Between Chrysler and GM, around 2000 dealerships will be closing by the end of 2010. Some dealers have simply accepted the fact, while others have looked for other product to sell. According to Mazda Executive Vice President Philip Spender, there have been numerous dealers interested in signing up with the Japanese automaker.
“There has been considerable interest,” Spender said today at the Japanese launch of the Mazda 3. “Dealers who have left someone else come to us, and then we go to a higher-quality point.”
The company said it doesn’t want to simply increase the number of stores it has, but hopes to get better locations for its dealerships. It is also looking to replace failed dealerships with stronger ones that were let go by Chrysler and GM.
“We probably don’t need more dealers numerically,” Spender said. “But if you can improve the position of where you are, that’s worth doing. And if you can improve the financial strength of a point, that’s worth doing.”
Source: Automotive News