GM wants to step-up Dealer Consolidation

[XDCX]

GM's CEO, Rick Wagoner, indicated that GM wants to step-up the pace of dealership consolidation.

GM's goal is to have dealerships consolidate into one of the following four channels:

Chevrolet
Saturn
Pontiac, Buick, GMC
Cadillac, Saab, HummerThere was no discussion regarding GM's goal for a dealer count reduction or how the automaker intends to assist with dealership consolidations.

Here's a link to the news report: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iHDXFkcxZrZXQfaL09c9bD_TaPVAD8U9G7903

[okcarl]

At the recent BPG Driving the power of 1 meeting in Vegas GM made it clear to us that this was going to happen and that if you were not a channeled dealer that you should consider looking into partnering with or selling to make this happen. It looks to be the future for GM and a profitable dealer base.

[Rod Barajas]

GM's CEO, Rick Wagoner, indicated that GM wants to step-up the pace of dealership consolidation.

GM's goal is to have dealerships consolidate into one of the following four channels:

Chevrolet
Saturn
Pontiac, Buick, GMC
Cadillac, Saab, HummerThere was no discussion regarding GM's goal for a dealer count reduction or how the automaker intends to assist with dealership consolidations.

Here's a link to the news report: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iHDXFkcxZrZXQfaL09c9bD_TaPVAD8U9G7903
I get the other three...But...Cadillac, Hummer...SAAB? Um okay does that make sense to you guys?

[XDCX]

In a recent presentation GM's CEO, Rick Wagoner, indicated that GM has closed 600 stores over the past 2 - 3 years and hopes to step-up consolidation.

He indicated that by year's end 80% of the sales for GMC, Pontiac, Buick would be through "channeled stores." (Stores that had all three brands under the same roof.)

Interestingly, he indicated that the biggest barrier to consolidation was that "none of the dealers wanted to sell." Given the weak economy, I wonder if that will remain as an obstacle?

A question for the GM dealers:

Has GM done a good job trying to consolidate dealerships?
What does GM need to do to step-up consolidation?