Saturn tried something different with their dealers and it really resounded with their customers. The typical "Tajmahal" dealer model that prevals these days costs a fortune--and selling cars is a tough, up and down business even in good times. Since it's hard to make money on new cars, dealers try to make it up in the service dept, which is a big reason they tend to be such wiesels. Anyone with half a brain knows when they walk into a dealer like that, the customer is paying for that big fancy building one way or another. I can remember in the sixties and early seventies when small brands had very small, no frills dealerships. The local Toyota dealer was basically a converted gas station and had been a used car dealer. Maybe they could try smaller, less ostentaous dealerships in locations away from "dealership rows". Service departments could be priced closer to independants, parts could have less markup. I think most people would actually prefer getting service at the dealership if it wasn't so much more money. They could even use it in their advertising--"our dealerships aren't fancy, nether are their prices." It would play into being a "different" kind of brand. A car for thinkers. And they could have a lot more dealers that way rather than a handful on big dealers. They certainly need to add dealers, now would be a good time to give some though to how they go about it.

posted by 208.72.4...

• We have met the enemy..., No Snaab, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 09:10:42
  • Re: We have met the enemy..., TML , Tue, 1 Mar 2011 06:35:23
    • need to convince subie fans to test drive..., James, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 18:42:09
      • Re: need to convince subie fans to test drive..., No Snaab, Wed, 2 Mar 2011 07:29:33
        • subaru demographics, James, Wed, 2 Mar 2011 12:32:10
          • Re: subaru demographics, No Snaab, Wed, 2 Mar 2011 14:34:44
  • Beautiful cars, no doubt, john b, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 18:16:52
  • what would be irresistable?, LesH, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:22:45
  • Needs, preferences, cash flow, etc., Noel, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 08:43:48
    • Re: Needs, preferences, cash flow, etc., No Snaab, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 10:28:38
      • Figured you'd jump on that comment!, Noel, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 05:25:21
        • Re: Figured you'd jump on that comment!, No Snaab, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 07:45:40
          • Re: Figured you'd jump on that comment!, Bill Davies, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 11:57:16
            • the new 9-3 will be a hybrid..., James, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 18:22:30
          • If I may, John Myers, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 08:46:41
          • A hybrid Saab would be compelling but, Noel, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 08:10:13
            • Re: A hybrid Saab would be compelling but, James, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 18:26:18
  • I'm not the enemy..., Stan, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 18:00:12
    • Bravo, No Snaab, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 07:13:13
  • Re: We have met the enemy..., Tim, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 14:19:07
  • what would it take to put you in this car today?, DE , Sun, 27 Feb 2011 12:48:36
  • The new 9-5 is too big for me..., MI-Roger , Sun, 27 Feb 2011 12:13:27
  • I need smth small, fast, safe and quirky: C900 MY'12, Siegfried, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 11:44:34
    • Re: I need smth small, fast, safe and quirky: C900 MY'12, JimBlake , Sun, 27 Feb 2011 16:17:57
  • Re: We have met the enemy..., EGD , Sun, 27 Feb 2011 11:26:39
  • Re: We have met the enemy..., kkelley, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:41:48
  • I'm among the worst... I know..., James, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:28:08
    • You've hit the nail on the head, No Snaab, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 15:23:09
      • Re: You've hit the nail on the head, James, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 17:54:27
      • Agree! If Saab bring back C900, Saab88, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 16:36:28
      • Re: You've hit the nail on the head, JimBlake , Sun, 27 Feb 2011 16:14:37
  • Re: We have met the enemy..., SWEDECAR , Sun, 27 Feb 2011 09:50:37
    • I wonder what the male/female split is..., Mark from Toronto, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 07:54:52
    • ".. NEVER pay the price ..", AlS, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:28:05
      • Throttle response..., Stan, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 14:38:22
  • Not to stereotype..., B Millar , Sun, 27 Feb 2011 09:30:23
    • New 9-5s all over the place in LA?, ryan , Mon, 28 Feb 2011 21:12:16
      • Re: New 9-5s all over the place in LA?, Stan, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 10:46:12
    • Agree, too, Stan, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:14:34
    • agreed, Railhead , Sun, 27 Feb 2011 18:04:29
    • Re: Not to stereotype..., John Myers, Sun, 27 Feb 2011 10:14:00
      • I think we do help..., Mark from Toronto, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 08:15:57
        • Re: I think we do help..., John Myers, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:45:31
          • A better service solution..., Noel, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 10:11:51
            • Saab should rethink it's dealer model, No Snaab, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 13:38:04 <-- Viewing This Message
              • Re: Saab should rethink it's dealer model, John Myers, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 09:31:58
                • Re: Saab should rethink it's dealer model, No Snaab, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 12:06:38
                  • Re: Saab should rethink it's dealer model, John Myers, Tue, 1 Mar 2011 12:31:11
            • It is a lot of hoops to jump through, SWEDECAR , Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:31:43
            • Saab actually does this..., Craig, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 10:36:45
              • That's what Las Vegas had for years., John Myers, Mon, 28 Feb 2011 12:08:49

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