Drive UPDATE concerning the Van Buren County Road Commission

Our 3 year battle goes on! Most of you know of our dilemma attempting to get a driveway approval for a safe and convenient access to our Motorplex from the 4 lane road in front of our property: Phoenix Street. Linda and I have attended the past 2 Van Buren County Road Commission meetings in Lawrence. I have read a written statement during the "public comment" portion of the meeting, given the board a copy and asked that it be entered into the record. The board and their engineer manager have been asked to respond to 5 specific questions concerning the process of granting driveways. The Van Buren County Road Commission has not responded by phone, fax, email, letter, or smoke signal!
I then attended a Van Buren County Board of Commissioners meeting last week. I read a written statement and then asked just who the Road Commissioners were accountable to. The answer I got should concern everyone: In essence, I was told that the Board of Commissioners only get involved with the 6 year appointments of the individual and that ends their accountability until the end of the 6 year term! We have an elected county board that appoints folks to a 6 year road commission term with no accountability for their actions for the entire term? What's wrong with THAT picture?? This situation needs to be confronted and corrected to protect everyone who resides in Van Buren County. The Road Commission seems to think that if they ignore our requests we will just fade away. NOT A CHANCE. Things are going to get very interesting..... Stay tuned. I will never give up in my fight for what is right!!

The REAL COST of Cash for Clunkers? $24,000 per incremental sale!!

The Edmund car site just released a study on the true cost of the government's Cash for Clunkers program. They used the actual sales records for the period, units that were sold under the clunker program, compared the data to "non incentive" months and came up with this stunning number: $24,000 per car sold under the program! Great job feds. I'd sure like you running our marketing at the Motorplex! The sad fact is that many auto dealers are still waiting for their money! I've been told that each transaction under the program entailed 27 pages of required documentation.
The auto news only got better this week when ONE US automaker reported a profit: Ford Motor Company which is looking more and more like the ONLY intelligent auto maker as they turned down a government bailout. Stay tuned this week when Fiat will attempt to instill public confidence in Chrysler as they reveal future product plans. Listen carefully and you'll find out just how bare the new product cupboard is at Chrysler. The situation is beyond critical with virtually no new car updates until 2012 at the EARLIEST. The only new products coming in 2010-2011 are 3/4 and one ton trucks along with a new Jeep Grand Cherokee. Now those are 3 hot sellers in this market! Ouch! Some re-badged Fiat are being "Americanized" as we speak. I really don't think that FIAT is a car that comes to mind for most Americans considering a new car!
The automakers have things coming at them from all sides. New government regulations for fuel economy are certainly justified, but limiting the amount of sunlight entering the car is just bizarre. Ford Motor has a UAW that will not accept the same contract terms as they gave to GM and Chrysler. Now we hear the the government is "guiding" GM and Chrysler in product planning! This can only be a major disaster alert! Before it's over there may just be a whole new meaning to "postal van"!

VanDerZee Motorplex Expands Services!

The economic climate in Michigan continues to be a colossal challenge. We're listening to our clients and we are responding with new services: We now offer virtually every major brand of tire for your car, van, truck or trailer. We purchased the equipment from South Haven's OK Tire when they closed. You can be confident that our prices will be competitive. What makes us different is that your tires will be installed by a certified auto technician who will do a professional job and look over your vehicle for any necessary repairs. Just call Grant Hammock at 269 637 8788 for fast estimates and scheduling.
We have also expanded our personal watercraft winterizing services. We can winterize, shrink wrap and store your watercraft and maintain the battery! Just drop off your unit and we'll do the rest. Have a restful winter and then call us in the spring. We'll have your watercraft uncovered, battery installed, checked over and ready to ride! If you've been paying a premium for indoor storage, give us a call and I'll bet that we will save you some serious money!
Keep an eye on this blog for more updates concerning our VanBuren County Road Commission battle! It's going to get real ugly if they continue their current course! Stay tuned, folks!

GM's 60 Day Money Back Promo is a FLOP!!

As I predicted a few weeks ago, the GM Money Back Plan has been a total FLOP. Yesterday GM's Bob Lutz announced that during the program 150,000 GM vehicles have been sold! That sounds pretty good, right? Well, the only problem is that GM actually LOST market share! Here's how the GM dealers presented the "deal of the decade": a potential GM purchaser was enticed with the huge national advertising campaign of "bring it back in 60 days if you're not happy"! What GM didn't tell you was that when you actually closed the purchase, you had a choice: sign the 60 day money back agreement OR (and this is one that most dealers wouldn't let their salespeople talk about) there was a 500.00 rebate in lieu of the Money Back deal. Bob Lutz "thought" that about 100 people signed up for the 60 day program while everybody else took the money! He claims that one person returned a Corvette to exchange his 6 speed manual for an automatic! So let's see if I understand. GM spent millions of dollars promoting a 60 day money back may the best car win program that had 100 takers? The result was 150,000 sales and LOSS OF MARKET SHARE? As Ricky Ricardo would say: "The person that came up with this winning idea has lots of SPLAINING to do!" I did hear that the guy behind the 60 Day MONEY BACK program had the confidence of GM management because his previous successful campaign was the SHAMWOW! I can't wait for the next GM promotion! I've heard rumors about buy a GM car and we'll include you in our health care program! Hey, the government owns GM so why not?

