[Ming]

Sure, this is local news, but indicative of a trend in California or not?

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Import demand closes Milpitas' sole auto dealership
Billings Chevrolet, in the valley 40 years, is liquidating inventory
By Jay Peeples
www.themilpitaspost.com
The Milpitas Post
Thursday, February 03, 2005

After 12 years in Milpitas and 40 years in Santa Clara County, Billings Chevrolet quietly announced it will close within about a month.

According to Billings Chevrolet Owner Michael Billings, automobile giant General Motors re-evaluated its place in the local market, and decided to close the dealership.

"They have decided that temporarily there is not going to be a Chevrolet dealer here," Billings said. "We really didn't have much of a choice but to close this operation."

The news came late last week that the city's only auto dealership would close. The parts and maintenance departments of Billings Chevrolet have already closed. The dealership will remain open while the inventory of vehicles is liquidated, Billings said. He expects the sales lot to be open for about a month.

"We're tying up loose ends and taking care of business," Billings said.

Billings opened in Milpitas in 1993 to great fanfare. Located on Barber Lane, Billings Chevrolet was supposed to be the first of many dealerships in what was planned as an auto mall along the Interstate 880 frontage. But no other dealerships ever settled in west Milpitas, and Billings Chevrolet ended up the lone automobile facility among a sea of large ethnic shopping centers.

Billings moved his dealership from North First Street, where it had been since 1964. He said he has enjoyed being in Milpitas.

"I've appreciated the opportunity of selling and servicing the local community," Billings said. "It's been more of a struggle over the past couple years."

According to Billings, the poor economic climate along with the decline in demand for American-built automobiles led to the dealership's demise. He said his heart goes out to his many longtime employees - some who have worked for him for 30 years.

FULL Article Here: http://www.themilpitaspost.com/Stories/0,1413,93~3416~2690785,00.html

 

[cemaxc]

I'm afraid this won't be the last time this will happen. This might be repeated several more times around the country before GM's revolution is in full swing.

 

[tgagneguam]

Hmmm, not enough details to determine how accurate the statement,

...According to Billings, the poor economic climate along with the decline in demand for American-built automobiles led to the dealership's demise.

, is.

 

[puma12]

Well, we all know why his dealership went down. With all the aging vehicles on the lot, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner.

Let's hope this whole chevy revolution thing happens faster...

 

[nsap]

This is sad. Look import buyers, you are putting AMERICANS out of business because of your ignorance towards AMERICAN-built vehicles.

 

[dindak]

Californians don't care about jobs in Detriot or America. They embraced Japanese cars from the get go and never looked back. It's a big market, GM really needs to market their new top notch cars like the Cobalt there hard.

 

[Ballistic]

How could this happen? The Impala, Astro, and Trailblazer are so hip, fresh, and new!

 

[Ballistic]

This is sad. Look import buyers, you are putting AMERICANS out of business because of your ignorance towards AMERICAN-built vehicles.

I'd rather drive an Acura TSX than a Pontiac G6 GT. Same cost too and I can get the Acura with a Manual...

 

[Sparta]

I'd rather drive an Acura TSX than a Pontiac G6 GT. Same cost too and I can get the Acura with a Manual...

The man's got a valid point. How the hell are you going to have a GT and no manuel from the get-go?

 

[Ming]

I'd rather drive an Acura TSX than a Pontiac G6 GT. Same cost too and I can get the Acura with a Manual...

G6 GT:
$23,300 (without incentives)
3.5L V6 200HP / 210 Torque
21/29 mpg

Base-level Acura TSX:
$26,990 (good luck on incentives)
2.4L I4 200HP / 166 Torque
22/31 mpg

 

[SVT2888]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How could this happen? The Impala, Astro, and Trailblazer are so hip, fresh, and new! Astros sell pretty well here and so do the Trailblazer and Impala so i have no idea why you are attacking them.

