Friday, Oct. 02, 2009

Fairview Heights Saturn dealership stunned by GM's decision

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS -- It was like a hit-and-run.

"It was nothing anybody could have seen coming," said Lisa Guthrie, sales manager at Lou Fusz Saturn of Metro-East.

She and others at the lone metro-east Saturn dealership did not see it coming Wednesday afternoon, when car dealership operator Penske Automotive Group announced that it has canceled plans to acquire General Motors' Saturn unit. GM followed by announcing that it will phase out the brand and its network of dealers.

GM said it will cease making Saturns at plants in Kansas, Mexico and Michigan almost immediately, but will continue to honor warranties after Saturn dealers stop selling cars. Saturn owners can still get their vehicles serviced at GM's remaining dealerships once their Saturn dealer shuts down.

"It was quite a bit of a shocker," said Guthrie.

Guthrie said that Penske Automotive Group had sent representatives to the metro-east lot at 501 Salem Place in Fairview Heights in preparation for a sale that seemed like a foregone conclusion. She also said GM employees had their new benefits packages in hand.

"It was very odd that everything was in motion," she said. "Everything was still moving forward."

Lou Fusz Saturn Metro-East Internet sales manager Nancy Schubert said she had 90 e-mails from customers Thursday morning concerned about the dealership and future service, which has not been determined.

Schubert, who was one of the original employees hired to work at the metro-east dealership when it opened 15 years ago, said she also was stunned by the announcement, especially since Thursday was the day that Penske Automotive Group was to have completed the purchase.

"It seemed unusual that it came so close to the wire," Schubert said. "Technically, they were supposed to take over (Thursday). We were excited about the new company and Roger Penske with his background and what all he had to offer."

Guthrie also said the metro-east dealership and its 27 employees still have a contract with GM that she believes expires a year from now.

"We'll still be here in that capacity, but after that, I don't know," she said.

Dealership owner Lou Fusz could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Fusz also owns four Saturn dealerships in Missouri in Creve Coeur, St. Charles, north St. Louis County and Columbia. Schubert said Lou Fusz opened its first dealership in 1951.

Penske had agreed to buy the rights to the 19-year old Saturn brand from GM almost four months ago when the automaker was in bankruptcy.

GM has roughly 350 Saturn dealerships nationwide that employ more than 13,000.