I still do all my own stuff except alignments & machining
until I can no longer do it...
I use to work for a larger dealership group
HG Automotive at 1st, Concord, Walnut Creek, Lafayette
Dublin, Pleasanton, Oakland, Martinez, Berkeley etc.
SF East Bay area
It was great group to work with, really good people
I knew all the org. owners & their wives,
{I always got the honey do lists...LOL}
I know most all the techs in all 4 dealerships in Concord personally
I know all the parts guys personally too
I know all the service writers personally too
I grew up with most all of them, they all were at my MNF or Pool parties
one point or other, when I still lived down there...
{Service writers are sort of weird kinds of shady guys, but they were always honest with me}
it went from 4 to 8 then 16 dealerships shortly after I signed my org. retainer
to work exclusively for them...
I didn't do wrenching...
I'm not a mechanic/tech...
They did have their name/sponsored on my racecars too...
I was the Facilities Manager/Contractor & sub contractor coordinator
sometimes Projects Manager on retainer &
I did all the new construction build a few from the ground up
did remodeling, lighting maintenance & construction projects etc.
10 or so years in, late mid 80's
they later were bought out/merged with by a huge group
125 dealership strong, that was all over the western US...
That was traded publically, that changed everything in all aspects
& profits, bottom line & volume, became more important
than return customers it seems...
That was 1st American Automotive Group...
But most the people working there were honest
& were good people, tech's & management...
I still worked for them for quite a while, until about 1997
Sometime between then & 2007
{IIRC}
I think they've dissolved the partnerships, not sure of particulars
all the CEO CFO Chairman President & VP etc. all resigned
& they split it back up into smaller more manageable groups...
I still work with them still/occasionally,
consulting more than anything now...
There's good/decent & bad dealerships for sure...
Seems like no in between types anymore...
There's great, good & mediocre techs, parts guys & service writers too...
Not all dealerships or employees are created equal...
Some service dept.'s & parts dept.'s are run by arrogant ********
I experienced that 1st hand, it's not like it was even 10 years ago now...
I wish it wasn't that way, but it is...
good luck in the search, you'll need it