 

[2HOTZ28]

I'd rather drive an Acura TSX than a Pontiac G6 GT. Same cost too and I can get the Acura with a Manual...

I wouldn't, for the price of a TSX I could get a nicely equiped Grand Prix GT, which is more car and is more powerfull. The TSX is a lame car IMO. It looks nice and has a classy interior, but you are paying almost 30K for a I4. My neighbor just bought a TSX, and im not too impressed. First of all its slow! motortrend has it running a 16 second quarter mile, which is crappy for a $28,000 car.

 

[nsap]

I'd rather drive an Acura TSX than a Pontiac G6 GT. Same cost too and I can get the Acura with a Manual...

You should check your facts before you post...

Look at Ming's post. Above.

 

[Infiniti Z350]

This is sad. Look import buyers, you are putting AMERICANS out of business because of your ignorance towards AMERICAN-built vehicles.

I wish people wouldn't try to put others on guilt trips just because they made a choice what to do with their own money as is their right. You think you won't be putting Americans out of buisness if a Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen, or any other dealer shut down? American brands aren't the only one with American built vehicles either.

 

[Golf PEI]

I wish people wouldn't try to put others on guilt trips just because they made a choice what to do with their own money as is their right. You think you won't be putting Americans out of buisness if a Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen, or any other dealer shut down? American brands aren't the only one with American built vehicles either.

GM builds waaaayy more vehicles in America then all Japanese brands combined.

Plus you have to consider other facts including:
Parts:
GM typically uses 85-90% American built parts.
Japanese brands typically use less than 30%.

Profit:
When Toyota makes a 10 billion dollar profit, where does that money go? ...Back to Japan.

The Car Connection said last week that 1 in 7 jobs in America rely on the auto industry...

Is that not reason enough to stay away from the offshores?

_______________________________________________________________
PEI Cottage Rental

 

[Infiniti Z350]

GM builds waaaayy more vehicles in America then all Japanese brands combined.

Plus you have to consider other facts including:
Parts:
GM typically uses 85-90% American built parts.
Japanese brands typically use less than 30%.

Profit:
When Toyota makes a 10 billion dollar profit, where does that money go? ...Back to Japan.

The Car Connection said last week that 1 in 7 jobs in America rely on the auto industry...

Is that not reason enough to stay away from the offshores?

_______________________________________________________________
PEI Cottage Rental

I don't take joy in potentially costing someone their job, indirectly or otherwise but I don't like it when people try to make me feel like an evil villain because I went with a 350Z as opposed to a GTO, for example. When I buy a foriegn product, (and BTW, 100% of it does not go back to the homeland) yes, they make a profit but so what (not to sound cold). Every business needs to make a profit. Ok, I know you're going to say the money we spend here isn't working here but would you rather that the foriegn companies didn't provide jobs here for Americans at all? Yeah, the main heads of the companies get money but it isn't like the Americans who work for them are in slave labor. They pay their workers money to support their families like every other company here. Also, the money they earn, they buy other products which do directly support American companies.

 

[usa1]

I live near this dealer. It is more about location and competing Chevy dealers than anything else. The place was a pain to get to from the freeway and was the only dealer there. There are tons of Chevy dealers in other places near it and their advertising and deals were nothing worth noting. Too bad, but not a surprise in my mind.

Mark

 

[citric acid]

Every attempted guilt trip pushes me towards the Japanese. By the sounds of things, his dealership also had a pretty terrible location, so it makes sense that it would close. I guess it might be a shame, but no worse than a Toyota dealer with the same workforce going under.

 

[mgescuro]

The Milpitas area and that entire area in the Silicon Valley is predominantly Asian.. and they do NOT and will NEVER buy and American made car. They are considered crap, low quality, and never hold their value.

I am not surprised by this in the least. Drive through Milpitas and Mountain View... all you'll see are Japanese cars or German cars. Period.

 

[GM_Guy81]

I feel sick.