Wednesday, September 24, 2008 - 2:10 PM CDT
Bill Heard to close all 13 dealerships
Memphis Business Journal

Auto dealer Bill Heard Enterprises Inc. will shutter all of its 13 stores on Friday, The Columbus (Ga.) Ledger-Enquirer reported Wednesday.

It’s not clear whether the Collierville, Tenn., dealership will be closed or sold. Calls to the dealership were not answered Wednesday.

The company began in Columbus in 1919, founded by W.T. Heard Sr. It developed into the country’s biggest Chevrolet dealer for years and runs dealerships in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Texas and Nevada.

But the souring economy brought less demand for new cars and GMAC recently eliminated Bill Heard’s credit for inventory, the paper noted. As MBJ sister paper Atlanta Business Chronicle reported in July 2007, Bill Heard faced a $50 million deceptive advertising lawsuit and was bombarded with a litany of complaints from consumers in the states where it operated.

It closed a store in Arizona earlier in September.

According to its Web site, Bill Heard sells “around $2.5 billion” worth of vehicles a year and employs more than 3,500.

http://www.bizjournals.com/...8/09/22/daily19.html
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quote GMAC recently eliminated Bill Heard’s credit for inventory. ...Bill Heard faced a $50 million deceptive advertising lawsuit and was bombarded with a litany of complaints from consumers in the states where it operated.

My opinion?

Around here, the guy is legendary for his crookedness.
GM pulled the rug out from under him.
My heart just bleeds.

I'm sorry for all the people who will be put out of a job, but I'm sure that other dealers will take up the slack (in employment and sales.)

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Raydar
88 4.9 Formula IMSA Fasback..........................88 3.4 coupe -soon to be something other than red

Read Nealz Nuze! Praise the Lowered!

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 09-24-2008).]

Sounds like a crook. Good reddens. ( and ya, sad for the people that have to pay the price for one mans greed and dishonesty )

Bill Heard dealerships had a very bad reputation, even among car dealers!

Today, Courtesy Pontiac in Longwood FL closed its doors.
http://www.wftv.com/news/17555175/detail.html
They were longtime friends/ sponsors of Central Florida Fieros.

[This message has been edited by NEPTUNE (edited 09-25-2008).]

I feel bad for all the employees. Not easy finding a job these days.. and overalls that's quite a few jobs there.

I'm surprised the federal government didn't bail him out. doesn't matter if you are crooked you know, just that you have a big impact on the economy.

My son just called and told me about this.
He bought his Trailblazer SS from there, and was promised lifetime tire replacement.

Guess they didn't specify tire lifetime or dealeship lifetime.

quote Originally posted by JKFIERO: My son just called and told me about this. He bought his Trailblazer SS from there, and was promised lifetime tire replacement. Guess they didn't specify tire lifetime or dealeship lifetime.

Seems to be about normal for those guys.

There's an article about this on AJC.com (local paper's website) with a comment section.
There are literally pages of people writing in to describe the ways that they've been screwed.
There are a few people writing in to say that they've been treated fairly, but they are outnumbered about 4 to 1.

Having said that, I still am sorry for all the decent folks who are now unemployed.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 09-25-2008).]

Last year I went to Bill Heard Huntsville looking for a small pick-up. The salesman would NOT talk PRICE only MONTHLY payment. No way was I going to spent the next 7-10 years paying for an old S-10 just cause the payments were cheap. So I went and bought an 88GT parked up at Ed's not as practical but at 1/3 the cost and no monthly payment I'm better off.