[unruhjonny]

Originally Posted by mgarblik

Since this thread is about Buick going away, this would be my radical plan moving forward. I think most would agree that GMC exists today so Cadillac and Buick dealers have a truck to sell. ...

I had understood that post-bailout, GM restructured so that franchisees ALL became Chevrolet/Buick/GMC;
They kept the Cadillac as an add-on to an existing franchise, but also kept their rules about needing to have a certain sales volume (or something like that) in order to be eligible to have the Cadillac franchise.

As with everything in life, there may be some franchises which were able to be exempt from the new rules, but hte few Pontiac(Buick/GMC) dealers that survived around here all became Chevrolet/Buick/GMC dealers.

Since I bought my Cobalt right around the time that GM was in trouble, I recall for years afterward, the dealers I dealt with were pretty pushy about you filling out the GM(parent) customer satisfaction survey - I think it was a period of a couple years where GM was looking to also cut down on the number of franchisees all together.

[Scarebird]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

...I think it was a period of a couple years where GM was looking to also cut down on the number of franchisees all together.

GM used that to weed out a lot of their problem dealerships - looking at you Olsen...

[nas t eh]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

I had understood that post-bailout, GM restructured so that franchisees ALL became Chevrolet/Buick/GMC;
They kept the Cadillac as an add-on to an existing franchise, but also kept their rules about needing to have a certain sales volume (or something like that) in order to be eligible to have the Cadillac franchise.

As with everything in life, there may be some franchises which were able to be exempt from the new rules, but hte few Pontiac(Buick/GMC) dealers that survived around here all became Chevrolet/Buick/GMC dealers.

Since I bought my Cobalt right around the time that GM was in trouble, I recall for years afterward, the dealers I dealt with were pretty pushy about you filling out the GM(parent) customer satisfaction survey - I think it was a period of a couple years where GM was looking to also cut down on the number of franchisees all together.

This is what I've found in Edmonton too. Want a GMC truck, any GM dealer can get whatever stock is available. I had a Buick /GMC dealer and a Chevrolet dealer competing for my business in 2019 on a new 2019 1500 GMC Elevation.

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by unruhjonny

I had understood that post-bailout, GM restructured so that franchisees ALL became Chevrolet/Buick/GMC;
They kept the Cadillac as an add-on to an existing franchise, but also kept their rules about needing to have a certain sales volume (or something like that) in order to be eligible to have the Cadillac franchise.

As with everything in life, there may be some franchises which were able to be exempt from the new rules, but hte few Pontiac(Buick/GMC) dealers that survived around here all became Chevrolet/Buick/GMC dealers.

Not true.

In my area (MN), there are Buick/GMC dealers and there are Chevy dealerships.

If you want a GMC, you have to go to the Buick/GMC dealer. If you want to get a Chevy, you have to go to the Chevy dealer.

I had a part time retirement gig at the local Chevy/Cadillac dealer and asked about getting a GMC Terrain vs the Chevy Equinox (the Terrain has Heads Up Display available) with my GM employee discount and couldn't do it through the dealership I worked for (I would have received the employee deal on my trade also).

Now I am aware of a few MN dealerships that do have both Chevy and GMC trucks, but that is the exception, not the rule.

[Mr Anonymous]

I remember working in dealerships in the mid to late 90s, training people. If you had a GMC truck, a Chevy dealer couldn't do warranty work on it, even though you knew damn well that it came off the same assembly line. That was infuriating to people that owned GM vehicles. Badge engineering at its pinnacle.

Brad, I'm in for a fat bastard 3xl to keep it loose and comfy.

[Elarson]

In one of the small towns close to me, there is a Buick/Cadillac/GMC dealer right next door to a Chevy dealer. Trucks look like the big seller at both places. If they combined the truck brands, how do you pick which dealer to screw?

The GMC dealer used to carry Pontiacs and had a yearly Pontiac car show. I got to know the sales manager and that started a trend of buying GMC trucks from him. I feel zero technical difference between a Chevy and a GMC truck but I'll keep buying from the same guy. If they took GMC trucks away from him, I'd have zero brand loyalty.

Eric

[kingbuzzo]

Maybe they just licensed the brand or it was marketing hype:

https://transamflorida.com/aboutUS.htm

[kingbuzzo]

just jokes...I would kill for another AMC Eagle SX/4 myself lol

My bean counter was crazy about his Aztek however...