3 Year Battle With Road Commission Begs for Justice!

Any of you that have visited VanDerZee Motorplex has experienced the frustration of trying to find a way in to our parking lot! We have attempted to work with the Van Buren County Road Commission for over 3 years in an effort to get what should be a simple task: a driveway off of Phoenix Street, the 4 lane that runs in front of the Motorplex! Before we started construction in 2006, we followed the rules and applied for a driveway. Just a formality, right? After all, we are located on one of the main commercial arteries to South Haven on a 4 lane road. Our property has an EXISTING curb cut but we wanted to relocate it to a better location, further away from an intersection just to the east. Recent new construction included: Hampton Inn, Consumer's Credit Union, Wendy's, Locker Plaza, Holiday Inn Express, and Comfort Suites all of which were constructed just prior to our Motorplex. The Phoenix Road / I-196 corridor is the true gateway to South Haven. While the traffic count doesn't come close to congested retail areas like Westnedge in Kalamazoo; Pipestone in Benton Harbor; or Washington Avenue in Holland, it is the major retail center for South Haven with Wal-Mart, Menards and Lake Michigan College all choosing to locate in the area.
Just when you would think that something will be a simple task, politics enters in and the whole works gets complicated! As our completion date approached, the drive had not yet been approved. I wasn't too concerned since the existing drive could be utilized temporarily until the better location was approved. The very day we opened in September of 2006, the VanBuren County Road Commission, without any warning or discussion whatsoever, placed 3 large 2,000 pound BARRICADES across the existing driveway! Three years later, the barricades remain. At the VanBuren County Road Commissions request, we contracted for a $9,000 traffic study by Wade-Trim Engineering which substantiated our request! The Road Commission's response? NO. This is my reward for investing in my home town with an award winning facility that has been recognized nationally as one of the top 100 powersports dealerships in North America!
In future blogs I'll take you on an unbelievable journey of frustration, expense and economic damage done to our business. I've tried to go by the book, do the right thing, etc. You know what? It boils down to politics and it's truly an ugly experience. Distrust isn't limited to Washington DC. It's happening right here in VanBuren County. It is time to reveal just who, what, where, when and why this continues to go on. We're going to ask you to rally with us. Nearly 600 folks sent letters of support to the Road Commission and not one letter was ever acknowledged! The problems go deep and I owe it to my family, the employees of VanDerZee Motorplex and to anyone contemplating on investing in South Haven to make sure that this never happens to someones dream ever again. Stay tuned, winter may be coming but it's going to get real hot around here! I'm Ray VanDerZee. Call me directly at 269 637 8788 or email (sales@vanderzeemotorplex.com) with your questions or ideas on how you can help us. We're asking for your support! Thank you.

Harboring Hope for Saturn's Future with Penske

The announcement of Roger Penske abandoning his acquisition of Saturn is devastating news. Sources claim or hope that this is just a negotiation ploy and not the end of the road for Saturn. It just boggles my mind that GM has chosen to cut it's most client oriented dealer body. What are they thinking? Talk about value of the brand! Do you recall the THOUSANDS of happy Saturn owners driving to Spring Hill to celebrate their cars? We're not talking high performance sports car "nuts", but moms and dads and their kids all making a pilgrimage to Spring Hill just to visit the home of their little SL2's and SC1's! GM couldn't have been happier. It was a marriage of client, dealer and manufacturer the likes of which we will never see again.
Saturn quickly became the envy of all GM dealers. Chevy, Buick, Pontiac and Oldsmobile dealers were jealous. Chevy, especially wanted to be the small car division of GM. Product development and model mix suddenly caused infighting among the divisions. It reminded me of a Brady Bunch episode: Marsha, Marsha MARSHA! The result was product starvation for Saturn dealers. When management finally became concerned, warmed over Opel products were re badged as Saturn and the results were disastrous. The Aura, Sky, Vue, and Outlook completed a total revamp of Saturn giving them tremendous products that can compete head to head with all comers. Just when things were looking up.....GM says bye, bye, see ya! I can only say this is just another example of the "new" GM. I don't know if there is a true gas-in-their-veins car person left in the whole organization. Roger, don't give up just yet!! You've got an opportunity to dominate the small car segment in the USA!

GM's MONEY BACK FREE VACATION RENTAL CAR PROGRAM! GET YOURS TODAY!

Maybe I'm just a little too skeptical, but GM's 60 day money back guarantee program is going to inspire a lot of "work the system" folks looking for a cheap rental car for a family vacation. Picture the Clark Griswold family headed to Wallyworld! Just keep it under 4,000 miles, don't spill ketchup or mustard, park way far away from everybody and we've got ourselves a brand new free rental car! Believe me, a lot of deviant minds will figure this out! Our dealership used to be next to Walmart when they had their "don't like it, just bring it back and we'll refund your money" program. We would be amazed during each change of season. In the fall you would see a line up of returned lawn mowers and bicycles. When spring came, snow blowers by the dozen were returned. Now granted, it is a minute percentage of the population who actually take advantage of such a situation, but it does indeed happen.

I agree with the GM message. GM now has a majority of their offerings that are excellent in quality, styling and reliability. They will more than hold their own in a "may the best car win" scenario despite what the media critics will lead you to believe. But come on now. Will the 60 day program really get non GM folks to consider purchasing a Chevy, Buick or Cadillac? Hardly. I just can't imagine a family sitting in front of the tv and this long, tall Texan comes on and makes the GM pitch for the 60 day money back plan causing Dad to say: "hey everyone, I know that we've been happy with our Camry, but let's run down to the Chevy store and pick up a Malibu. If we don't like it we can just bring it back!" The American consumer does a whole lot of research before considering a major purchase like a car. No one likes to think that they made a "wrong" decision. I can see the neighbors now. "Hey, Jeff, I thought you just bought a new Malibu a couple of months ago? What happened?" You'll have to spend an hour trying to justify why you made a mistake in purchasing a GM car.

So what would I do? Ditch the 60 day purchase plan and try this. How about a free car for a weekend? Instead of the long tall Texan, have some new Malibu owners talk about their car including what they used to drive and what lead them to purchase a new Chevy. Then make the invitation: "Folks, we know that it may have been some time since you considered a GM car. For some of you, it may have been an entire generation. At GM we understand that a lot of our products just didn't live up to your expectations. So here is what we'd like to offer. Do you have a trip to grandma's house next weekend? We'd like to offer you a new GM car of your choice to drive for the weekend with no strings attached. We think you'll be impressed. GM has come a long ways in the past 5 years. We had to because a lot of the competition had passed us by and many of you lost confidence in General Motors. We've changed for the better. Just give us a chance and we think that you'll agree."

That is my "if I ran the company" moment. I don't know about you, but I can't remember the last time that I brought something substantial like a refrigerator back to the store. Do you? Maybe it's an ego thing. None of us likes to feel that we made a mistake! I just have a bit of a credability issue with the GM chairman who has only been on the job a few months pitching products that I doubt he knows a whole lot about! I wonder if he actually drives to work or does he have a driver pick him up? CEO's don't have the trust of a whole lot of consumers lately, do they? My oh my how the auto industry has changed!

The "Father of the Bride" wedding experience!

It all happened when I first saw the "new" version of Father of the Bride. My wife thought it would be a great family experience for me to watch the infamous Steve Martin movie since I have 3 daughters! I remember it like yesterday. My girls and I whipped up a batch of chocolate chip cookies (as it turned out, we ate all of the raw dough during the movie and never put any in the oven!) and headed upstairs to make it a family event. The girls were in grade school and weddings seemed decades away. Little did I know how much influence that movie would have on my "first" wedding which took place this August.
George Banks is the father of the bride who just goes nuts during the planning stages of his daughter's wedding. With a keen eye on the family budget, George can at best be called frugal, a trait that I admire! Thank goodness that I didn't have to deal with a "Franc", the professional wedding planner. I only had to deal with 2 older sisters of the bride. That's right, my baby girl was the first to get married.
I've always been a believer in the "OK fine" doctrine. In my house of 4 strong willed women, OK fine has been my mantra to avoid conflict. Why waste the energy voicing my opinion when in the end, the vote will always be 4 to 1. I did manage a major concession, though with tremedous reservations from the girls, my only request: I just wanted 2 minutes of my own when it came time for the traditional "who gives this woman?". I was granted my wish with orders that it must not be embarrassing or stupid. I didn't have a clue what I was going to say other than I knew it wouldn't be "her mother and I".
The wedding was outdoors at our home. As our yard was transformed into a beautiful setting, visions of George and the swans entered my head. As the day approached, I was still at a loss of what to due when my one and only part of the wedding was at hand. As my daughter got out of the limo, I looked at her, fought back the tears, and headed toward my one co-conspirator, my good friend who was performing the ceremony. I also got apprehensive looks from the 2 sisters who knew that their dad was capable of totally embarrassing the family.
My mind raced as the inevitable question was about to be asked, and when it came, I took a deep breath and had my "moment"! Instead of mumbling the usual 4 word phrase, I turned around and raised my arms like a revival preacher! As it turned out, at the precise moment I turn around a photo was snapped of the 2 sisters as they glanced at each other and rolled their eyes confirming that once again their dad was about to do something stupid. It was a beautiful sight to see every one's faces in the audience react to a father of the bride who was not going to give up his daughter with one meek little phrase and slither away to his seat.
I actually don't remember my whole 2 minute dissertation. I do like to think of myself as a humorous guy and I managed to get the audience laughing. I thought that I was really "rolling" with the crowd and had visions of blowing right past my 2 minute deadline. I knew that I had to "give my daughter's hand" to the man of her dreams, a position that I held in each of my daughter's lives for what now seemed like a far too short amount of time. The little girls that I always took grocery shopping, riding on Jet Skis and jumping on the trampoline thought that I was the greatest guy in the world. I was the number one male person in their lives! And though all of my girls had dropped me from number one years ago, until this very moment, I had held out hope that I was still their number one. I had to let my little girl go and at least in my best George Banks moment, I was doing it my way. I really was intending on a longer speech. The only person who knew that I stopped short was my wife. She heard the emotion in my voice and knew that tears were just about to flow. My mission was a success. The wedding was wonderful and the only fall out was from the 2 sisters. Negotiations for my 2 minutes when they get married seem to be in jeopardy. We'll see. George Banks, this one was for you!

