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GM says most of its US dealers agree to upgrades

By DEE-ANN DURBIN - AP Auto Writer -- LAS VEGAS -- General Motors Co. said Saturday that most of its 4,400 U.S. dealers have agreed to upgrade their showrooms over the next four years.

The upgrades include new signs, more modern interiors and lounges with free Wi-Fi. In some cases, dealers might also open cafes or salons.

The company announced its plans at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Las Vegas.

GM said 3,400 dealers have agreed to upgrades, and 1,000 have been completed.

GM said it also plans to give dealerships more sales and service training and encourage them to do more online marketing. If they meet all the upgraded standards, they'll receive quarterly payments, spokesman Tom Henderson said.

Henderson said 36 percent of GM's stores were built before 1970.


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Submitted Feb 05, 2012 By: Mudsprings
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REPLIES (newest first)
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99dakota
Champion Author Providence

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Message Posted: Feb 6, 2012 6:08:51 AM

GM bond holders took a beating in the bailout.
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SavingInNC
Champion Author North Carolina

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Message Posted: Feb 6, 2012 5:44:34 AM

No just cut the price of your vehicles.
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RonTheRunner77
Veteran Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Feb 6, 2012 3:56:36 AM

woo hoo new sings! I wasn't going to buy a GM car I'm reconsidering on this news though!
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dh0770
Champion Author Colorado

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Message Posted: Feb 6, 2012 2:06:03 AM

Oh ya? And how much bailout money will be needed?
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ExplorerWA
Champion Author Washington

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Message Posted: Feb 6, 2012 12:08:10 AM

These upgrades will be added to the price of the car. I could car less about the showroom but the training sounds good.
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NHLiveFree
Champion Author New Hampshire

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 11:58:17 PM


Skip the salon deal and add some saloons GM.
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my2002m
Champion Author Tulsa

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 11:27:31 PM

I'm not shopping for a showroom.
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schatzila
Champion Author Los Angeles

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:19:16 PM

whoop-de-doo
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amerk73
Champion Author Dallas

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 9:55:37 PM

good for GM
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bullman68
All-Star Author St. Louis

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 9:16:34 PM

Sounds like what Harley Davidson did with most of their dealers.
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2amy
All-Star Author Fresno

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 9:07:22 PM

A good way to lure customers inn. A great way to get you to want to buy a new car , of course with new payments.
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alterman156
Champion Author New York

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 9:05:48 PM

There are many dealerships that date back many years and they haven't upgraded their showrooms.
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jcotaxi
Veteran Author South Bend

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 8:48:22 PM

GM must be wanting to cut down on their marketing budget.
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Wanda127
Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 8:42:06 PM

The upgrades cost will be passed on the customers.
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Bonnie24TX
Rookie Author El Paso

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 7:51:43 PM

Don't be fooled, upgrades usually come with higher priced cars, or vice versa, but I hope not. Wish we could all be driving more American made cars.
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Van_Halen
Champion Author Atlanta

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 5:44:58 PM

.
Why waste the money when they will be out of business in less then 5 years!
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kx250
Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 3:55:59 PM

probably wasn't voluntary, and how do you think the dealers get their money back, from their customers - get that great GM fee eel ing....
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BuckyTJones
Champion Author Salt Lake City

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 3:05:38 PM

I think GM would be better served if they focused on building a better more affordable product than a fancy labeled elixir promising to cure all.
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jim27106
All-Star Author North Carolina

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 2:15:59 PM

Truth, I think GM has paid back your money (Fox, 4/2010).
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2granny
Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 12:53:43 PM

Sounds like a waste of money.
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BudsterMO
Champion Author Kansas City

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 11:59:27 AM

This sounds like the OLD GM, not realistic at all.
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fullcirclethink
Champion Author Washington

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 11:56:58 AM

Add a few brand name stores and a food court and you might get me in there!
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Sneakers55
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 11:55:17 AM

On Feb 5, 2012 10:11:19 AM, OHMS wrote:

>GM isn't the only carmaker asking dealers to upgrade their
>facilities. Ford Motor Co. said last week that 75 of its
>Lincoln dealers have already done major renovations of
>their facilities

Around here, the remaining Mopar dealers upgraded their facilities.

As Ford points out in their annual reports, the dealer is the customer's interface to the brand. Therefore, it should be nicely appointed. One year, Ford set goals of 1500 vehicles annually for a Ford dealer in urban areas, figuring that was enough that the dealer could support a nice facility. Lincoln dealers, on the other hand, only had to do 600 as they sell a pricier vehicle.
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Norm10
Champion Author British Columbia

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 11:41:59 AM

Just tell them they won't have to flog those money loosing Volts and I'm sure they would all be willing to make the upgrades.
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TruthMatters
All-Star Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 11:24:39 AM

Upgrade some of their vehicles first, then pay back my tax money!
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NedW
Champion Author Indianapolis

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 11:22:38 AM

Maybe some of them could make landing strips and host fly-ins.
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OHMS
Champion Author Orange County

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 11:11:19 AM

GM isn't the only carmaker asking dealers to upgrade their facilities. Ford Motor Co. said last week that 75 of its Lincoln dealers have already done major renovations of their facilities, and more have agreed to future upgrades.
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DutchTreatMI
Champion Author Grand Rapids

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:45:22 AM

Sounds to me like some of the upgrades are a waste of money and unnecessary.
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rx7racerca
Champion Author Calgary

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:30:43 AM

mikesr11: don't you mean statues of Bush and Cheney in the showrooms? Obama didn't approve the auto company bailouts - Bush did. It was just completed after Obama came in. Just like it was Bush and a still Republican House that approved the 700 billion for the banks - a figure larger by a factor of 10, and of far less merit. The banking and investment industry haven't changed how they operate one bit since (for that you can blame both Obama and the GOP - Obama for failing to act more decisively, and the GOP for resisting changes to bank and market governance like their lives depended on it - which politically speaking, they do, since for both parties, the biggest donors call the shots - they expect laws to be written their way for their billions in donations).

At least GM is employing Americans, making money, and, much as I don't like to say it (because I haven't liked GM for a long, long time because of mostly indifferent products, and 40 years of focus on profits instead of product), they are producing much better cars. But if you don't like the bailouts, put the blame where it rightly belongs. Or will you vote back the party that gave you the recession and bailouts in 2012, because you can't remember order of events?

[Edited by: rx7racerca at 2/5/2012 10:32:27 AM EST]
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Don20
Champion Author Oklahoma City

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:25:37 AM

-- LAS VEGAS -- General Motors Co. said Saturday that most of its 4,400 U.S. dealers have agreed to upgrade their showrooms over the next four years.
The upgrades include new signs, more modern interiors and lounges with free Wi-Fi. In some cases, dealers might also open cafes or salons.

Are you looking for a new vehicle, or a hair cut and lunch.???????

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fieldt
Champion Author Lansing

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:20:39 AM

Interesting concept.
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carpenter4u
Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:18:58 AM

Of course their arms are being twisted by Government Motors. They are still using our money
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fatboy97
All-Star Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:18:56 AM

That still does not produce better autos.
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Tonester1
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:16:13 AM

they should improve their attitudes and service.
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MidNJ
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:15:52 AM

Here we go with all the "Obammabad" (copywrite MidNJ 2010) comments. Unfortunately I have not seen one of those who continually badmouth our President offer another suggestion. Who likes Romney? If so, say so. Who likes Newt? If you do, say so. Like Paul or Rick, say so!

Get off of the "Obammabad" comments.

Also, we have been hearing them for years and all this BS about "Government Motors". Personally I am glad that we still have an auto manufacturing base that exists in the USA. So are those employed by General Motors.
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buzzieNY
Champion Author Buffalo

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:15:41 AM


Put a Tim Hortons and a Dunkin Donuts in while you're at it.
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REVLAW
Champion Author San Antonio

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:15:01 AM

Improvement of the "atmosphere" will not improve the product. GM is a failed company that "robbed" taxpayers and investors to survive. They deserve no patronage.
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mikesr11
Champion Author New York

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:13:53 AM

WHAT IS THE UPGRADE? STATUES OF OBAMA AND BIDEN IN THE SHOWROOMS!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Tnerbeel
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:12:20 AM

For myself, it doesn't matter how much they spiffy up those showrooms, they'll never find me in any of them. Meet me down the street at the Ford dealership.
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Ltdc
Champion Author Long Island

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:10:43 AM

Unless you're at the dealership for everything I wouldn't lose much sleep over the dealership. It's a nice perk but not a deal breaker.
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ljmh
Champion Author Akron

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:10:28 AM

Only good from this is the jobs it will create.
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calypso93
Champion Author Scranton

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:10:11 AM

Put a McDonalds and a Dunkin Donuts in while you're at it.
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dlemma
Champion Author Wyoming

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:08:58 AM

No matter WHAT they do to the building we will NOT buy electric cars!
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CJ300
All-Star Author New York

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:08:30 AM

If it helps sell cars
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dlemma
Champion Author Wyoming

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:08:11 AM

hey - pay us back our money - give those who totally lost when Barry took over the company - before you do anything to the BUILDINGS. We don't care about the dealership other than being clean and neat.

We want the best buy for our money and that has NOTHING to do with the dealership!
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BillHeatherL
Champion Author Alberta

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:07:59 AM

will it affect pump prices
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Wolfwings
Champion Author Delaware

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:06:53 AM

Sounds like 0-BUMMER is hiring on next year..

Hope And Change?
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srqmale67
Champion Author Sarasota

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:06:29 AM

maybe so
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Heltonw
Champion Author Montana

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:06:02 AM

Help the dealers that work long and hard to promote GM products.
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srqmale67
Champion Author Sarasota

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Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 10:05:41 AM

hope so
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