Cantin's Chevy market area to grow but Cadillac will eventually go

“It will be business as normal going forward. In fact, I expect business to be better than normal going forward.”

Those were the words of Tom Cantin, president of Cantin Chevrolet-Cadillac, in response yesterday to questions about the restructuring of the General Motors dealership network over the next year and half. The most significant question related to the future of the Cadillac component of his Union Avenue sales and service operation.

“I have signed all of the contracts that keep us in business as we are, including Cadillac, into the fall of next year. In October 2010, we will be signing new contracts. We will be one of the 3,600 of the present 6,000 GM dealers still in business when that process is completed.”

“In the meantime I couldn’t be happier about the traffic coming through our doors. We have had more people come in so far this month than we did last month. As we go forward in the next 30, 60, and 90 days, I am certain we will experience the benefits of growing consumer confidence.”

Over the next 18-months, the geographic scope of Cantin’s Chevrolet franchise will be increasing as General Motors dealership network is restructured. According to Cantin, General Motors wants to end up with a network modeled after what Toyota has done with its network. With just a few exceptions — like Irwin Motors, for example — Toyota franchises are or will be freestanding. Where they do share a location with another brand, the physical plant will be designed in a way that the brands are completely separated, as is now the case at Irwin.

Toyota’s luxury Lexus dealerships are already few in number; there is only one in New Hampshire now. Cantin believes there will be only one, possibly two, instead of the present nine, Cadillac dealers in New Hampshire when the restructuring is complete. The Cadillac outlets will be located in population centers. After the transition, Cantin is unlikely to be one of them. This change is designed to make the Cadillac marque more competitive with other luxury brands.

“It’s important for current and prospective Cadillac owners here in the Lakes Region to know they are not being abandoned,” Cantin said. “For the next year and a half, it will still say Cadillac on the door, and long term we expect to continue providing our Cadillac customers with service.”

On the Chevy side, Cantin’s area of sales and service responsibility has already been increased to include Wolfeboro and the other side of the big lake.

“Remember, Cantin was just a Chevrolet dealer from 1929 to 1990. We had Mitsubishi for 12 years, and we have had Cadillac for seven,” he said. “For most of our history, we have been a single-brand dealership.”

Cantin says his real problem is keeping his inventory stocked with a variety of car and truck models. He has been taking delivery of new vehicles from General Motors, and he has had four deliveries of new cars purchased from other dealers in the past week. His allocation from the factory is being increased. He says he needs the additional inventory if he is going to meet his sales goals.

“I have learned a lot in the last couple of years, but one thing has always been certain with the Cantin’s’ — we are extremely fortunate to be in Laconia and to have so many loyal customers. We have benefited from an enormous endorsement from General Motors, and our customers will benefit from that as well,” Cantin said.