Good Times with Family: PRICELESS

The ECONOMY. I never thought a topic could be more popular than the weather! The implosion of the auto and banking industries can put a scare into the most ardent optimist! What we've seen happen during these times at VanDerZee Motorplex is very heartening. When times are tough, we turn to our families and I think we actually come closer together! We see examples of this every day at the Motorplex. You see, we sell FUN STUFF! Our products are FAMILY FRIENDLY. Personal watercraft are a great example. It is exciting to see a family walk in and ask about a Jet Ski or a Waverunner. When we explain the evolution of personal watercraft in terms of versatility we see moms and teenagers eyes light up! Personal watercraft can now pull wake boarders, tubers and skiers with ease. If spins and 360's aren't for you, a 15 mph "day cruise" will allow you to drive in street clothes without getting wet! In the "old" days, it took patience to get a 2 stroke motor started and when it did the cloud of smoke was both disturbing and not very environmentally friendly. Today's 4 stroke personal watercraft are actually the cleanest ultra low emission engine on the water! Our Yamaha and Kawasaki watercraft also have "parental control"; the ability to reduce power by up to 30%! They are easy to start, 3 passengers can ride in comfort, and maintenance consists of putting gas in it and having a great time!
Sure, times are pretty tough right now but families give strength and a sense of well being that rises above any short term obstacles. I know that when I'm with my 3 daughters, my stress dissolves and the laughter is non stop. As our daughters were growing up, every Sunday was Jet Ski day. Sure, 5 or 10 extra kids came to the beach, but you know what? Our daughters wanted to hang with Mom and Dad. Like I said: Good times with your family: PRICELESS. I'm proud to say at VanDerZee Motorplex, WE SELL FUN STUFF!!

Chrysler and GM Dealers TERMINATED without so much as a valid reason!

The sad stories keep coming. Another family owned auto dealership is told via form letter or email that they are no longer wanted. It's over. You're done. You are not a part of the "new" company. If you've read the story of the Hobart, Indiana or the Mesa, Arizona dealerships it had to bring tears to your eyes. If not, google the stories. It is just outrageous that the government demanded that Chrysler and GM "cull" the heard. I'm a former General Motors dealer and I can ASSURE you that our dealership didn't cost GM a dime! We PAID for every mandatory program, computer, essential tool, communication system and any other arbitrary item the factory could come up with. Now the media is suggesting that cutting dealerships will save the automakers untold millions of dollars. Are you kidding me? The result is going to be a far LOWER SATISFACTION rating from consumers who have to travel further to get service on their vehicle. No Chrysler dealers in Kalamazoo or Holland? If I live in either of those cities, you'll soon find a Honda or a Toyota in my driveway. I will have supported a local dealer and I'll be confident in service after the sale. Great move GOVERNMENT MOTORS. The guys calling the shots just don't have a clue. To all of the hundreds of wrongly terminated dealerships throughout the US, those cities and clients will soon agree: You just don't know what's good 'til it's GONE! I'll be anxiously watching the market share of Chrysler and GM. Going down anyone?

Thanks for hiring me as CEO but I really don't know anything about cars!

