Pocono News Section

Car Dealership Gets Second Chance

Car Dealership Gets Second Chance - Monday, March 15, 2010 at 04:14AM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Monday March 15 2010
Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table. MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} MONTGOMERY, LYCOMING COUNTY -- A Lycoming County company in limbo for the past ten months now has a reason to celebrate.

Hulsizer Chevrolet in Montgomery almost became a casualty of General Motor's cutbacks. Their franchise agreement was terminated.

But now they're back. Owner Bill Schneck is thrilled to be back in business. Schneck explained, "(The) first thing I did was I went to the people in my building here to inform them, and we all just about cried. Then I went to my service shops, and everybody was ecstatic."

Ten months ago, they were anything but, when G. M. announced thousands of dealerships were being dropped. Schneck found the termination of his franchise agreement especially surprising, because he says his dealership far exceeded G. M.'s standards for sales, service, and customer satisfaction.

Schneck's employees continued to provide services for existing customers. And Schneck prepared to appeal G. M.'s decision, armed with more than 400 letters of support.

Schneck noted, "To the extent that most people were so upset that if we were going to go, they weren't going to buy Chevrolets anymore. They were very upset with General Motors."

Then the call came, only several days ago, with word that Hulsizer's franchise agreement was being reinstated. Now the dealership that sells hundreds of new and used cars each month here along Route 54 is back in action.

Samuel Dotts of Montgomery said, "I think it's a good idea. They need stuff in this town for the people, for cars and that."

Employees of the company- which has been owned by the same family for more than a century- say customers can continue to expect quality when they come in here.

Schneck added, "Knowing that we will continue to do the best job that we can for them. Business will not change. It will continue as it has the last 110 years."

Of the 2,000 dealerships dropped nationwide as part of G. M.'s restructuring, we're told more than 600 have since been reinstated.