Some interesting news from the local Jeep dealer

[The Last Cowboy]

Work took me to the local Jeep dealer today. I stopped to look at one very similar to mine and started a conversation with a salesman.

He said that they have 2 dealers and that Jeep is requiring them to build stand alone, Jeep only dealers. No more combination dealers, not just showrooms. I didn’t ask a time line but he said they are already in the works.

The directive is from Stellantis/FCA USA. With the Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer, they want to have a Jeep only dealer experience. Hopefully this doesn’t drive the Wrangler into direct Defender competition as far as prices.

There’s two ways to look at it. Jeep will live on while Dodge, Chrysler and Fiat die or Jeep is moving into the luxury/near luxury segment. Maybe Dodge will live on paired with Ram. But with no Hemis, Dodge will likely die. It should also be noted that Ford is considering stand alone Bronco showrooms.

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[Heimkehr]

With the Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer, they want to have a Jeep only dealer experience. Hopefully this doesn’t drive the Wrangler into direct Defender competition as far as prices.

Hopefully the Grand Wagoneer pricing structure distracts Stellantis from doing something similar with the Wrangler. They've had their fun with the comical $80K V8 Rubicon. Now keep the rest of the model line sane, please.

 

[JABCAT]

Hopefully the Grand Wagoneer pricing structure distracts Stellantis from doing something similar with the Wrangler. They've had their fun with the comical $80K V8 Rubicon. Now keep the rest of the model line sane, please.

The prices on Wranglers just keeps increasing for essentially the same vehicle year after year. The ‘22 Sahara Altitude we have on order is about $11k more than our ‘16 Unlimited Backcountry was (which is essentially the Sahara Altitude).

In fact, the ‘16 has a couple more options that our ‘22 doesn’t have: steel bumper group & locking differentials with 3.73 gears. The ‘22 has the LED lighting group.
So $2k/year price increases for a less-optioned model. Even adjusted for inflation the ‘22 is $6k more than the ‘16 with less options.

 

[REDCOMETJLUXR]

The directive is from Stellantis/FCA USA. With the Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer, they want to have a Jeep only dealer experience. Hopefully this doesn’t drive the Wrangler into direct Defender competition as far as prices.

It has been in the works for many years now, since they killed off the Caravan and Split Ram from Dodge. When I used to work at a dealer the guy that would stop by from higher up to show us all the new toys from FCA then said Ram is aiming to compete with Ford, Jeep with Mercedes, Dodge just pure performance, and Chrysler the family comfort line of vehicle.

 

[2nd 392]

Since the present dealerships are essentially Ram,Jeep,Dodge, no Hemi and Dodge will become history leaving the dealerships Ram,Jeep why build stand alone now? I don’t get their thinking.

 

[The Last Cowboy]

They will have to compete with Lincoln, Cadillac and Lexus with the full size Wagoneer models. I can tell you right now, having a Navigator in the garage, that current CDJRF dealers can in no way compete with the sales and service you get a a luxury brand dealer. Spend $80-110,000 or more and buyers in that category are buying the treatment they get and the care their vehicles get at those dealers.

I don’t care much, but my wife saw a Grand Wagoneer commercial the other day and said “those look tough, how much are they”. I told here they cost at least as much as her Navigator and go well over $100k. I asked her if she would buy it at the dealer where I bought my Jeep for that price and she said “No way”. CDJRF dealers around here are probably not as nice as many used dealers, especially the big chains, and are among the worst and worn out looking new car dealers out there. To me that means low overhead. To others it just repels them before they park to look around.

 

[Lgkaos]

I believe we have one of these in Las Vegas!

https://www.jeeponly.com/

It’s actually a great dealership and the showroom has a big parts section full of MOPAR, ARB, etc stuff.

 

[vegasblue]

I believe we have one of these in Las Vegas!

https://www.jeeponly.com/

It’s actually a great dealership and the showroom has a big parts section full of MOPAR, ARB, etc stuff.

...and the prices to match! Ha! They do have a good assortment of pre-built rigs inlcuing fully outfitted AEV rigs. Also some cool old irons as well. I ran down to Arizona to pick up my Rubicon though, only paid $1400 in taxes as opposed to $4400.
https://www.jeeponly.com/vehicle-details/new-2021-jeep-wrangler-unlimited-rubicon-4xe---id-44932146

 

[aldo98229]

My understanding was that separate facilities were “optional”, not mandatory.

History shows that these initiatives never work: constructing a separate building is not going to fix Jeep dealers’ poor attitude and service if they keep the same crummy dealers. All it will do is increase those dealers’ breakeven point and, like you say, starve the weaker brands —Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat— of much needed foot traffic.

Looks like Stellantis didn’t learn a thing from requiring separate Fiat/Alfa Romeo “Studios”.

 

[SH556JL]

I won’t step foot into another service department as it currently stands… Hopefully it improves and imagine anything they do, will be better.

 

[aldo98229]

When profits are up, automakers love to go on sprees: executives love nothing better than getting their pictures taken opening new stores. But when the chips are down, individual dealers pay the price.

Automakers tend to view dealers as being disposable. Toyota is the exception: they view dealers as their long-term business partners. For 20+ years dealers have voted Lexus and Toyota the most valuable auto franchises, in great part because Toyota makes business decisions that take into account the long-term profitability and well-being of its dealers.

Opening stores is easy. A much harder —and more long-lasting— job for Jeep would be to improve the level of service its existing dealers provide, and to ensure their long-term profitability.

 

[falcon241073]

Not every Jeep dealer will carry the grand wagoneer line up. My local dealer that is going to sell them told me they had to add a $30,000 electronic kiosk for the GW line. Has to have a separate dedicated waiting room for service with high end stuff in it. (Didn’t get into details), first class priority service lane. Etc. they didn’t have to make a separate building. He’s already started the work

 

[Spank]

The prices on Wranglers just keeps increasing for essentially the same vehicle year after year. The ‘22 Sahara Altitude we have on order is about $11k more than our ‘16 Unlimited Backcountry was (which is essentially the Sahara Altitude).

In fact, the ‘16 has a couple more options that our ‘22 doesn’t have: steel bumper group & locking differentials with 3.73 gears. The ‘22 has the LED lighting group.
So $2k/year price increases for a less-optioned model. Even adjusted for inflation the ‘22 is $6k more than the ‘16 with less options.

Buddy of mine just picked up a nice blue '21 Willys JLU a couple months ago. It's loaded for the package, but the MSRP on the sticker was $1,500 more than my '18 JLUR. I have every option except the heated leather seats. Prices are insane.

 

[CMTAZ]

Out in Mesa, AZ the local CDJR dealer move Jeep to its own facility (right down the street).

 

[Megawatt]

I’m in Vegas. I was taking to one of the managers and she made the comment how the “jeeponly” dealer has many products on the lot where the other four jeep dealers in town have none. The new jeeponly got crazy allocations for the next two years because they broke off from another Jeep/dodge etc and opened a stand alone dealership.

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