Commercial Auto Dealers

Hearse dealerships are a haven for people looking for classic Cadillac hearses and other funeral cars for whatever reason. If you know what you’re looking for, hearse dealerships can be the place where you will get the car of your dreams. Following are some little known facts about today’s hearses and the hearse culture so you know more about what you are getting into from your local hearse dealerships.

• Hearses tend to be well-maintained. Funeral directors typically use hearses for a few years before upgrading to a newer model. One proud hearse owner, Pat Fish, bought a 1959 Cadillac hearse in 1998 and it only had 23,000 miles on it. How many other cars can you find like that?

• Hearses, or funeral coaches, are usually about 20 feet long. As new, they can sell for as much as $70,000 or even more depending on the model and features you choose.

• The Professional Car Society sponsors annual gatherings for people who have restored their hearse. They do not allow, however, hearses with any gimmicky touches that tarnish the idea behind these funeral cars.

• If you’re “creeped out” by the idea of driving a hearse, take a word of advice from Paul Nix, a hearse enthusiast: “What is so spooky about a hearse? I’m more worried about live people.”

Did you know you can still get a tax break for purchasing a GMC 2008 hybrid? Many people are flocking to their local GMC dealer to invest in a GMC 2008 vehicle because they can no longer get a tax deal for the Prius. What’s even better is that they are enjoying the wide selection and quality from the GMC 2008 hybrids on the market today.

The tax credits began in 2005 when the federal government enacted the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The purpose of the tax deduction was to encourage automakers to create more fuel-efficient vehicles. When they first began manufacturing the hybrids, they were worried that consumers wouldn’t buy them. But with the tax credits, consumers have flocked to dealer lots to take advantage of the deductions. In some cases, you can receive a deduction of up to $3,400 just for buying a hybrid!

Automakers are only allowed to sell 60,000 hybrid units before their products are no longer eligible for tax credits. GMC still has many hybrid models that offer the credits if you’re looking to buy a hybrid. Following is a list of the company’s hybrid or fuel-efficient models that still carry a credit along with how much that credit actually is:

2008 Chevrolet Malibu – $1,300
2008 Chevrolet Tahoe – $2,200
2008 GMC Yukon – $2,200
2008 Saturn Vue Green Line – $1,550
2008 Saturn Aura Green Line – $1,300

This is just another incentive to visit you local GMC dealer. In addition to getting a great deal and helping the environment, you can also get a huge deduction on your taxes!

If you lived through the ’60s, did you ever see a rock band carrying their equipment from gig to gig in a Cadillac hearse? Several of them did it. This story is about the Ricochettes, a band in Wisconsin that was often referred to as the “Milwaukee Beatles.”

The drummer of the band, Jon Galobich, was a typical rocker in the 1960s. When he was in high school, the principal told him his haircut was unacceptable (imagine that happening these days) and he’d have to get it cut. It was a “mop” that extended down to his neck. Galobich decided to get a slight trim just to get “the man” off his back.

But that’s what it was like back then. Everybody was trying to be like The Beatles. Aside from the music, though, there was one noticeable difference between The Ricochettes and The Beatles. You see, the Milwaukee band prided themselves on carrying their equipment around in a 1955 Cadillac hearse. Back then, that was more shocking than the long hair that almost got Galobich suspended from school.

But is it really that shocking today? A Cadillac hearse isn’t really that shocking today, is it? I’m sure some people still get a charge out of seeing and everyday person driving one around for fun, but if a rock band used a Cadillac hearse to drive to their gigs, would anybody be totally surprised? To me, Cadillac hearses have maintained their beauty, but they have lost their shock value. And I think that’s a good thing. What do you think?

For the last 8 months or so, sales for new truck dealers have suffered as the result of high gas prices. But could there be some good news ahead for these same new truck dealers?

Now that gas prices have started to subside a bit and drivers are getting accustomed to the idea of paying $4 a gallon, compact cars aren’t all the rage. Consumers are simply adding the price of gas into their budget and considering it another expense as it was before.

The CEO of Edmunds.com had this to say about the situation: “There’s been a rush to small cars, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the shift is permanent.” The website tracks consumer habits by monitoring the number of searches for different types of vehicles. Amazingly, interest in hybrids has dropped more than 30 percent since June. Did you ever think you’d hear something like that these days?

One of the reasons for the switch is due to new truck dealers having more stock of fuel-efficient trucks and SUVs. General Motors is one company trying to keep up with consumer demands in terms of efficiency, too. So if you’re sick of the hybrid craze and want to go back to the truck or SUV of your choice, your local GMC dealer is ready to welcome you back with open arms. Visit one today and see what’s in store for you!

Just when the sales figures for one of the world’s largest automakers looks rather bleak, GM sales should increase as the result of two exciting promotions.

The first and most exciting promotion is the GM employee pricing. That means you can go to your local GMC dealer and get your favorite 2008 model for the same price employees pay. In some instances, that’s a savings of thousands of dollars! The GM sales event comes just a couple weeks before the automaker’s 100th anniversary and it ends on September 2. That means you better hurry to a dealer today!

The other great thing happening that could increase GM sales of used cars is the new warranty for certified GM vehicles. The warranties once covered only 3,000 miles or three years, whichever came first. But the new warranty, which takes effect on September 13, covers certified GM products for 12,000 miles or 12 months from bumper-to-bumper. That gives used car buyers peace of mind that you can’t put a price on.

