One of Nation’s Largest Hummer Stores to Shut Its Doors

[Newsjock]

Source: Wall Street Journal

General Motors’s quest to sell its Hummer division may get a bit tougher after Tuesday.

That is when Dan Towbin–whose dealerships grabbed national attention as the backdrop for an A&E television series called “King of Cars“–will close his Hummer dealership, one of the brand’s largest stores in the U.S. and the only one in Las Vegas. It is at least the eighth Hummer dealer closing this year, nearly a 5% decline in the brand’s U.S. dealer base.

As GM tries to sell the Hummer brand, dealership closings are one of a handful of black marks the auto maker carries into negotiations with potential buyers. Critics have suggested it will be hard for GM to sell Hummer, and there is little good news for the brand–at least in the core U.S. market–to counter that skepticism.

This closing is notable because of where it is taking place and who is pulling the plug. It is, after all, one thing for enviro-friendly people in San Francisco–another city that recently lost a key Hummer dealership–to shun the brand. It is entirely different when Sin City decides the vehicles are too excessive. Towbin said Las Vegas is a custom fit for Hummer. “It’s all about bling and it’s in the desert,” he said.

... It’s hard to see where the value is for dealers or consumers in Hummer in the United States,” said Sheldon Sandler, founder of Bel-Air Partners, an investment-banking firm focused exclusively on representing automotive dealers in buying and selling their dealerships. “It’s yesterday’s fashion statement…sort of the automotive equivalent to hula-hoops.”

Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2008/09/08/nations-largest-hummer-store-to-shut-its-doors/

[TroglodyteScholar]

1. Hmm...what would be an appropriate response....

:nopity:

[Sabriel]

9. A Bummer for Hummer

OK, not really a bummer.

[flvegan]

2. They're not just excessive...they're shit.

It just took a few years for the few massive flaws to come together.

[MadMaddie]

3. Calling Sympathy....Calling Sympathy...

Sorry no one answers to the name of Sympathy!

Hummers are like the pet rock fad or hoola hoops....the Auto Industry was too greedy and stupid to get out of it. Now they want a government bailout. Too bad!

[BearSquirrel2]

5. Pet rocks and Hula Hoops ...

Pet rocks and hoola hoops cost much, much less and consumed much, much, much less fuel than a Hummer.

You can tell conservative assholes by watching them climb into their Hummer. And when you watch the same people inch their Hummer over railroad tracks (and stupid), you know they're also complete pussies as I blast my little sedan over them.

[fortyfeetunder]

6. Yes, you can find Sympathy

Between Sh!t and Too D@mn Bad! :evilgrin:

[MadMaddie]

10. ha..ha..ha..

:rofl:

[LunaSea]

4. Dammit.

There goes my new hobby.


http://www.fuh2.com/submissions.php
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deadhorse/111388788/

Well, there's always Lawn Darts.

[silverojo]

7. Why would a Hummer be a "perfect fit" for the desert?

I lived in Phoenix for a couple of decades, and let me tell you, when it's 118 degrees, the last thing you need is a gas-sucker. Running your A/C at full blast practically vacuums the gas out of your tank in a normal car; now imagine how fast the gas is burned up in a Hummer.

Also, Vegas (like Phoenix) is very spread out, and people commute to work--hence the popularity of small cars that don't use as much gas. For this reason, parking spaces are smaller than average.

The real "bling" in both those places are cars like the BMW, Mercedes, etc. Phoenix is lousy with luxury cars, as is Vegas. Yes, there are imbeciles with Hummers, but they're outnumbered by the luxury cars.

Towbin is just trying to make excuses for pandering to the idiot market for so many years....

[sofa king]

8. Someday soon they'll make fine upscale homes.

But just like today, once you've got one it will be expensive to move.

[BrklynLiberal]

11. AWWWW. Now what are all those folks with itty bitty peepees going to drive?

;( :cry:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[formercia]

15. Big men with little dicks need big cars to get their fix.

:rofl:

The 20 Mule team Hummer, a perfect tribute to St. Ronnie.

[Democat]

12. Arnold is getting recalled and Hummer is failing

How the mighty fall.

[Ecumenist]

13. GOOD!! I hated that show and despise those cars.

[Night_Nurse]

14. Good riddance! nt

[progressoid]

16. It's about time.

[demnan]

17. A Republican who lives in my complex

has one of these dinosaurs. I chuckle to myself every time I see him get in it. Bet he wishes he had my Camry instead.

[HopeHoops]

18. Geeze, now where is a guy with a dinky penis supposed to get a vehicle?

[DinahMoeHum]

19. Let him buy Viagra.

:evilgrin: