affecting my driving habits. any way, thats my .02.... as long as they dont stop making muslce cars.... dang CAFE. Im keeping my '10 camaro forever. last of a dying breed......

[garagelogic]

Originally Posted by headpunter

Lattof Chevrolet of Crateenginedepot.com fame is closing aswell.

i dont think its too late. dealers doing bad doesnt mean GM is doing bad.

What rock have you been living under? GM is doing very bad, as is Ford and Chrysler. Like the U.S. financial system, these organizations have put themselves in a big hole and it is very likely they will not be able to dig themselves out of it. Off the 3, I believe GM and Ford will survive the longest because they are much more global than Chrysler is these days. Chrysler is looking to save itself by going a whole new direction and shedding itself of the gasoline-powered model and moving very quickly to an electric/hybrid-electric lineup well ahead of GM or Ford.

All that being said, the Camaro, no matter how well it sells, is not going to be enough to save GM. The car, just like all ponycars, just does not appeal to a broad spectrum of buyers.

[Silverghost]

I thought this was interesting with the topic being discussed
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...NA06/809220374

Amy Wilson - Automotive News

DETROIT — Through August, General Motors trimmed its U.S. dealership count this year by 226 stores, to 6,550.

And through year end, GM's U.S. sales chief expects the closure rate to quicken. The final toll for 2008? It could be 350 to 400 closed stores, said Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president of North America vehicle sales, service and marketing. That's what GM expects, not a target, he said.

That would compare with a reduction of 260 stores in 2007 and 87 stores in 2006. Given the industry sales downturn this year and the projection for 2009, GM wants consolidation activity to pick up, LaNeve told Automotive News.

GM Dealership Count* as of September 1, 2008:

Chevrolet: 3,786
Pontiac: 1,083
Buick: 557
Saturn: 404
Cadillac: 301
GMC: 289
Saab: 106
Hummer: 24

Total: 6,550

*Note: GM says stores with multiple franchises are counted under the brand considered to be the controlling franchise.


Full article at link.

[2010_5thgen]

i dont think thats chevy's fault that they went out of business.

[AZCamaroFan]

Hmm, maybe two years too late, but let's remember the last gen wasn't selling, it was a better car than the competition. People just stopped buying sporty cars in the 90s. The Eclipse and mustang are all that's left . No Celica, no Acura. well, the challenger is back, but it's yet to be seen how well it will really do.
As far as Chevrolet, that's still GM's strongest brand. The Malibu seems to be doing well, the Impala. I think the Cobalt and HHR are okay. I mean , they have to be doing better than Buick or even Pontiac.

[flaguy]

Originally Posted by Supermans

The quality of the camaro needs to be top notch in order to get rid of this stigma that foreign cars offer more quality than American. It is one of those stigma's that can be slowed and reversed given time and higher quality models.

This is what is going to save GM.^^^

One single car can not do it. The Camaro will probably barely make a dent in the rut GM is in.

GM has to put its entire focus on quality. Across the board I think American cars have come along way, but the stigma is still there. Even with me. When we were looking for a car for my wife, I told her she could have anything she wanted as long as it was a Toyota or Honda. It's going to take a long time to get rid of that mindset from the American public. (Obviously another key factor that has sprung up the last year or two is gas)

The Malibu and Volt is an excellent start....

[Caliman93230]

good things are worth waiting for, but yes GM did take to long and now there paying for it. lets just hope that they learn from their mistakes, but then again their taking to long to bring out the Z28,

[fbodfather]

Originally Posted by fastball

.

Fewer dealers in vicinity = the higher price you will have to pay for your car = more profit for GM..

Uhmmmm...............no.

that's not how it works.

We sell cars and trucks to all dealers at the same price -- no one gets a 'special deal' or 'special pricing' -- so regardless of what YOU pay for a car at retail - GM makes the same amount of money.

[joes3rdcamaro82/91/2010]

Originally Posted by fbodfather

Uhmmmm...............no.

that's not how it works.

We sell cars and trucks to all dealers at the same price -- no one gets a 'special deal' or 'special pricing' -- so regardless of what YOU pay for a car at retail - GM makes the same amount of money.

Thanks, I felt if I said it they wouldn't believe me.

[headpunter]

dealers make money on volume not overpricing, its alot easier to sell alot of cheap cars then making customers go else where when they are too expensive

[Iroczlover]

can I say something with out someone getting mad at me???


Its not GM doing it to the dealerships, its the dealerships doing it to themselves.

We just had one of hte largest dealerships in our area close down as well, WHY?????? because of the huge markups they put on the cars. when they add 5k or more to the car people are going to walk way.

so they earn the rep of having a high mark up so people turn to the dealership that either have a lower markup or dont do a second sticker.

some dealerships will not haggle below that second sticker if they do they will not haggle below MSRP.

it forces new car buyers to go out & buy cheaper used vehicles.