Ford Motor Co. has purchased Prebul Ford as part of the automaker’s dealership restructuring plan, officials at Prebul said Monday.
The Ringgold, Ga., Ford dealership closed its doors Monday on its new car sales, service and parts departments.
Joe Prebul, president of the Prebul Automotive Group, said the used car business in will remain open at the Ringgold site. The Prebul operation continues with Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Kia, Volvo and Infinity dealerships in Chattanooga.
“We believe this move will allow Prebul to better serve its customers with the attention and quality that Chattanooga has come to expect from the Prebul Automotive Group,” he said.
Officials said Marshal Mize Ford and Mountain View Ford dealerships in Chattanooga as well as Brooker Ford in Dalton, Ga., will be unaffected by the restructuring move.
Allen Brooker of Brooker Ford Lincoln Mercury, said the decision to close Prebul Ford is based on good business sense and should not reflect negatively on Ford or the Prebul dealerships.
“It was a mutual consensus among the area dealerships and Ford to provide some financial incentives for the Ringgold dealership to close,” Mr. Brooker said. “It was just a business move that made sense.”
Mr. Prebul said the remaining inventory on the Prebul Ford lot will be distributed among the other area dealerships.
“We applaud Ford for their foresight and their positive approach in supporting their dealers, and we encourage our Chattanooga and Ringgold area Ford customers to continue doing business with Mountain View Ford, Marshal Mize Ford and Brooker Ford,” Mr. Prebul said.
Mr. Prebul declined to state the purchase price, but he said the closing will lead to about 20 employees being laid off.
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