Re: Prediction

[Chuck Simpson <csimpson@zeltech.com>]

I have to agree with you Don.  What is the most frequent image that most
dealerships portray?...  SLIMEY!!!!
I haven't met too many folks who actually enjoy dealing with these people.
If we could just cut out the suck-ass middle-man... then buying cars might
actually not be so stressfull and frustrating.  Maybe all of the sales centers

you talk about will provide fair prices without the hassle of being worried
about being ripped off.  When I was on the lookout to purchasing my Jetta,
one dealer had a price of near $24,000 for a new GLX and another dealership
down the street had one for just over $19,000 (actually $19,143).  So you
could imagine which dealership I bought from.  You can never know if you
are being ripped-off or given a fair price.

So who will carry models for me to test-drive?  :)

c-ya,

-Chuck Simpson...
'98 White Jetta GLX-VR6



deecee@exit109.com wrote:

> I have a prediction for the state of the auto industry. In the next 20
> years or so I see a major shift in the selling and servicing of cars. It is
> my opinion that car dealers VW included will be obsolete. Think about it.
> Since all major corporations are or have been downsizing why not the auto
> industry. I can vision that there will be no more car dealers. The
> factories will open up regional sales centers.  They can be located in
> shopping malls. Who needs to keep and floor plan several hundred cars. Sure
> the manufacturers dump the inventory on the dealers and it is up to the
> dealers to move the product. When a car is purchased the customer waits for
> it to arrive from or picks it up at a major distribution site.  I remember
> when my Father waited 6 weeks for his new 1966 Mustang to be built.  The
> assembly plant in Edison, NJ was 2 miles from my house.  How many
> dealerships are going bankrupt each year? Especially in recession years.
> Next I see major outside repair centers doing all the repairs both in and
> out of warranty. How many Penske Centers are around the country? How many
> Pep Boys etc? Most of the major work engines or transmissions will be major
> component swaps. For the problem cars the manufacturers will open up their
> own diagnosis centers.
>
> I am sure the idea will be started by one of the big three first. Followed
> by the imports. If the car manufacturers can save a dollar by all means
> they will try.
>
> Don