Auto dealership a real best-seller

Paul Clinton

Fletcher Jones Motorcars sells more cars than almost anyone. All but

one.

The Newport-based luxury dealer is the No. 2 auto seller in the

nation, according to a report in a trade publication released last

month. It ranked only below Longo Toyota in El Monte with $436.9

million in sales during 2002. Longo logged $554 million in sales

during the year.

“We felt that we had a really strong year,” said Garth Blumenthal,

the dealer’s general manager. “Although we sell less cars [than

Longo], our cars are higher-priced cars.”

Fletcher Jones sells mostly Mercedes Benz vehicles at its lot near

the Back Bay.

During 2002, Fletcher Jones sold 5,012 new vehicles to Longo’s

19,416 and 1,709 used vehicles to Longo’s 3,930.

In all, four of the top 10 dealers on Ward’s Dealer 500 survey,

which was released in June, are in California. Rounding out the top

five are Galpin Ford in North Hills, J.M. Lexus in Margate, Fla., and

Ron Carter Automotive Center in Alvin, Texas.

Three other Newport-Mesa dealers made the list.

Costa Mesa’s Connell Chevrolet, with $120.6 million in sales, came

in at No. 184. Paul Doddridge owns Connell, which is on Harbor

Boulevard.

Newport Auto Center, which is owned by AutoNation Inc., came in at

No. 393 with $87 million in sales. David Wilson’s South Coast

Ford/Toyota, in Costa Mesa, logged $79.5 million in sales for No. 457

on the list.

Despite Fletcher Jones’ impressive placing on the list -- the

dealer improved from its No. 4 ranking the year before -- the overall

sales picture wasn’t as bright as it has been in other years, the

report said.

Between 1997 and 2000, the average dealer on the list pulled in an

additional $10 million a year. In 2002, overall revenue from the

dealers on the list had dropped.

Blumenthal attributed his dealership’s stepped up ranking to an

aggressive financing program, enticing lease deals and a preferred

owner program that allows customers to get free car washes and

complimentary trips to the airport from the Fletcher Jones airport

shuttle.

“This is a fiercely competitive market,” said Paul Taylor, chief

economist with the National Automobile Dealers Assn. “This

competitiveness is helpful for dealers.”

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He

may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

paul.clinton@latimes.com.