https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/politics/texas/article/Volvo-wants-a-premium-experience-Its-oldest-13789674.php Volvo wants a premium experience. Its oldest Houston dealership is stuck in the disco era. Can this marriage be saved?
Weren't they also the Mercedes dealership? I seem to remember my father-in-law buying a bunch of MBs from them in the late 70s-early 80's 300Ds (non-turbos, turbos, coupes, 4-drs), 300SDs, 450SL. He was big into the diesels, I think the 450SL was his only gas powered purchase. Sid
Not familiar with Texas franchise law but surprised this is an issue, especially a public one. Typically franchise contracts give the franchiser great authority over the facility and it is an area I have never seen a car manufacturer shy about flexing its muscles. All these Benz dealerships are not aluminum and glass palaces because car dealers like to get strapped to huge overhead expenses.
They used to be an Aston Martin dealer also years ago (may still be). When in Houston on business I went by there late one evening to look for used Astons. Ran into the security guard, told him what I was looking for and he took me upstairs to where they kept their inventory. Even let me sit in a Virage. Probably helped that I was wearing a tie. Thought he must have been very bored but it was a cool thing to do.
They were/may still be the Lotus dealer in town. I have a friend who bought her Evora there and I used to take my Esprit Turbo there when I had it. And my wife bought a C-class Mercedes there in the early 2000's. Yeah, it's an old school place, but they have car people there. They would host the Lotus club meetings in the late '90's and back in the '80's there was a guy who worked there who raced Spec Racers. He would get the dealership to do stuff to support the SCCA.
I looked at a used 2009 Aston Martin manual shift DBS at their showroom about 2 years ago. $99K loaded to the max but 30K miles. Ouch. They seemed like nice people but the location was a jungle. Bizarre. Should have bought that DBS !
We bought my wife’s Saab 9000 from Star in 1994. Not much has changed since then. I actually prefer Star to some of slick modern dealerships.