GM Dealers Hope For Better Times Post Bankruptcy

Past bankruptcy makes some customers more confident

If Classic Chevrolet of Grapevine is any indication, customers are starting to return to GM.

Classic is the world's largest Chevy dealer, selling 400 new cars a month even when General Motors was in the middle of bankruptcy. Now that the company has emerged smaller and leaner, Classic expects to sell closer to 500 new cars in July.

Still, that's down from the 600 a month the dealership used to sell before GM fell on hard times. But even with the drop in sales, none of the 300 employees at Classic Chevrolet lost their jobs. Sales people even got a raise.

"It's extremely nice to be out of bankruptcy so we can get off the front page and get back to selling vehicles," said Ken Thompson, a Classic Chevrolet fleet sales professional.

Some customers even think GM's problems make this the best time to buy a new GM car.

"They've got something to prove now," said Barbara Ross, who's buying her second vehicle from Classic Chevrolet in less than two months.

General Motors expects to have 3600 dealers by the end of 2010, down from 6000 this spring.

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