Jackie Charniga Former reporter covering the finance-and-insurance business and auto retailing See All Staff Page Recent Stories Chevy, Cadillac dealerships trade hands after Nebraska court battle involving GM exercising its right of first refusal General Motors last year exercised its right of first refusal in a buy-sell deal for two Nebraska stores. The automaker ultimately sued the seller and original buyer before a judge dismissed the case. The stores changed hands in May. Boon or burden? Automakers' use of right of first refusal in dealership buy-sells aids some, hinders others The right of first refusal in dealership buy-sells has helped minority dealers acquire stores, some their first, and is a tool many automakers say can help them manage their franchises. But others say an increased use of the tool can hurt factory-dealer relations, spook some would-be bidders and lead to lower dealership prices. Kia, Hyundai, Genesis, VW, Ford and Audi dealerships sell across 4 states A pair of Canadian auto retailers, as well as two large Midwest dealership groups, expanded with deals across Michigan, Ohio, Texas and New York. W.Va. man youngest to earn world-class technician status Nathaniel Dillard is the youngest ASE-certified world-class technician, passing all 22 tests by age 22. He now works at the Mercedes-Benz plant for a European automotive engineering consulting company. Zeigler Auto buys Kia-Nissan, GMC and Hyundai dealerships Zeigler Auto Group of Kalamazoo, Mich., acquired Elhart Automotive in Holland, Mich., to expand its Michigan and Midwest presence. Bill that aimed to block automaker ability to reassign buy-sell deals fails in West Virginia A bill that aimed to block automakers' use of right of first refusal on dealership buy-sell deals in West Virginia failed to move in the House of Delegates before the state's legislative session ended last month. Former MLB players Brian Dorsett and Dorian Boyland buy and sell dealerships in Q1 Two dealerships trading hands involved former Major League Baseball players Dorian Boyland and Brian Dorsett, and a group bought its second Long Island store, all in the first quarter, while another dealer purchased his second store in fourth-quarter 2022. Ford, Chevy, Hyundai, Kia and Mazda dealerships sell in 3 states Dealerships selling Ford, Chevy, Hyundai, Kia and Mazda brands sold in separate fourth-quarter transactions. The stores were in Ohio, Texas and New York. Stellantis, Ford, GM and Mercedes-Benz dealerships trade hands in Q4 Stellantis, Ford, GM and Mercedes-Benz dealerships sold in fourth-quarter transactions across Montana, Missouri, New Jersey and Michigan. Ford, Nissan dealerships sell in four states Serra Automotive Inc., Krause Auto Group and first-time franchised dealership buyers were among purchasers of stores in first-quarter and second-quarter transactions. Ford, Stellantis and Cadillac-Buick-GMC dealerships sell in 3 states Five domestic-brand dealerships were sold in the fourth quarter of 2021 and first and second quarters of 2022 in single-store transactions in three states. Ford, Chevy and Chevy-Buick dealerships sell in Q1 acquisitions Three dealerships — Ford, Chevrolet and Chevrolet-Buick rooftops — were sold in first-quarter transactions. The dealerships involved in separate deals are in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Wisconsin. Ford, Bentley and Stellantis dealerships sold in 4 states Four dealerships, including an exclusive Bentley dealership, changed hands in single-store transactions in the fourth quarter of 2021 and first quarter of 2022. Staluppi Jr., Kiefer Automotive Group among buyers of dealerships Stores changed hands in Florida, Oregon and Massachusetts. N.Y. dealership settles with former employee over harassment complaints A New York dealership settled with a former employee who filed a lawsuit claiming store management improperly handled her her sexual harassment complaints. Load More
Jackie Charniga Former reporter covering the finance-and-insurance business and auto retailing See All Staff Page