Can you believe that the newly government appointed chairman of GENERAL MOTORS made that very statement? ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! Let's just go back just a few months ago: We were told by the president of GM, the Governor of Michigan and the President of the United States that a GM bankruptcy would be disastrous to the economy and it should not be a consideration. Billions were poured into GM in order to prevent the UNTHINKABLE BK. Well now, the billions didn't help and GM filed. Suddenly, this CLEANSING of GM into the "new/good" GM and the old "bad GM" will make everything hunky dory. The US and CANADIAN governments plus the UAW are all now in charge of what used to be the biggest company in the world. Remember the saying "What's good for GM is good for the country."
That brings us to the newly hired Chairman. This man ADMITS that he knows nothing about automobiles! He says a business is a business so it shouldn't be a big deal for him to call the shots. No big deal, right? Think about this: Would you feel confident if you were hospitalized and found out the CEO didn't know anything about health care? How about hiring a construction company whose CEO said "hey, a business is a business." I would really be confident if the President of a college where my child was considering paying tens of thousands of dollars to attend told parents, boy, I really don't have any experience in education, but I did run a public utility once! That's what the new GM chairman used to do! I never paid any attention to those crazy Holiday Inn Express commercials, but they're starting to make sense now! I guess he needs the job since his golden parachute was only 150 million from AT&T. If this is how our government is going to FIX General Motors, then you'd better set your watch by an AMTRAK train schedule. The same people that straightened out our trains are now going to fix our automobiles. I can't wait to hear about some senator that tells GM he has a great idea for a new car. This is going to get comical. My Dad was a GM dealer for over 20 years. I'm thankful he's not here to witness this mess!

They don't have a clue! Is GM Government Motors or Barak's Big Mess BBM?

What a colossal mess! General Motors became one of the most expensive bankruptcies in American history on Monday. After pouring billions of our money into GM since last fall and warning us that the B word would be devastating, we are now being told that this approach will create a "new" GM owned by the US, CANADA and the UAW! That means Chrysler and GM are owned by their union and the government. Well, it sure made AMTRAK the envy of public transportation didn't it? I may be wrong, but I don't think that Amtrak has ever been profitable and we all know how wonderful the service is! Petty politics have already entered the picture with Congressmen demanding that plants from the "old GM" be kept open in their respective districts irregardless of any type of analytical evaluation of the viability of the location. Can you imagine if a Congressman has a "can't miss" idea for a new car design? I have information from GM engineers that they can't make any product decisions without clearing it with treasury! You know that the folks at FORD are just jubilant! Ford has expressed concern that with the government running the competition the playing field may not be a level one. It is going to get very interesting.....
One thing that really bugs me from all of this is that Chrysler and GM advertising is now telling us how great the "new" companies are and everything is rosy once again. GM has many great vehicles available right now. Chrysler has virtually none and there aren't any on the horizon any time soon. Fiat can't have a car ready for sale in the US for at least 20 months so just how will that help? GM, on the other hand, has done nothing to earn the consumer's confidence. If they want to get folks back into the showrooms, some of which have stayed away for a whole generation, they should tell it like it is. GM should run ads that tell consumers: America, we apologize for our actions during past 15 years. During the 80's and 90's we built some pretty poor vehicles in terms of styling, quality and customer service. We fell in love with big trucks and sport utilities and each unit made us a lot of money. Our factories were cranking out Yukons and Tahoes like the golden goose. Our number one volume customers were the RENTAL companies. We gave them lower prices than even our dealers PLUS we agreed to buy all of them back after 6 months or a year of use. They could care less about styling or quality or resale value. We messed up so badly that now we have paid the ultimate price: bankruptcy.
The sad thing is that GM is building some world class vehicles right now. The Malibu, Vibe, CTS, Corvette, Camaro, Outlook, Lacrosse are some examples of what the GM design staff is capable of. What GM is ignoring, is the promise that GM dealerships must meet the most stringent service and business practice standards in the industry. Commit to the client who owns your product, GM. I don't think that this will ever happen. With the government calling the shots, client satisfaction will be at the bottom of corporate priorities. Have you driven a Ford lately??

Have auto makers kept pace with product improvements?

