Last of the domestic car dealers closes in San Francisco

[FLPanhandle]

http://www.leftlanenews.com/last-of-the-domestic-dealers-dies-in-san-francisco.html

It’s likely no surprise to hear that foreign automakers tend to sell better in California as a whole, but it might come as a surprise to hear just how strong the sentiment is in San Francisco in particular.

On April 30, the city of San Francisco and all its 47.6 square miles officially became domestic automaker dealer-free, as the last remaining domestic dealership, San Francisco Ford Lincoln Mercury, closed up shop, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. The dealership had been run by the automaker itself after the previous owner called it quits in 2008.

After Ford failed to secure a new franchised-owner to take over the dealership, the automaker finally decided to close the doors. Roger Bramble, a service department manager from the now-closed dealer, said that they are referring prospective customers to Serramonte and other dealers located in the Bay Area, but outside of San Francisco city lines.

<snip>

Fitzpatrick concluded, “San Francisco is not loyal to anything domestic; its allegiance is to anything but domestic.”


Sad. I think Ford produces a better product than most imports now.

[Brickbat]

1. Wow. I find that really sad.

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. Is a vehicle made in Hermosillo 'domestic'? Cuautitlán?

[FLAprogressive]

6. Ford actually makes a higher percentage of its vehicles in the U.S. than any foreign automaker

but nice try.

[Gregorian]

3. I remember the song. Buy a Chevrolet at Ellis Brooks today, at the corner of ___ and Van Ness.

I was sad when the huge brewery was leveled. And the Mr. Peanut billboard was removed.

No one can tell me it is better today than it used to be. I was there.

[n2doc]

8. Me too. Catchy. n/t

[Adsos Letter]

10. A staple of Bay Area AM radio for decades KGO & KCBS for sure.

[EFerrari]

12. It was our local knock off of this Dinah Shore ad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbkAG1HfmRo

:)

[Gregorian]

15. Noooooo. Not Dinah Shore.

I always cringed when she sang.

I never knew that was an actual song. Apricots in Los Altos. Cherries in Sunnyvale. Sometimes I wish I had never seen it.

[EFerrari]

19. We had three old orchard apricots in our corner lot front yard in Sunnyvale.

And one of the last holdout owners built a little bridge for us to walk on over the irrigation ditch on the way to school.

I know what you mean.

[FLAprogressive]

4. Proves that certain liberals only pay lip service to support for unions.

[CreekDog]

16. most car dealers are outside the city

where land is cheaper.

[Egnever]

5. Not a lot of room for car dealerships period in SF

You don't have to drive very far out of town though to find all the choices you could want.

Rents are way too high in SF for a dealership to be able to compete successfully especially with dealerships so near by that have to spend way less for their showrooms.

This article is trying to make controversy where there really is none. Its a simple matter of economics, SF is just too expensive to compete with other dealers.

[Fumesucker]

9. The question that immediately came to my mind is..

How many dealerships are there inside SF city limits in all?

[former9thward]

14. The people at Nissan disagree with you.

"Before the San Fran Ford dealer closed its doors, one of the last domestic dealers was Ellis Brooks Chevrolet just down the street on Van Ness Avenue. Now that location is being transformed into one of Nissan’s largest dealerships in America." http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2011/05/san-franciscos-last-domestic-car-dealer-closes-its-doors.html

[lapfog_1]

7. Of course, this has very little to do with what people in SF purchase

and everything to do with the cost of a car dealership in SF. Not to mention the probably dozens of "auto rows" (where there are many car dealers next to each other both domestic and foreign) within 40 miles of SF. SF simply doesn't have space for car dealers, at least any that have a number of models to choose from.

[AndyTiedye]

11. More Demand for Small Cars Due to Small Parking Spaces

There are many neighborhoods where the street parking is just the space
between driveways, which is often just enough for a really small car.

The San Francisco taxi companies sure got a lot of Ford Escape Hybrids though.
If they are holding up well in that kind of service, they must be doing
something right.

[glowing]

13. This article is just about attacking San Francisco... And as one can see,

people who know the area are chiming in to explain that Dealerships don't remain within the city due to space size, taxes, etc... But on the outskirts, there are rows of dealerships. I would say most cities with small size, large populations density, and high tax/ property, would have most of their larger scale businesses on the outskirts of town... Large malls, outlets, dealerships, etc would be better off being on the outside... demand to visit to the "outskirts" for the selections is worth the risk of staying on the outskirts of town/ city.

[snooper2]

17. Looks like San Fran is going to hell in a handbasket..

no longer the #1 gay city (not even top 10)

no longer supports domestic auto production

can't fucking smoke anywhere...

and pretty soon you won't be able to have a pet cat



I can't wait till they make it illegal to eat meat :rofl:

[mitchtv]

18. when Cheatum Motors left

I knew we were in trouble