Top Suzuki dealer stops selling, cites floorplan woes
Arlena Sawyers
Automotive News
March 6, 2009 - 1:51 pm ET
A Suzuki dealership in Huntsville, Ala., that was once the brand's top U.S. sales outlet has stopped selling vehicles while its owner looks for a new source of inventory financing.
Dealer Gary Linam told Automotive News he "voluntarily surrendered" the vehicle inventories of both Suzuki of Huntsville and Shoals Suzuki in Sheffield, Ala., to GMAC Financial Services late last month. Linam said he no longer could meet the lender's demands.
GMAC spokesman Mike Stoller said today the company does not comment on individual dealers. Stoller said GMAC bases floorplanning decisions on dealers' creditworthiness and the company's own funding condition.
In 2006, Linam's Huntsville dealership sold 4,200 new Suzuki vehicles, the most of any U.S. Suzuki outlet. Last year, Linam said, the dealership sold fewer than 500 new vehicles.
He said the two Suzuki dealerships continue to do parts and service business.
Linam's other dealerships -- McClary Ford, of Athens, Ala., and Hyundai of Decatur, of Decatur, Ala. -- still sell new and used vehicles. Linam said the Ford store is floorplanned by Ford Motor Credit Co., and Hyundai Motor Finance Co. floorplans the Hyundai store.
