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Car business is hurting bad. Largest Chevy dealer closes...

I don't understand why they say the era of big car dealerships is over. Does it make a difference if they are big or small? Cars are not selling right now. Gas prices are affecting most aspects of our economy. And with the wallstreet bailout looming is he reading the writing on the wall? It doesn't look as if it will get any better soon. So cut losses now and save lots of cash you would have spent on day to day operations. I would have thought he could have sold some of the dealerships but I'm sure he thought of that before closing down. :confused:
 
sounds like this dud was a just a scum bag on the ass of American Car Dealers. Someone needed to close him down years ago. We have them here too, two of them in fact, they own all the dealerships and many own American and Import dealerships on the same lot.

As for the quality of American Cars, who knows, I dont could not afford a Ford, so I bought 2 used Kia's for less than one new Ford. Could not be happier and will probably do this again in say oh 8 or 9 years. My Optima drives better than any Ford I have ever driven, got 34 mpg on the my recent trip and gets 30 in town.
 
Wow! Did ya'll read the comments about Bill Heard dealerships at the end of the article? It does sound like a scum ball operation.
 
Cityboy said:
Wow! Did ya'll read the comments about Bill Heard dealerships at the end of the article? It does sound like a scum ball operation.
Click to expand...

Which part? I found out about 2:30pm yesterday when I started getting resumes faxed to my offices. The article doesn't mention that the salespeople nor managers likely will not receive any pay for work they've done so far this month.
 
Dargo said:
Which part? I found out about 2:30pm yesterday when I started getting resumes faxed to my offices. The article doesn't mention that the salespeople nor managers likely will not receive any pay for work they've done so far this month.
Click to expand...

Here's a few of them. Looks like your link no longer has the reader comments attached. I bought a new engine from Bill Heard in Columbus Georgia several years ago and they delivered it right to my house. I was pleased with the service, but from many of the reader comments below, his dealerships are known for shady business practices. I had no idea until I read your article and the comments:

TBO.com

Published: September 24, 2008

One of the nation's largest car dealerships has closed sales operations, possibly forever.

Bill Heard Enterprises Inc., which operates the Bill Heard Chevrolet dealership in Plant City, closed its sales operation there this week, said Paul Baker, executive manager of the dealership.

"It's a shame," Baker said, adding that he thought the era of gigantic dealerships is over. The dealership traces its roots to 1919, just 11 years after Henry Ford first produced the Model T automobile.

Baker declined to elaborate on reasons for the closing, other than to cite financial pressures. He said he doubted the operation would operate under new ownership. "Nobody has the guts to have a big dealership anymore," he said.

The dealership will "take care of any customer's car and live up to any obligations we have as far as sales," he said, "but we closed the sales operation."

Based in Columbus, Ga., Bill Heard Enterprises Inc. operates 13 dealerships nationwide. They all will close, Baker said.

Reader Comments

Posted by ( MikeS ) on September 24, 2008 at 4:50 p.m.

I have worked for an engineering company that designed and sold parts to Chevy for years. Chevy deserves to go down. They continue to make crappy cars, charge high prices, and provide a very unpleasant experience at their dealerships. The void they leave in the car market will be filled by a company that cares about its customers.


Posted by ( briyun ) on September 24, 2008 at 5:31 p.m.

I couldn't agree more, MikeS. While the American auto machine was busy fancifying and overpowering their poorly assembled cars and taking the energy supply down with it, the Japs were keeping it real. I wouldn't own an American car if I was given one. My girlfriend owns a Tahoe that sits in the driveway because she can't afford to gas it up and the AC won't stop breaking...so instead she drives my '98 Accord that has never seen the inside of a repair shop. What's it gonna take for GM to stop making these bling-bling hunks o' sh*t!!



Posted by ( Willx ) on September 24, 2008 at 5:35 p.m.

I was under the impression, Bill Heard Chev was going under not so much from the economy than from 'shady' business practises. Just google Bill Heard and you'll find all kinds of financial funny business. Good riddance. Heard gave Chevy a bad impression.

Too bad a few good employees got caught up in the mess.


Posted by ( youlivnlearn ) on September 24, 2008 at 5:38 p.m.

Good, Chevy cars suck. Make the ugliest cars on the road. It's a American Revolution without you.



Posted by ( rcon1 ) on September 24, 2008 at 5:40 p.m.