Well, it's official. The Feds announced a new nationwide fuel economy and emissions mandate for cars and trucks. While we certainly welcome vehicles that get better mileage, it made me wonder about just how eager the auto manufacturers have been to make it a reality. Virtually every product that we use evolves and improves over time. Here are some examples: the first computers that took up entire rooms and were as slow as a plow horse are now laptops. Cell phones. Remember the 5 pound milk carton that had a range of about 10 miles and the console models in cars? How much have they changed in 5 years? The television used to be a black and white 15 inch, tube blowing, temperamental monster. Today it's a flat screen mounted on the wall with a 50 inch screen! How much more efficient have home heating furnaces become? They are now smaller in size and use less fuel. Now let's take a look at the internal combustion engine. While it has certainly improved from the 1920's, it sure hasn't kept pace with its contemporary inventions has it? One could argue that fuel injection has really been the most outstanding improvement. Now don't get me wrong, between 1975 and 2005 auto emissions have improved by leaps and bounds. Did the brilliant folks that improved computers and cell phones have no counterparts in the auto industry? Makes you wonder, doesn't it? GM has developed one of the most dynamic new engines in decades. It is an all new design with nearly 35% fewer parts. It is a diesel V-8 that can deliver excellent fuel economy and meet the most stringent emission standards. In the US the word "diesel" does not equate with "normal". I read a comment from one of the lead engineers on the project. His hope was that his revolutionary design would be welcomed as a great ENGINE and not as just a low volume diesel. This engine was scheduled to go into production this year. In light of GM's financial problems and wonderful guidance from their new majority owner, the Government, the motor has been shelved! I'd like to hear from that design engineer today. Just makes me wonder what if??????

Chrysler shows no respect for terminated dealerships

As a kid I can remember getting excited when the UPS truck pulled up. This past Thursday, UPS brought envelopes to all of the Chrysler dealerships in the country. One said "welcome to the new Chrysler" and one said goodbye. Who knows, maybe they were even color coordinated or labeled like Publisher's Clearing House with the words "You may have WON!" Can you imagine pulling the zip cord on your UPS letter and finding your fate in a letter? The termination list was released to the media BEFORE some dealerships got their envelope. Dealerships were getting calls from clients informing the dealer that they were closing before the letter came! What a way to conduct business. Think about everything that a hometown dealership does for their community: tax base, employment, community service, donations, sponsorships and so much more. Great job Chrysler. You've got a great ally with the federal government telling you what to do despite having no automotive knowledge. I have a great friend who got the goodbye letter. He really put the situation into perspective when he said: "you know, I'm sitting in my dealership, still stunned from the letter. I had really expected the termination, but you know what? The new Chrysler is owned the the Federal Government and the send my letter via UPS! They don't even use their own government postal service to do their dirty work!" That says it all. You could have done it the right way with honor and dignity. Chrysler chose a scuzzy way to do business!!!

GM headed to Chapter 11?? Top execs sell all stock.

Expect GM to file chapter 11 bankruptcy in June. When many of your top executives sell all of their stock, the writing is pretty much on the wall! I just can't fathom the implosion of both Chrysler and GM. Is it possible that every ranking executive at these corporations was so out of touch with reality? I can give you a little insight. When I was a GM dealer, I had a district manager who became a high level member of the corporation. Even though he had become a big time exec, he continued to call me from time to time for what he called "REALITY CHECKS". He would always wonder what was happening in the real world, away from Detroit. I remember one call where he related how livid he was at a comment made by then Chairman Roger Smith. When Smith was asked how GM was going counter the announcement of the Dodge Neon, Chrysler's ill-fated attempt at making a quality, low cost small car, he made the following statement. " Our best competition for the Neon is a used Buick." How telling was that mentality? One could guess that the desire to saturate the market with high profit SUV's was the golden egg that GM thought would never cease to be. Oops. Reality Check Time. I never thought that I would ever witness that less than a 50 cent drop in the price of a GM share of stock would represent a drop of over 20% of its value! The sad fact is that it's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets any better. The Federal Government will see to that.

Will GM become Government Motors?

It's not very comforting to read that our federal government seems to think that they have the expertise and all of the solutions for General Motors. I'm sure that there is a lot of blame to go around for all that ails GM, but bureaucrats with no auto experience are NOT the ones who should be calling the shots. When will it all end? Chrysler is in turmoil and GM is in the on deck circle. The folks at Ford have to be thrilled that they turned down the bailout money with all of it's suffocating restrictions. I don't think that there is any doubt that Ford will become the strongest domestic automaker! It took a lot of pride for the Ford family to give control to an "outsider" and charge him with remaking the culture of the corporation. Mr. Mullally took the reins and rooted out the waste and the paralyzing multi-levels of management to make a product and consumer focused company. The "old Ford" kind of sounds like a description of Washington, doesn't it? And who thinks that they have the cure for Chrysler and GM? What model will they use? Stay tuned folks, the road for Chrysler and GM is going to get really rocky, real soon. I fear for the many quality Chrysler and GM dealerships across America. The majority of which have been family owned for generations. In most small towns, it's the local car dealer that provides community support in so many ways. From school sponsorships to the little league ball teams, dealership owners were always there to lend a pickup truck or a convertible for the homecoming parade. The reason for their very existence is now under the microscope. If the small town dealerships go away, it will be an extreme travesty. It just makes me shake my head in disbelief. Time will tell.

