Used car lot opens at former site of new vehicle dealership
| Monday, Jul 11 2011 05:05 PM
Last Updated Monday, Jul 11 2011 05:07 PM
A used vehicle lot and repair shop has opened in Shafter at the site of a new car dealership shut down last fall as part of a national consolidation campaign.
Last month owner Daniel Smith opened Thrifty Car Sales at 1100 E. Lerdo Highway, where for 19 years he owned and operated Holiday Ford Lincoln Mercury.
The franchise is a division of Thrifty Car Rental, which is a subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc., a publicly traded company based in Tulsa, Okla. Smith's store is among more than 1,000 Thrifty Car locations in 70 countries.
Smith said the affiliation with Thrifty gives him the ability to buy used vehicles from across the country, though he also buys from private local owners. He does not rent out vehicles.
While June was a slow month, Smith said, the operation has since established relationships with various credit unions and other lenders.
"Right now we're just getting our feet really wet and looking for a good July," he said.
Smith bought Holiday Ford in 1991, only to have the car maker close him down in October. Thirty-three people were laid off as part of the closure; Smith said the new store employs eight people.
Some of the cars sold there will come with an extended service plan, Smith said.
"The repair shop is going to be a big part of our business," he said, adding that the repair shop will work on all kinds of cars, not only those sold there.
"We're glad to be back and servicing cars."