I lived in plant city on a extended biz deal. I did buy a truck from them, I also know for sure this dealer was well known in the construction industry that any illegal could get a loan there. I dont doubt the massive amounts of illegals skipping on there fake loan paperwork is the straw that killed these guys


Posted by ( Bevo ) on September 24, 2008 at 5:43 p.m.

No worries, I'm sure the government will come along any time now and bail them out too.

If they apply for a mortgage thru Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac they probaly can get enough operating capital without even having to pay it back!
When they ask for identification just tell them you are an illegal alien and your off the hook.

Ain't this a great country or what?!?



Posted by ( denfoote ) on September 24, 2008 at 5:46 p.m.

The Heard dealership in Scottsdale Arizona closed a couple of weeks ago!!


Posted by ( iRi ) on September 24, 2008 at 5:49 p.m.

The Chevy is as good as any car on the market for the same dollar. I've driven them forever. GM has slipped though in the styling department. This is what happens when bean counters supercede real car guys in a company.

Bill Heard is like the other man said, going down because of shady dealing. I'd bet that their legal fees are overtaking profits. I say good riddance too. Now all we've got to do is get rid of the crooks on Wall Street and the two major political parties that are protecting them. Good luck to the FBI.


Posted by ( KWalker07 ) on September 24, 2008 at 5:56 p.m.

There is a Bill Heard dealership here in Houston, and they're frequently being investigated for shady business practices. Most recently, a guy had to call 911 to get his car keys back from them after they did an appraisal and he didn't want to deal. Another woman decided not to buy the car she was looking at, so the dealership had the car delivered TO THE MIDDLE OF HER STREET and left sitting there for three days. Apparently, they figured that she would move the car out of the street and they could say she took delivery of it. She was too smart for that.
Good riddance, Bill Heard!



Posted by ( suck ) on September 24, 2008 at 5:59 p.m.

Bill heard was the most crooked and dishonest dealer in the area. They were even charged with kidnapping once as they would not give a customer her keys back so she could leave. Deceptive ads and bogus bait and switch tactics cost them business, not any other reasons. Good ridance.




Posted by ( fdavis1 ) on September 24, 2008 at 6:04 p.m.

Re Bill Heard Chev: They were one of the largest Chev dealers in Nashville, TN, until they got run out of town for multiple unethical and illegal sales practices--really screwing the public. Even after being exposed by the local TV stations and the BBB, and supposedly appointing a special overseer from their corporate office to oversee the sales and finance staff--they CONTINUED these practices, until they were forced to close and sell their Nashville location.
 
Cityboy said:
Here's a few of them. Looks like your link no longer has the reader comments attached.
Click to expand...

Believe me, I sure didn't take the comments down. There is no room for crooks in any business as far as I'm concerned. Unfortunately, many of the largest dealership chains in this country are the most crooked. For a while I bemoaned the fact that my company doesn't do business with any of them. Now I am proud of that fact after learning more about them.

I know this news clip has been around a bit, but I have to wonder how much the UAW is killing the U.S. auto market. The autoworkers union is about the most corrupt union in the world now and adds literally thousands to the cost of each vehicle and prevents proper quality control from being implemented since it is almost impossible to fire a union autoworker. Here is the news clip about the world's most advanced manufacturing plant. Listen to the little blurb at the end as to why it isn't in the U.S. Most Advanced Auto Manufacturing Plant
 
That was a pretty interesting read Brent. Hopefully their closure will allow some honest dealerships to survive this downturn.

I enjoyed and got pissed at the user comments. The users were comparing GM products from 30 years ago to products of Honda and Toyota of today. Duh!!! There is no comparison. I like my '99 Silverado and haven't had really any problems with it other than the crappy Chinese made spark plug wires from Autozone.

BTW, welcome back to the forums. I've missed your posts. Lots of insights into the car industry. Just wish you could tell more sometimes. You tell enough to just get my curiosity up.:mrgreen:
 
Great link Dargo! I've blamed the UAW for greed, quality, and wastefulness [not to mention the example they set for the rest of US manufacturing! :sad: ], but never even thought about them being a roadblock to supplier integration as well. And people wonder why the economy stinks.... :furious:
 
We have a Bill Heard here in Huntsville. Never dealt with them, but heard many stories. They sold a boat load of vehicles here though. I have gotten price quotes from them before but they could beat or chose not to beat the mom and pop dealerships. I think they like dealing with the ignorant buyer like the recent college graduate that just got a job and has to get a new car, at any cost.
 
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