Quote:
Originally Posted by greg42
It seems like they would be defacto dealers if dealers went away. If there weren't dealers, then there would have to be company showrooms instead where we could go for test drives and service, even if we didn't go there for purchase and instead had direct delivery to the home or something. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss? Maybe that would be better, maybe it wouldn't. But the auto companies would have to get way up to speed in running that part of the business.
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Right, and I don't think that its as good for the consumer as the OP and Luxhauler think. You might only pay one price region or nationwide, but it certainly won't be a cheaper price. Understand that the dealership network has to compete with each other. If the manufacturer controls the point of sale, they won't compete. They will set prices across the country. And, the cost of running the store isn't going to change; they still have to service the vehicles and store them, etc...
A secondary thought, it is not "illegal in 48 states." 48 States have laws that regulate the sale of vehicles directly from the manufacturer, and Tesla has stores in 22 states, that they own, and operate, that are not independent franchises. I know in the past that Ford has dabbled in owning their own stores and failed at it/abandoned the idea.
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