Bill Heard (11th Largest GM dealer) closing its doors today
Bill Heard Enterprises, which was the 11th largest automotive dealership group in the country in 2007, will close the doors of all its locations today.
Thirteen Chevy dealerships in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Tennessee and Texas will close today. There was no news of the company’s Saab and Cadillac businesses. The company — which dubbed itself “Mr. Big Volume” — points to credit problems and the down economy for the closings. After clearing more than $2 billion in revenues in 2007, the group’s CEO, Bill Heard Jr., pointed to customers’ inability to secure loans.
He also pointed to an internal fault of not adjusting to a floundering economy quickly enough. According to the company’s website, Heard employs 3,500 people.
My SSR: Slingshot Yellow VIN 20778 Born 05 May 2005 (05/05/05)
If I remember correctly . . . the goons at Bill Heard in Scottsdale were the most arrogant when I was shopping for an SSR back in late '04 and early '05.
I attended college with Bill Heard the Third. His nickname was...Big Volume, of course, but we considered him a loser. (By the time I met him, he was driving some wreck of a cheap sedan, having totalled first the Corvette his daddy gave him, and then the Trans Am his daddy gave him to replace the Corvette. ) I guess his bad luck rubbed off on the company.
Naw... I remember these people. I think there is something else to this story, some way to make money, or more money, for the family. Like walking away from debts or something, then selling the properties. I think they will get something big out of it.
__________________ Vicki B.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." M.L.K., Jr.
My SSR: 1BADDOX 2005 Redline Red 6-speed #20345 Build Date: 01/28/2005
Scottsdale car dealership closes; 148 laid off
Jane Larson - Sept. 12, 2008 05:05 PM
The Arizona Republic
SCOTTSDALE - Bill Heard Chevrolet abruptly closed its Scottsdale dealership and service department Friday, laying off 148 employees.
The dealership, part of Columbus, Ga.-based Bill Heard Enterprises Inc., said in a letter to the Scottsdale officials that the closure was due to "unexpectedly poor financial performance, recent adverse action by the dealership's lenders, and our inability to obtain sufficient financing."
The company said it is closing both of its Scottsdale locations today. It sold new and used vehicles at a dealership that it built two years ago at McDowell and Pima roads within sight of Loop 101. It ran service and parts departments at its longstanding location at McDowell and Scottsdale roads on Scottsdale's dealership row known as Motor Mile.
Heard built the new dealership in 2006 for an estimated $12 million.
__________________ SSR DOXDACHSHUND OWNER or is it the other way around??????
My SSR: 04 UV, BOD 2-18-04, SN 5550, lots of polished billet, Superchips, K&N - Previous 03 and 05 owner
It's about time they closed him down. I heard about this coming a few weeks ago and I was surprised it took this long. I have NEVER heard any good from them, only complaints and news stories. I am glad it finally happened but I am sorry for SOME of the employees having to look for new work.
My SSR: 04,Straighr duals,3G spoiler,4.56,K & N Cold Air Kit,General UHP
They were charged with fraud and deceptive practices in Ga by the State Attorney General and have not recovered. Imagine trading your car, they don't pay it off, you still owe for the one they took in and sold. Criminals will always resurface.
__________________
"it wouldn't take much for me to Up & Run" Kenny Chesney
Big Daddy
Macon, Ga
Other Rides-
08 F150
06 Mustang Convertable
10 EZ Go cart
Last of the old school dealers(nobody gets out alive)
They were still advertising here in Houston a few days ago. It kinda makes sense that they were not worried about ruinning their reputation , they had bigger problems to deal with.
My SSR: 2004 UV with flames #10443 (BOD: 05-24-04), 2005 "Sinister SSR"#19055 (BOD: 12-09-04)
I actually liked their service department - they pretty much always did whatever I asked. Also their body shop was excellent - every time I smashed up one of my vettes they made it look better than before the smashing. I'm a little upset, I'm going to miss them.
