Chrysler has announced that stand-alone service stores will be part of its plan to consolidate its dealerships, a new report finds. The move — which will see former Chrysler retail locations turned into stand-alone service stores — is intended to maintain the company’s current level of service.
“If one dealership buys another dealership in a few cases we are discussing now the other dealership (becoming) solely a service center,” Steven Landry, Chrysler executive vice president of North American sales, told Automotive News. ” We don’t need a second showroom floor. But because of the number of customers that are in that market for service we need the service stalls in the other building.”
So far only one dealership has agreed to such a deal, and it will be about two years before it opens its doors. Chrysler is also in talks with “under 10″ other dealers for similar agreements.
While off-site service centers are nothing new to the industry, it is a pretty interesting idea to turn former dealerships into service-only centers.
04/18, 12:33 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
I guess they think that the “service centers” will be useful in 5-10 years when the “lifetime powertrain warranty” bites them in the arse.
Ofcourse I don’t think the company as a whole will be around in 10 years… so it’s all a waste.
04/18, 12:46 PM
posted by:
F451
Cyberus wants to hang onto the real estate and have their tax boys shuffle the tax advantages. I can’t say that I blame them, but it looks terrible showing-up to a shelled-out business that has become some makeshift repurposed oddity. Bad move for customer perception, but this move has nothing to do with the customer, and everything to do with Cyberus making money.
04/18, 2:19 PM
posted by:
LaCaLover
Did Chrysler just admit it’s not selling many cars?
04/18, 2:50 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
That’s it exactly, F451. What kind of message is this going to send in a business when customer facing is everything. What’s next? Are they going to rent out the empty acres of parking to competitors with excess inventory?
04/19, 12:45 AM
posted by:
The Stig
Chrysler is a joke.
04/21, 2:49 PM
posted by:
Get Real
Service…Chrysler…Sales
They blew their big chance in America in the 90’s with the LH platform cars. Now they reap what they sowed…..death.