Tough market forces Suzuki to close 2 Ohio dealers (via Google News)

[Thirty-Nine]

Found this through Google News. Two dealers closing in Ohio. However, the article offers some insight into Suzuki.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/busin...le-838784.html

[socarboy99]

I hope that Suzuki doesn't loose too many more retailers in the USDM. But can understand their reasoning. I feel lucky to have the dealer in my area they lost Dodge in June '09 and were able to pickup Suzuki afterwards (Strom Altman). Hopefully the dealers that will remain will be quality dealers with good sales and service customer ratings.

[213]

I suppose it boils down to what Suzuki's vision for ASMC finally is. If the American subsidiary is to strictly be a boutique player, serving local/regional markets where viable dealers exist, then the current model may be (somewhat) sustainable. ASMC is, after all, less an automobile company than an importing company. It buys foreign goods, sells them to domestic retailers and compensates warranty claims. Absent any design, manufacturing or (seeming) marketing purview, its overhead would be comparatively nominal.

If, on the other hand, Suzuki aspires to grow U.S. market share, I don't see how that will occur with 300 dealers selling non-volume product that is largely unadvertised. The linked article's first reader comment echoes what I hear in southern California routinely: "SUZUKI? I thought they made motorcycles..."

Corporate conservatism is fine and well. But the first rule of business is that it takes money to make money. And when it comes to the hyper-competitive U.S. auto market, Karl Marx's view of sales dynamics is essentially correct: If you're not growing, you're dying.

[Wolfe787]

on Puerto Rico there are very few dealers that pop or go... and there are like 50 suzuki dealers, in a 100 by 10 mile island