Ford's Downsizing Plans Impact Sand Springs Auto Dealer

Wednesday, January 24th 2007, 5:11 pm

By: News On 6

A well known Sand Springs car dealership has been forced to shut down. Sand Springs Ford has unexpectedly closed its doors for good. While many of their customers and employees may have been blind-sided by the closure, the News on 6 found out it's not that much of a surprise.

News on 6 reporter Jennifer Loren says Sand Springs Ford is no longer a car lot. Now itâ€™s an empty parking lot on Charles Page Boulevard.

An off duty police officer guards the drive, managers say for security reasons. The dealership had been in business for around 20 years. But as of Tuesday, itâ€™s closed for good.

The general manager did not want to talk on camera, but he told the News on 6, this is all part of Ford Motor Company's down-sizing.

Itâ€™s no secret Ford, and all Detroit-based auto-makers, have been in financial trouble. Ford was the U.S. automaker hardest hit by rising interest rates, higher gas prices and a shift away from high-margin trucks. They warned America they were going to cut costs. Sand Springs Ford was apparently one of them.

Bob Hurley of Bob Hurley Ford says he bought about 90 percent of the new cars off the lot. His dealership will likely benefit greatly from the closure and that's what he said the downsizing is all about, too many dealerships in one market.

United Lincoln Mercury Jaguar is also taking orders from Ford. A spokesperson says they're consolidating, their dealership near 97th and Memorial will move in with another of their Tulsa dealerships.

Both moves are expected to help Ford dealerships become more profitable.

Ford is expected to be the first Detroit-based auto-maker to talk in detail about their record loss for 2006.