Dealerships Shuttered In Wake of Legal Action

Remember this saga? Earlier this year we told you about All Pro Nissan, yet another entrant into the “Dealers Behaving Badly” file. At the time, the stores – owned by a couple of ex-NFL linebackers and a veteran of the auto industry – were being examined for all kinds of financial chicanery ranging from floorplan irregularities to missing cars.

At the time, it was reported that All Pro Nissan was open but unable to sell or lease vehicles due to “restructuring.” Now, it appears the lights have been turned off for good.

A brace of Nissan dealerships under the All Pro banner have shuttered their doors in the wake of its legal issues. All Pro Nissan of Dearborn and All Pro Nissan of Macomb have gone dark less than three years after opening to much fanfare.

It should be noted that 36 months is likely less than half the time for which most customers signed the note for vehicles they purchased at All Pro dealerships.

Calls to the All Pro Nissan of Dearborn went straight to an IVR menu, which still offered callers the option of speaking to someone in sales. Predictably, no human in the sales department picked up. The call bounced around to different phones before being answered by a voicemail belonging to “Adam,” who promised to call me back as soon as possible. I won’t be holding my breath on that one. The company’s website is still active, with over 500 vehicles listed in its inventory.

Fronted by Jessie Armstead and Antonio Pierce, both of whom played for the New York Giants, this dealer group was intended to be a large piece of that puzzle when All Pro Nissan opened up locations in Dearborn and Macomb about three years ago. Nissan has put a push on in recent years to increase its market share in the Detroit Three’s backyard.

According to Automotive News, something was suspected to be amiss this past summer, when audits carried out by another brand with a store in this dealer group identified some, erm, discrepancies. Not long after this brouhaha, reps from Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp. turned their sights to these locations, allegedly identifying more than 400 vehicles that had been financed but could not be located. Last month, lawsuits filed in two separate states purport that Nissan Finance is owed nearly ten million dollars for vehicles sold out of trust.

A mass exodus of staff and brand damage done by this issue will prove a real challenge for whoever decides to take over the place. Given the PR nightmare, a name change is certainly in order.

The main takeaway here? Be honest, kids. The truth eventually catches up with everyone.