Penske to Rescue Saturn?

The word is out that Roger Penske is interested in purchasing the rights to Saturn! As a former GM dealer, I'm amazed at some of the decisions that GM and/or the government is making in order to make GM viable. Can you remember when thousands of Saturn owners would go to Spring Hill Tennessee for the reunions? Saturn was a "different kind of car company" and their clients were among the most loyal of any auto maker. GM took what really wasn't a truly outstanding product and sold them through a dealer body that had to adhere to some of the highest standards in the industry. Clients could feel comfortable walking into a Saturn dealership and not be attacked by a devious sales person. The price on the window was the actual price you would pay at any other Saturn store. Saturn was the exception to the stereotypical sleazy car dealership and Americans embraced the concept in droves! What the heck happened? Believe it or not one of the primary problems was sibling rivalry. Chevy, Pontiac, Buick and Oldsmobile all got bent out of shape at the attention that Saturn was getting and that included "exclusive" product from the corporation. Somebody was always whining "why does Saturn get the hot products?" The situation reminded me of the "BRADY BUNCH" television episode that has been seen over and over: "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!" Remember that one? The result was that in order to please all of the other divisions, Saturn went into product withdrawals as the corporation ignored the responsibility of supplying Saturn with fresh and exciting new vehicles. Saturn got stale. It started Saturn's downward trend which spiralled until the recent revamped product line which is today among the best new vehicles offered by any manufacturer! So just when the product pipeline is filled with cars and crossovers that are critically acclaimed to be among the best built today, GM decides to pull the plug! Roger Penske sees the potential of a dealer body with integrity that can compete with anyone in the USA. If he can pull it off, this just might be a text book case that will be of historic proportions. I think he can make it happen! Time will tell.

Pontiac Motor Division

This is truly a sad day. General Motors, once the automotive leader of the world, has announced the end of Pontiac. As a kid from the sixties growing up in a Pontiac dealership, my world revolved around GTO's, Grand Prix's, Judges, 2+2's, Grand Am's, Super Duty engines, tri-power and Ram Air IV's. Pontiac was GM's bad boy division. The guys at Pontiac were like the television writers on the Smother's Brother's Comedy Hour; always trying to sneak something past the censors. In Pontiac's case, it was the 14th floor of the GM building. The creation of the entire muscle car era can be traced to 2 guys with a crazy idea of stuffing a big V-8 in a little car know as the LeMans. It's the car that almost never was. Today a concept like the GTO would never get past the hirearchy of the corporation. You didn't just own a Pontiac, it was an extension of who you were. When you pulled up in a bright orange GTO Judge Ram Air IV, everyone at the drive-in would take notice. It was a great run Pontiac. You were a true renegade. GM will now be know for Chevy, Buick, Cadillac and GMC. Who woulda thunk?

Attitude is EVERYTHING!!

I just had an advertising vendor visit me at the Motorplex. He said he didn't come in to solicit an ad, but he wanted to talk with me because I am always optimistic about business and he wanted someone to lift up his spirits. It's important to me to always seek out the good in any situation and I try to instill that attitude to all of our employees. If anyone can remember the Clint Eastwood movie "Kelly's Hero's", the Donald Sutherland character was always warning about "negative vibes, Moriarity!" I truly believe that your body chemistry is affected by negative attitudes. It is really hard for me to be around pessimists, and believe me, right now with all that is in the news, it's a struggle to find anything positive to talk about.
We just completed the Grand Rapids Boat Show. My wife Linda and I worked the intense 5 day show and each night on the drive home we "analyzed" the day's activity. While the traffic at the show was less than last year, our sales and contacts made were BETTER than the '08 show! What amazed us was the NO ONE visiting the Motorplex display talked about the economy! We had serious boating enthusiasts that were tired of winter and were looking forward to boating season!
I see a tremendous positive attitude in all 3 of our daughters. Two of them just took part running in a 200 mile relay through the ARIZONA DESERT! Now even I would be hard pressed to find something positive facing THAT CHALLENGE! My third daughter is a first year kindergarten teacher. She has a class with a wide range of student issues. Each evening I hear her talk about the progress her kids have made not just academically, but social improvements too. I guess it's all about your outlook on things! Too often the easy way of seeing things is in a negative way. I would rather be accused of wearing "rose colored glasses" than someone who thinks that the sky is always falling! Stop those negative vibes, Moriarity!

