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Lankford Pontiac Buick GMC has been the supporting dealer behind GM Parts House for almost 3 years. In May, Lankford was dealt a wind down letter and was notified by General Motors that they would lose their franchise after 53 years of being in the family.
Within the last few years Lankford had done everything GM had asked them to do. They relocated the business, designed the building according to the way GM wanted it done, and built a multi-million dollar facility as asked by the General on the lot picked by the General.
After doing all of that, they are losing the franchise. Since Pontiac will be gone at the end of 2010 and due to the fact that there is a Cadillac and Hummer and another Chevrolet dealership within only a 5 mile or so radius, they were the easy target.
Lankford went through the appeal process and was being reconsidered by GM. Then GM went into bankruptcy and when they came out of bankruptcy it was a different story. The Lankford’s still couldn’t get any straight answers, but at the same time there was nothing other than the letter that they had received to wind down. Part of going forward with the new GM the Lankford’s had to sign a new contract and agree to wind down by the end of 2010. GM also put a spin on it and figured out how to kill the dealers off early. They took away the ability to order cars. Since a new multi-million dollar facility was built, we would obviously need new cars to survive. The Lankford’s decided that we shouldn’t delay what was coming and take their pay-off early so everyone could start new. Lankford would like to close at the end of September.
GM Parts House is owned by me so that isn’t the end of my business. I currently have several offers to move my business to another place of business. When something like this happens, it is a good time to make some changes so I will take advantage of this and speak with each of them and decide where the best home is for my customers.
As of today, 9/11, I will stop orders from being taken on the site so that I may take care of all of the customers who’ve ordered from me up to this point and not leave anyone hanging until I reopen. The Lankford’s and I are people with morals and we agree that we will fulfill our obligations with our customers together and then we’ll go our separate ways.
So to cut to the chase, I’ve stopped taking orders today. You can call me next week for things that I have in inventory as we are going to get rid of the inventory at this establishment. I can still order parts, but choose not to so that I can take care of every order I’ve taken. Call it a buffer, if you will.
Within the next week I should know the new place that GM Parts House will be operating from and I will have to concentrate on setting up shop at that location. I look forward to taking more orders on October 1st and I will more than likely be doing pre-orders before then, with extra discounts.
Please, if we have unfinished business currently, I’d like to wrap it up and make sure that no stone is unturned and that every customer is taken care of properly. Of course, if there are any issues that come up while we’re on hiatus, I will take care of them when GM Parts House reopens.
So, if I haven’t been myself lately, or I haven’t been getting back to you as fast as normal, replying to emails as fast as normal, returning phone calls fast enough, you can see why. Please contact me if you need me for anything.
__________________ Phone: 484-334-8833 Owner of CULTRAG Performance
Best of Luck Gene. Good folks like you will always find a way to come out on top so keep the faith. Look forward to your "Back in Business" sign being posted here on the CF.
Good luck Gene! You have taken care of me well all the way back to March 2005 when I bought my '05 GTO (Owe5goat on Ls1GTO.com) and recently when I got my Vette.
All the very best to you Gene. You have been very helpful to me over the last few years and your service has always been First Rate! Looking forward to those "extra discounts" you spoke about when you get moved to your new location!
Every time I go to the HD there on AW road I look up at you guys and think of my LS9 crate motor sitting up there someday.
Please let us know where you go!
Edit - Perhaps the Mods can make your thread a sticky?
Originally Posted by Gene Culley
Lankford Pontiac Buick GMC has been the supporting dealer behind GM Parts House for almost 3 years. In May, Lankford was dealt a wind down letter and was notified by General Motors that they would lose their franchise after 53 years of being in the family.
Within the last few years Lankford had done everything GM had asked them to do. They relocated the business, designed the building according to the way GM wanted it done, and built a multi-million dollar facility as asked by the General on the lot picked by the General.
After doing all of that, they are losing the franchise. Since Pontiac will be gone at the end of 2010 and due to the fact that there is a Cadillac and Hummer and another Chevrolet dealership within only a 5 mile or so radius, they were the easy target.
Lankford went through the appeal process and was being reconsidered by GM. Then GM went into bankruptcy and when they came out of bankruptcy it was a different story. The Lankford’s still couldn’t get any straight answers, but at the same time there was nothing other than the letter that they had received to wind down. Part of going forward with the new GM the Lankford’s had to sign a new contract and agree to wind down by the end of 2010. GM also put a spin on it and figured out how to kill the dealers off early. They took away the ability to order cars. Since a new multi-million dollar facility was built, we would obviously need new cars to survive. The Lankford’s decided that we shouldn’t delay what was coming and take their pay-off early so everyone could start new. Lankford would like to close at the end of September.
GM Parts House is owned by me so that isn’t the end of my business. I currently have several offers to move my business to another place of business. When something like this happens, it is a good time to make some changes so I will take advantage of this and speak with each of them and decide where the best home is for my customers.
As of today, 9/11, I will stop orders from being taken on the site so that I may take care of all of the customers who’ve ordered from me up to this point and not leave anyone hanging until I reopen. The Lankford’s and I are people with morals and we agree that we will fulfill our obligations with our customers together and then we’ll go our separate ways.
So to cut to the chase, I’ve stopped taking orders today. You can call me next week for things that I have in inventory as we are going to get rid of the inventory at this establishment. I can still order parts, but choose not to so that I can take care of every order I’ve taken. Call it a buffer, if you will.
Within the next week I should know the new place that GM Parts House will be operating from and I will have to concentrate on setting up shop at that location. I look forward to taking more orders on October 1st and I will more than likely be doing pre-orders before then, with extra discounts.
Please, if we have unfinished business currently, I’d like to wrap it up and make sure that no stone is unturned and that every customer is taken care of properly. Of course, if there are any issues that come up while we’re on hiatus, I will take care of them when GM Parts House reopens.
So, if I haven’t been myself lately, or I haven’t been getting back to you as fast as normal, replying to emails as fast as normal, returning phone calls fast enough, you can see why. Please contact me if you need me for anything.
Best of luck Gene. I hope you're back up and running soon, you have ALWAYS been a great vendor to deal with and have always offered great customer service! It's too bad for Lankford...these are tough times, and it seems that a lot of "the good guys" are taking the hit for nothing more than "political reasons". I hope your transition goes as smooth as possible.
Gene--I know Mark and Suzie Lankford, and Al in the past. They truly are great folks and your facility was nice for display of cars. Please pass a word of thanx to Joe in the Service Dept. All of you there have been great and I hope the new facility will allow you enough space to do what you do, because you folks do it so well. I'll look forward to more business with you in your new HQ. Keep the faith! Ray
Good luck Gene. Let me know when things are back to normal. You have done an outstanding job serving your customers and I've no doubt that you will again.
09-11-2009, 10:14 PM
Important GM Parts House Ordering Information
