Georgia Bankruptcy Blog

With new car sales slumping with the economy, Bill Heard Chevrolet closed down suddenly.  (Atlanta Business Chronicle article).

The company began in Columbus in 1919, founded by W.T. Heard Sr. It developed into the country’s biggest Chevrolet dealer for years and runs dealerships in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Texas and Nevada. But the souring economy brought less demand for new cars and GMAC recently eliminated Bill Heard’s credit for inventory, the paper noted. As Atlanta Business Chronicle reported in July 2007, Bill Heard faced a $50 million deceptive advertising lawsuit and was bombarded with a litany of complaints from consumers in the states where it operated.

One of my clients is an Atlanta area dealer of domestic new cars, and they have cut their staff dramatically because of poor sales.  However, in the case of Bill Heard, the volume of complaints and investigations is probably a factor. (See article here and some video here).

The Atlanta Journal also has an article in today's edition:

Though it blamed the current economic turmoil, the company’s financial and legal problems have been mounting for several years. The most recent example was GMAC Financial Services’ decision last month to discontinue credit for new inventory for some of Bill Heard’s dealerships. It cited concerns about financial losses at the company.

The company also has had several battles with the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs, which has been investigating the company since 2003.

Last year, the Consumer Affairs office filed a lawsuit that accuse the company of engaging in a 16-year pattern of deceptive sales pitches. The allegations came a year after the company sent 10,000 Georgia car owners a flyer with the words “Urgent Potential Recall Notice” that appeared to come from General Motors.

The suit, the first the agency has filed against a car dealer in three decades, said the recall notice “was intended and designed to mislead recipients into believing that their automobiles were subject to an urgent recall, so that the recipients would call Bill Heard’s sales staff and be solicited for an automobile purchase or service contract.”

you give me my car back that ..biill heard..702 444 5585 702 428 4007 702 254 0050

you give me my car back that ..biill heard..702 444 5585 702 428 4007 702 254 0050

As a former Checrolet Dealer it is not difficult to understand the woes of the new car froanchise, if your not a crook you can not survive or that is the positon some seem to take. GM itself always took sides with these big dealers and did not really care what they did as long as they sold cars. I have no sympathy for thse dealers or any other new car franchise. The old saying what goes around, comes around just maght be true. These guys have been putting conumers in financial peril for years. Just look at the thousands of repo's sold at auctions each week nationally. My new book, out soon, titled Auto-Kwan-Dough (cars buyers self defense training will explain many of the deceptive practices that go on in this business.

Bill heard in las vegas sold me a 2004 rx8. They kept saying my loan was going through and then when the doors closed told me to return the car and they would have a refund of $5500 for my deposit. I returned the car and they told me to come back the next week for my check. I went to towbin to get another vehicle and gave them a check for $5000 that would have been covered by my check from bill heard. it's been 3 weeks and still NO check from Bill heard, I've been there everyday to ask for it!! now Towbin wants their money, the loan has gone through, Towbin is holding my green slip since my $5000 deposit has bounced thanks to Bill heard. I am so embarresed at work for having to return the first vehicle now maybe a second because of them holding my money. I am also very depressed. Buying a car should be an exciting experience this is a nightmare. I don't know what to do. Any advise? yes2xooma@aol.com. Julie

BILL HEARD SOLD MY CAR AND STOLE MY CAR YOU CAN CONTACT ME 702 428 4007 702 254 0050

I was told that Chevy was going bankrupt and that they were buying all their cars back from 89 to present. We are purchasing our first car in March and we wanted to know if it would be a good idea to get a chevy car or not