SUNSHINE AT LAST

South Haven is FINALLY IMMERSED in brilliant SUNSHINE. What great timing: ICE BREAKER 2009 is going on all over South Haven! Have you ever watched an ice sculptor carve up a big block of ice? It is truly amazing. (Even more so for those of us who can't draw stick people!) We've had more clients in today that were smiling than all of last week! I'm POSITIVE that SUNSHINE has made the difference. I remember watching the wacky TV show "Northern Exposure" when they had an episode about the lack of sunshine when everyone went a bit crazy. I've had to retrain my face to "squint" in the brightness!
You've just got to appreciate the seasons when you live in West Michigan! While I certainly do appreciate the seasons, there is no rule that says I can't like some a whole lot more than others!
Gotta go, my eyes are hurting from all of the sunshine coming in through the front of the Motorplex!!!

Cabin Fever and MORE DAYLIGHT

OK. Mother Nature you've had your fun in South Haven this winter. Enough is enough. We don't have any more room to pile snow! Walking our 2 Great Danes through the woods has become more cardio intensive for me than a work out at the health center! I'm a believer in CABIN FEVER and boy I've got a bad case of it. I WANT SUN AND WARM WEATHER NOW!
My favorite weather man, Craig James, retired recently. He was one of the few tv weathermen that didn't just read what the weather service sent over the wire. He actually knew the nuances of western Michigan. I can always remember what he said about February in Michigan: we actually GAIN OVER AN HOUR of DAYLIGHT during the month of February! FINALLY I can come to work when it is light out and get home before sunset. I might even be able to get in TWO walks with the Great Danes.
I know that CABIN FEVER also affects our business. While it may get real slow during snow storms, over the years I've found out the a good dose of CABIN FEVER results in earlier sales of Jet Skis and motorcycles. Quite simply: Most Michiganders get TIRED OF WINTER about now. Well let me tell you, VANDERZEE MOTORPLEX has the CURE for CABIN FEVER. Come on in, have a COKE at our soda fountain, and hey, come in on ANY SATURDAY and we'll grille you a HOT DOG TOO! We just want you to hang out at the Motorplex and who knows, you may just find that our "CURE" for CABIN FEVER is ON SALE!

ENOUGH ALREADY !!!

Our Motorplex crew has done an outstanding job of keeping our parking lot and driveway open!
I've lost track of how many times we have "broomed" the cars, moved the cars, and plowed the snow! I think that we shoveled the front walk every five minutes! I can only say "ENOUGH ALREADY!" We've just about run out of room to pile more snow! It is beautiful, though. When the sun comes out it is dazzling and everything looks crystal. This weather has also made it even more important to use the Internet to showcase our products and communicate with clients. I know that I wouldn't go out in this weather to look at cars! I've made it my goal to check and answer emails every 10 to 15 minutes! It is amazing how may people send emails after 10 p.m. That may be the most relaxing time some folks have to surf and research. I think that our country would be most vulnerable to an attack of our Internet network! It sure would bring our company to a halt!
SOMETHING TO PONDER as we get through this ARCTIC BLAST: Spring is only 65 days away! Now that is something to look forward to.

Thanks alot for that bit of encouragement!

I certainly have high hopes for the new President. But, oh my, what in the world was he trying to do yesterday when he said this economic recession could last for years! I'll bet that EVERY business owner in America couldn't believe that the head of our Country would make such a pessimistic statement. The psyche of America is so fragile right now that a statement with such an"ALARMING" warning just out of place. It was as if the President-Elect was setting up our lawmakers for a "pass my plan or else" confrontation. As my Dad taught me, "You can learn far more from listening, not talking!" Sure, there is a lot of work ahead of us, but my goodness, let the American Spirit know that once again when times are tough, no country has a stronger will than the United States. A plan for success will gain my confidence. Threats only make me wonder if you really have a viable plan of action.
Wow. I feel better already. I'll put the soap box away. Thanks Dad.

2009 brings guarded optimism

We're already 5 days into the new year! In these first few days of 2009 I've already noticed a change in attitude for some of our clients. It seems that from September through December all you heard on TV was gloom, despair and agony. We had an election hang over. Now there seems to be a hint of optimistic anticipation for the year ahead. I guess you could say that it wouldn't take much to improve on 2008. We continue to be impressed with the local banks and credit unions that work with the Motorplex to provide truly great interest rates! A 5.49% fixed rate with simple interest on our cars and powersports products is spectacular! Many of our clients will take advantage of reduced mortgage rates to refinance their homes and dramatically lower their monthly payment. That can result in more "room" in the family budget for recreational vehicles or a newer car.
Yikes, the new car market is still diving down with no relief in sight. Chrysler down over 50% in December?? Ouch. Our clients are just demanding more for their money and a "Nearly New" car certainly makes a lot of sense! That "new car smell" can cost you thousands of dollars! We think that buying a quality preowned car is the only way to go! You'll save so much that you can add a motorcycle or atv to your stable and have lots of fun to boot! Remember, spring is less than 75 days away!!!!!