Yesterday I received an email from my dealer, Dennison Chevrolet in Richmond, that effective today, their dealership will be closing due to "Due to General Motor's restructuring plan and the unprecedented events of the past couple of years".

I purchased my HHR from them back in 2005 - they had received their first 3 HHRs that weekend, and we bought the third and last one of their initial batch. I found them to be a fair and honest dealer, and a community oriented one at that, as they would host a Corvette Clubs charity event every year.

I've used their body shop three times - once to install running boards, and twice to repair falling tree damage (trees HATE my HHR) - and each time they did a pretty nice job. Their service and parts staff were very helpful, and quick.

Sad to see them go.

 

The dealer I purchased my HHR from (Rathmann Chevrolet) folded about 6-7 months after I took delivery. Another owner took over the operation. Rathmann had been a successful dealership when the old man ran it, but the son ran two dealerships into the ground. I have been to the new dealership and their service department seems ok, the sales staff has something to be desired, but that may be the norm for car sales staff. They seem to have it a take it or leave it when looking at another Chevy.

 

Two Chevy dealers in my area have closed over the last couple years. The Pontiac dealer around the corner from me that I bought a Grand Am and a Grand Prix from closed also.

 

In my town ALL new car dealers are gone!

Dodge - gone;
Ford - gone;
Chevy - gone;
GMC - gone;
Nissan - gone.

Never was a toyota dealer.

 

My favorite Dealer Hall Chevrolet of S TN (since 1948) closed at this past Christmas, cut by the GM machine..
Family run since it opened.. They were serious about customer satisfaction..

 

I bought my HHR at Thorstad Chevrolet in Madison, WI this past February. It was a great dealership, they treated me right, no-pressure, good to work with. I would've gone there again for the next car I buy, whenever that is. But, my sales guy told me that in a matter of months, they're going to lose their contract/agreement with Chevrolet and become an independent dealer, or in other words, a used car place like "Thorstad Auto Sales" or something like that. Chances are, I probably wouldn't buy from a place like that. Funny thing is, not more than a few months after I bought my HHR, I got a letter in the mail from my sales guys saying he had jumped on board with another area dealership, Ballweg Chevrolet in Middleton, WI, and he said he would appreciate the opportunity to sell me my next vehicle at his new dealership. I can't really speak of his new dealership at all. Seeing as how I'm only 18 and have a lack of knowledge when it comes to buying a car, and the fact I went out on my own when searching around, he could've tried to take advantage of me, but he didn't. I'm sure there are other places out there that might have tried to. When the time comes for me to get another car, that'll be the first place I look. He treated me well and took care of me the first time, so I have faith that he'll do it again. It's nice to know that they're are still good dealerships out there, and not all of them are scuzzy, cheating, and crappy. It's too bad that a lot of the good dealership are the victims, I wish the rotten, garbage dealerships would be the ones to go.

 

We lost a few dealers here but they were no loss. They were small and just never kept up with the times.

There are a few others still around here that should have been cut for their bait and switch ways.

 

My dealer closed 3 months after I bought my HHR...but that was financial trouble with the dealer...

 

Got mine at Buff Whelan, I would be very surprised if they closed.

 

The sales department in my local dealer are crooks. It's a known fact among locals. They deserve to close, but they remain open.