My SSR: 2006 Racy Aqua Blur 6spd Front end all Chrome/SS Tuned/ported
another down the drain
Most sued Chevy dealership in the Southeast region. Customers avoided them bigtime after a Channel 2, Orlando, hidden camera exposed repairs not done and charged etc...crooks seem to migrate to that dealership(s) and the usual high pressure tactics were their MO.They wanted $4600.00 more (for my SSR) - so I went to the Eustis Dealer and saved big $ - same SSR.
On the local news last night it talked about Bill Heard taking trade ins from buyers and not paying off the trade in. Bill Heard resold the trade in before paying it off and thousands of their buyers are getting calls and letters wanting payment for their trade in which they are still obligated to pay for. Some as much as $20,000 and the trade in could have been sold a couple of times after-wards and nobody can get a clear title to it. What a mess and the screw up of credit for everyone in this all ready troubled financial market.
It also say that it could be that 1 in 5 dealer will close by end of next year if the American Automobile makers do not turn things around.
My SSR: Lonnie lites,confidence by simple Engineering
In Los Gatos cal the family owned chevy dealer closed yesterday they reported the reason waas they were unable to pay the lease for the property . they were in business for almost 40 years . only family dealer for chevy in my area now is where I bought mine and that is Carl chevrolet in san jose
My brother's neighbor worked for a Heard dealership.
He was at work and overheard a comment or rumor; whatever he heard, he went directly to his supervisor to ask if the dealership would be closing. He was told, "No."
He went out on his break (to lunch, I think it was) and when he returned the dealership was in the process of closing down! He had to rush to get his tools and personal property out of the building before it was locked.
__________________ Vicki B.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." M.L.K., Jr.
...Landmark Chevy and Bill Heard Chevy, the local news said the Bill Heard location will remain open.
Both in Houston are closing - employees of both dealerships are looking for jobs. The cars on their lots are to be re-distributed to other dealers in the area within the next 2 weeks. There are a couple of Houston dealerships looking to purchase the property and building and reopen under another name. But this is going to take a long time until the courts find out who owns what and who owe who.
My SSR: 2004 UV with flames #10443 (BOD: 05-24-04), 2005 "Sinister SSR"#19055 (BOD: 12-09-04)
We went by the Bill Heard here yesterday - there were 2 brand new homeless Z06s locked in the showroom, so sad. We were wondering if we took the red one and left a red one (mine) if the Bankruptcy judge would know the difference. About that time two security guards escorted us off the property.
I was away Thursday and Friday for a GM school and when I came to work this morning I found out on Friday they let 9 people go and the Ford dealer across the street let 10 people go. So far no techs yet. I should be safe as I'm 1 of 2 world class tech in the Nashville area, as long as the dealer doesn't close it's door.
I'm glad my wife has her Air Force pension to fall back on.
__________________
30 years GM tech
20 years GM master tech
04 Yellow
My SSR: 2004 UV with flames #10443 (BOD: 05-24-04), 2005 "Sinister SSR"#19055 (BOD: 12-09-04)
Quote:
Originally Posted by wingrider
I was away Thursday and Friday for a GM school and when I came to work this morning I found out on Friday they let 9 people go and the Ford dealer across the street let 10 people go. So far no techs yet. I should be safe as I'm 1 of 2 world class tech in the Nashville area, as long as the dealer doesn't close it's door.
I'm glad my wife has her Air Force pension to fall back on.
Very scary stuff. Lonnie's former employer officially closed it's doors Friday - they used to employ 400-500 people. The Bill Heard dealership was very large, I'm guessing over 100 employees. Also the Rinker plant has closed down. All this in a town of maybe 30,000 people. Very sad.
My SSR: Black 03, Vin#0168, License Plate-"DRMRIDE". Woodward Dream Cruise Veteran 04-05-06-07-08-09&10
GM Plant too.
