“Being the first new-car dealer operation for Dalton in the U.S., they had to kind of start from square one in terms of getting their dealer licenses, business licenses and tax ID numbers and new entities set up,” Rasmussen stated. “That was all part of the process.”
Fornaca and Fenelli nonetheless personal Frank Hyundai, additionally in National City. Fenelli stated he now not has an possession stake within the Toyota or Subaru shops, however stayed on with Dalton as platform supervisor.
The Toyota dealership dates again to 1965, Fenelli stated, whereas the Subaru retailer was acquired round 12 years in the past.
“We had a lot of offers to the table before Dalton got to the table,” Fenelli stated. “And quite frankly, we knew what we wanted and what we didn’t want. As a family-run and operated business, we were obviously concerned about the transition, making sure that we found a company that would be the right fit, right core values.”
Rodriguez-Villava declined to say whether or not Dalton has extra U.S. dealerships underneath contract to buy, however stated the group is different alternatives.
“We are already looking to grow,” he stated. “Obviously, we’re going to have to tune in how we cater to the market and the competitive advantages that we’re working on with Gary and the great executive team that we have [with] the Dalton platform in San Diego. This is only our first step and we’re going to continue to grow.”
Rodriguez-Villava stated Dalton shouldn’t be certain solely to California. The group is different elements of the U.S., he stated, although he did not present specifics.
Source: www.autonews.com