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Old 04-01-2015, 04:58 PM   #1
XDCX
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Default Whatever happened to the Ford Dealer Alliance?

Whatever happened to the Ford Dealer Alliance?

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Does anyone else remember the full-page ad the Ford Dealer Alliance used to run in Automotive News in the late 80s and early 90s?
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The Ford Dealer Alliance was founded my Ed Mullane, pictured above, in 1967 and grew to over 2,000 Ford Dealers by 1981. Some of the issues the FDA was targeting in the 90s sound remarkable familiar today:

  • The Blue Oval certification program, which spawned 3-tier pricing because of volume-based subsidies denied to smaller dealers.
  • Inadequate parts markups, and warranty rates amounting to two-thirds retail pay for similar work.
  • A factory diagnostic center that competed with dealer service departments.
Mac Gordon, from Wards Auto, wrote an interesting story about the FDA back in 2009. At that time the FDA had declined slightly but still had 40% of the Ford and 28% of the Lincoln/Mercury Dealers as active members.
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When I did a Google Search for the "Ford Dealer Alliance" today the only thing I can find are dead links. That poses the question: Whatever happened to the Ford Dealer Alliance?
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If you have the answer, or know someone who might know the answer, I'd appreciate it if you'd add a post to this thread or send me a Private Message. I'd like to learn more about the FDA, how it operated and what, presumably, lead to its demise.
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Old 04-01-2015, 05:05 PM   #2
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Default Report about the Ford Dealer Alliance in Wards Auto

Here's the link to the story Mac Gordon wrote about the FDA in 2009 - click here

If you get a chance it's an interesting read. The article mentions that the GM dealers tried to form a similar alliance but their efforts were blocked by General Motors.

I'm going to send an email to Mac Gordon and ask if he has any information about what happened to the FDA. As I ponder the future of DealershipForum and think about what I'd like the forum to become the history of the FDA intrigues me.
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Old 04-02-2015, 12:22 PM   #3
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Default 01/13/15 Letter of Proposed Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution

It appears the Ford Dealer Alliance was active as recently as 01/13/15.

On 01/13/15 the members of the Ford Dealer Alliance received a letter of Proposed Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution. A copy of that letter was provided to me by one of our members.

Here's page one of the subject letter:

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Old 04-02-2015, 12:32 PM   #4
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Default 01/13/15 Statement of Assets and Liabilities - Distribution of Excess Funds

Here's another excerpt from the letter the FDA members received on 01/13/15 that estimated the assets and liabilities of the corporation and detailed the proposed distribution of excess funds:

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