So get down to a GM dealer in the next few weeks and take advantage of one of these incentives. There are some exciting things going on with the automaker and you’re more than welcome to be a part of it.

Did you hear the story about the driver who plowed into a line of funeral cars in a procession earlier this month? I’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often with the way people drive these days.

The “accident” took place in Lufkin, Texas on Loop 287 near Copeland. It occurred as mourners followed a procession to the burial site. The driver of a Buick in the procession stopped to follow the flow of the procession and that’s when the inattentive driver caused the accident.

The name of the man wasn’t released, but he was taken to a local hospital to ensure that he was fine after his airbags deployed. He was, however, given a ticket for reckless driving. The driver of the Buick didn’t suffer any injuries except for some minor damage to the rear bumper of his car.

I’m sure there are many more stories like this across the country. Are people ever going to learn to have some respect when the see a line of funeral cars lead by a Cadillac hearse? Don’t they know to take extra caution? It’s really not that hard to miss. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I still believe in pulling to the side of the road if it’s safe when I see a procession line of funeral cars. Unfortunately, that’s even too much to ask of some drivers even when an emergency vehicle is coming their way.

While cruising around your local hearse dealerships, you’ll probably find a wide variety of funeral cars and funeral coaches that pique your interest. But you won’t find this hearse at any hearse dealerships near you.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom VI is a one-of-a-kind hearse in that it was the same car used when the Queen took a tour of New Zealand in 1970. It wasn’t a hearse back then, but it is now. The car was recently transformed into a hearse so it can join the fleet of classic hearses that the Gee and Hickton funeral directors have collected. The directors purchased the car this year from a funeral home in nearby Auckland. They are having it completely reconditioned for comfort and style. The reason they purchased the car is simply for nostalgia’s sake after one director recognized how much the royal family meant to his grandmother’s generation. “It struck me how much that meant to her generation,” he explained, “how they loved the royal family. My grandmother would be tickled pink to go out in something like this.”

Unfortunately, you won’t see this type of funeral limousine at your local hearse dealerships. You can, however, find several new and classic Cadillac hearses at hearse dealerships across the United States. Visit a local hearse dealer today and find one that fits your preferences.

When you visit your GMC new truck dealers next year, you’re going to notice something different. Currently, GMC new truck dealers have several fuel-efficient SUVs and trucks for you to choose from along with other favorites that have not been changed. But in 2009, these new truck dealers are going to get a full line of large yet efficient vehicles to add to their inventory.

General Motors is ready to introduce an efficient alternative to its largest vehicles. That means for the 2009 model year, you can expect to find redesigned and reengineered Tahoes, Silverados, Sierras, Yukons and even Cadillac Escalades with the latest in gas-saving technology.

While other car manufacturers are trying to make their cars smaller in order to be more efficient, GM is feverishly working on giving its customers what they want – bigger cars with more efficiency. I don’t know about you, but I certainly need more room than what a Prius or some other compact car offers. Otherwise, my knees would be touching my chin as I drive.

That’s one thing GM is trying to avoid. One of the world’s largest automakers is keeping the large vehicles and simply making them more fuel-efficient. Some of these models have even been equipped with hybrid technology to bring more customers to a local GMC dealer when they want size and efficiency. Hopefully the trend will continue even after the gas crisis is gone.

If you own a Cadillac hearse, you probably belong to a hearse club or you’ve thought about joining a hearse club. With the number of Cadillac hearse club around the world, there’s probably one near you! Many states have either sanctioned or unsanctioned Cadillac hearse clubs, but did you know the United Kingdom has one as well?

The Classic Hearse Register (CHR) in jolly ol’ England was created more than 15 years ago by Dave Salmon. The main purpose of the club was to “collect and record as much information about pre-’80 classic hearses that still survived.” As a result of hearse enthusiasts in the region, the club quickly grew. Before long, local car shows and the car scene in the area included many funeral cars and Cadillac hearses for people to see.

A few years later, Salmon made Paul Harris in charge of the club. Harris’s collection of Princess Hearses and hearses/ambulances made him a prime candidate for the new head of the group. In 2000, Harris passed the bier pin to Mark Josey, another hearse collector. Under Josey’s direction, the club began a website and became much better known in the UK and around the world.

The last change of hands took place in 2003 when Sandra, the current head of the club, took over. She owns a MK1 Granada hearse and her partner, Dean Reader, owns a very rare Austin Ambassador hearse.

To this day, the company continues to grow. They accept owners of hearses, funeral cars, flower cars and any other vehicles that fit into this category. Why not join in the fun and find a hearse club near you?

Although GM sales of the Hummer brand SUV have faltered due to the high gas prices, the automaker’s new concept could spark a new interest among buyers.

General Motors has a reputation of releasing limited edition vehicles for a variety of occasions. The new Black Chrome H2 is no exception. Although GM sales have been so bad that the company has considered selling off the brand, the new Black Chrome edition could produce a GM sales spurt before selling the brand to another company.

GM isn’t giving too many details about the new edition, but we can make some guesses based on the name. It’s probably going to be a sleek black H2 with all chrome accents and features. Door handles, side mirrors, hood latches and the trim around the fuel door are probably going to be accented with shiny chrome that catches your eye immediately. In addition, the Black Chrome H2 will probably have matching black leather interior with chrome accents along the dash as well.

Does this renew any interest in the Hummer? Despite its fuel economy, will you want to visit your local GMC dealer and get a Black Chrome H2? It sounds interesting to me, but I still want a Hummer regardless of its gas mileage. How about you?