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Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2003 11:07:08 -0500
From: "J. Harris" <insectonopsamspring.com>
Subject: Re: Where are Saabs racing?


Wow! Talk about managing the "VW way or no way"; sounds like late model Skoda owners need to cozy-up with local scrap yard operators. I wonder if Bentley is being treated the same way... I know we're horribly off-topic; but anyway, here in Atlanta the Ferrari dealer was located in a run down industrial park (behind a cement factory of all places [very dusty]). They'd been there for decades (kind of chic to go "slumming" in your Modena); then three years ago Ferrari tells 'em they must move to the affluent part of town and build a Ferrari designed showroom (prancing ponies, red and black). Never mind they also sell Aston Martins, Hum-Vees, and beautifully restored classics... Oh and 3 years ago was the peak of our real estate market! Note: They're doing "ok" (they have three of the new Enzo's [two sold, one available, black]); and the owner of the dealership, having access to lovely used cars, drives a new Mini Cooper S (with the UK flag atop)! As for GM fiats (orders, not the car company yet), we haven't seen any dealer mandates other than taking on too much inventory. The one Saab dealership in town has been sold a few times; each time going up-market (now part of a dealership group including Porsche and Audi [VW too]). Our independant service/dealer market is horrible here; AFAIK, there are only two or three indies in town. Maybe (hopefully), GM will help to "create" some indie shops. -- J.E. Harris '01 9-3 SE '97 900 SE '88 9000T R.I.P. > If you have a Skoda Estelle (105,120, 130) or a Rapid Coupe, Skoda UK > (under orders from VW) will do anything in their power to get them off > the road. > > It was an order when they first took over that if anyone traded a Rapid > or Estelle in against a Favorit or Felicia, and later the Fabia or > Octavia, that no matter how good the condition (could be concourse for > all they cared) it was to be scrapped and crushed. It could not be sold > to the public or trade for resale. They wanted to irradicate traces of > the rear engines cars that got such bad press as being unreliable, and > funny. ironically they are scrapping cars that have done good service to > their last owner at were at the end of a life upto 25 years old. > > Also VW made it a policy that if companies wanted to remain main dealer > franchises, they had to move to huge massive VW style showrooms, instead > of the smaller family run businesses that always kept skoda alive in the > UK. Dealers have prefered to switch main brands than be blackmailed into > debt and a bigger showroom. > > This lead to new Skoda dealerships opening, and the old ones becoming > different brands, and Skoda independants. I imagine this has happened > under Saab/GM too. > > -- > Carl Robson > The poster formally known as Skodapilot. > http://www.bouncing-czechs.com

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