Opening a Dealership

[wicks]

I wonder what it takes to open a LR dealership.

[Hans]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

My first guess anyways.

-Hans

[flippedrover]

And more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[rover4x4]

and maybe some more $$$$$$ then you gotta hire people mechnaics sales "guides" not to mention inventory....

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$

[tbmcneill]

Hendrick paid $1 million just for the center ... that was just construction costs & was probably a decade ago. He already owned the land. safe to say it would be more now. To get 'center' status, my understanding is that you have to go into one of LRNAs approved sites and build according to their specs among other things....

There's one other on this board that's in the middle of doing this, but I'll let them chime in only if they want to share.

T

[chrisvonc]

Originally posted by tbmcneill There's one other on this board that's in the middle of doing this, but I'll let them chime in only if they want to share. Are they hiring? :)

[rover4x4]

yeah, i could sell Land Rover's

[mpodgorski]

phil - you would be a good sales "guide", telling people the 05 discovery is junk, that would go over well.

[TwisteD90]

Troy, are you talking about me????? If so then I'm not opening a Land Rover dealer ship as I don't want to pay the $$$$ for the franchise and building plus now when you open a Land Rover dealer you have to include Jaguar, and Austin Martin, and that based on the location that I want to open my dealer :( Which will mean a more money then opening a LR dealer only.
I almost bought a Land Rover dealer here in Colorado years back and the price was a little under 5 mil including everything, but I felt I was getting my self in a hole due to it's history.

If I'm you I would start small and grow, and that's the best way. There is a local dealer here in Town called the Sharper Auto which they sell lease returned Disco's and some RR's and I bet you that they out sell the local dealer :)

As of my dealer, it's not going to carry a LR name and I will have sales, service (with LR certified techs) and parts, and my business partner is on this site to, and no it's not Keith :grin

Chris, yes we are hiring but I don't think I can afford you ;)

[rover4x4]

okay Marty..

I was suprised when i went to the Land Rover Asheville and htere were more Jags than Rovers

[mpodgorski]

to open up a new centre, you are required to have half landrover and half jaguar.
phil.. "okay marty" hmmm isnt that a gay way of saying my name, makes me think about your sexuality

[TwisteD90]

martin, quit stalking him :grin

[DJ Menasco]

Odd, the Land Rover Centre here in Portland dosn't posses a single Jag in the lot? Only LR's. Maybe this is based on a "per franchise" basis? :hmm Or is this a recent requirement instituted by Ford?

[Eric Siepmann]

Lake Bluff here in Chicago has a separate building for Jags. And one for Cedes, and one more for BMW's...

EwS

[wicks]

The $$$$$ is the whole point of the idea. $ in = potential $ out. It would have to make sense for a capital partner (wouldn't do it with my capital or lack thereof)

I am in a town that has a whole "dealership lane" thing which could use a LR location - could simply take a lot of sales and service business away from West Hollywood and Pasadena which are the two nearest dealers, and pickup all the shoppers on "dealership lane".

[mpodgorski]

DJ - that is a new requirement from Ford. I am not sure if anyone has done it yet. I have seen plans if someone wants to do it, half the building is jag and the other rover. there is a glass partition separating the two.

The jag showroom has stainless steel fittings and highlights, light wood floors and desks, then the rover side is outdoor looking, with faux stone tile and cabin style desks, chairs with antiques laying around.
Still trying to create the "life style" atmosphere

[TwisteD90]

I know there is new dealer opened in Alabama that has all three, LR, Jag, and AM. Supposably it's one big building divided in three.

[wicks]

Who's the big boss at LRNA that I can get the package from?

[Ragland]

Those centers would be a lot cheaper if they substituted the off-road course for a parking lot. Maybe people could practice jumping the curb to cut through the grocery store.

[chrisvonc]

Originally posted by mpodgorski
DJ - that is a new requirement from Ford. I am not sure if anyone has done it yet. I have seen plans if someone wants to do it, half the building is jag and the other rover. there is a glass partition separating the two. LR West Chester Pa. just moved into their new Jag/LR house this week. Have not seen it yet though. Supposed to be like that I think.

[Hans]

Hiring? Colorado? I'll work on the cheap side, just so long as your paychecks are steady. What positions are you hiring for?

I am very serious, willing to retrain.

-Hans

[TwisteD90]

Hans, I was just playing with Chris. We are starting small and we have all the people we want. Sorry

Have you been applying for a jobs here in CO. I can tell you there are a lot of jobs available.

[wicks]

Now this is a thread about employment in Colorado. How did that happen? ;)

[TwisteD90]

This thread is in chit chat section so hijacking is fine :grin.

I hope I won't get in trouble for that :)

[Hans]

No trouble at all, as long as you can point me to a good direction for these mytical "Colorado Jobs". Been putting in resume's for about 2 years now, with not a single response yet. Then again, I think Colorado has enough aviation folks right now.

-Hans

[chrisvonc]

Originally posted by TwisteD90
This thread is in chit chat section so hijacking is fine :grin.

I hope I won't get in trouble for that :) Man you guys are going to bust my balls over that for a while arent you?
:lol

[Art Vigil]

Hans, you're right. The last two years have been especially difficult to find employment in Colorado.
I've been layed off twice since 2001 so I've been following the job market here very closely.
The good news is that it seems to be (finally) picking up a bit.
I predict '05 will be a better year.

What do you do in aviation?

[RichardMoore]

if you open a dealership not only have you got the initial investment you have BIG weekly overheads- the official LR plateglass/potted palms franchise in LR home town Solihull costs £50,000 /$100,000 per week - you need to move a lot of metal, the profit on a few die hard D-90 buyers won't even pay the tea lady

[javelinadave]

Tea lady? My local dealer is owned by Roger Penske and we don't get any tea. We get warm tap water or coffee that could remove paint from the cars! By the way, it is a new dealership and they sell:
Land Rovers
Jags
AM's
and a few other brands.

[OCD90]

I understand that part of the agreement is a geographical limitation on other potential dealerships, so you might be X-d out, if you're too close to the others.

I have a family friend that just sold a lincoln/mercury dealership in AZ. I could ask what the deal is.

[d90_1372]

This thread had become so tangential that I feel the need to contribute:

Dave, So Penske is going toe-to-toe with the Sun auto folks out there or has this been his group all along? i did quite a bit with Sun in the first few k of my 90's life out there with very mixed results.

Art, the drop curtain is really cool. I owe you a thanks.

Yousef, you are too funny man. Great sense of humor. Always can count on you to make me laugh.