The General Motors plant I just retired out of this past July in Grand Rapids, Michigan is closing too. They just announced it this past Monday. It was a stamping parts plant with 1500 employee's. They supplied body panels for Moraine, Ohio and Janesville, Wis. They are both closing too by the end of this year.
Last edited by Scott 0168; 10-20-2008 at 06:46 AM.
That dealership sounds like the same quality level of the last Busch family member to run Anheuser-Busch.
I went to high school with "Augie" Busch (of Anheuser-Busch family fame) in St. Louis. Well, he was at school for one day with me in math class. He was not there the rest of the senior year (his only year there). Hmmm... just HOW did he graduate? Hmmm. He received a degree from Parkway West Senior High, but was only in my math class ONE DAY. Hmmm. Just how did he graduate? I'm not sure.
A waitress that was a passenger in the partying Busch's car died in a accident here in Tucson the following year. He left the scene of the accident and went home. The police found him 8 hours later covered in blood. The waitress that flew out the roof of his new Corvette was killed. The evidence (blood and urine taken from him after the accident to prove alcohol content) was mysteriously 'lost' after 8 months of investigation and charges were dropped.
The Busch family dragged him back to St. Louis to go to school there. He was arrested after a car chase and the police claimed that he had tried to run them over in his daddy's Mercedes. His lawyers argued that it was self defense because Augie said that he didn't know they were police. The charges were dropped.
Somehow he graduated from college with honors. How did THAT happen? Evidently he became a 'marketing genius' and helped to increase sales at Anheuser-Busch. He swore he would never sell the family business on his watch, yet recently he sold the company to foreign buyers.
After all that, my high school recently nominated 'Augie' Busch to the Parkway West Senior High School Hall of Fame for major career accomplishments. I was invited to attend.
That dealership sounds like the same quality level of the last Busch family member to run Anheuser-Busch.
I went to high school with "Augie" Busch (of Anheuser-Busch family fame) in St. Louis. Well, he was at school for one day with me in math class. He was not there the rest of the senior year (his only year there). Hmmm... just HOW did he graduate? Hmmm. He received a degree from Parkway West Senior High, but was only in my math class ONE DAY. Hmmm. Just how did he graduate? I'm not sure.
A waitress that was a passenger in the partying Busch's car died in a accident here in Tucson the following year. He left the scene of the accident and went home. The police found him 8 hours later covered in blood. The waitress that flew out the roof of his new Corvette was killed. The evidence (blood and urine taken from him after the accident to prove alcohol content) was mysteriously 'lost' after 8 months of investigation and charges were dropped.
The Busch family dragged him back to St. Louis to go to school there. He was arrested after a car chase and the police claimed that he had tried to run them over in his daddy's Mercedes. His lawyers argued that it was self defense because Augie said that he didn't know they were police. The charges were dropped.
Somehow he graduated from college with honors. How did THAT happen? Evidently he became a 'marketing genius' and helped to increase sales at Anheuser-Busch. He swore he would never sell the family business on his watch, yet recently he sold the company to foreign buyers.
After all that, my high school recently nominated 'Augie' Busch to the Parkway West Senior High School Hall of Fame for major career accomplishments. I was invited to attend.
I think that I'll pass on that one.
I got lost on that journey...are you talking about Ted Kennedy???
My SSR: Black - 2003 VIN# 3053 - Custom Paint by John Hardin
Back to Bill Heard
I went to Landmark several years ago when I was looking for a Blazer. Massive volume processing. Probably had about 25-30 sales people on duty in a circular room with a raised core in the middle with the "deal maker" on top of it. The third time my sales rep headed to the middle with his little folded piece of "final price" offer - I got up and left without saying goodbye. Really uncomfortable doing business there.
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Bill Heard (11th Largest GM dealer) closing its doors today
Permagrin....
SSR DOX DACHSHUND OWNER or is it the other way around??????
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another down the drain
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