Local Dealership Meets Cost-Conscious Consumer Demand

By Dave Jordan, NEWS 9

EDMOND, Oklahoma -- Despite a slumping economy, a local company believed it was a perfect time to open a brand new car dealership.

Bob Moore Auto Group recently opened a Subaru dealership, but on Thursday it opened a brand new Kia dealership. The auto group said Kia and Subaru products are more in demand than ever before and meeting the demand of cost-conscious public is exactly how the auto dealership said they plan to drive cars off the lot.

"Last year whenever gas prices shot up, everybody was looking for reliability and dependability with cars that got good gas mileage," said Jeff Powell, Bob Moore general manager.

The Korean-based Kia and Japan-based Subaru brands responded to that need and so did Bob Moore Auto Group.

"We decided the time was right to go after more diversity," Powell said.

Newly Released numbers showed Asian-based car makers have clinched more than half of domestic auto sales with 53 percent of the market, up five points from last year.

Capital West Securities Vice President Jayson Gitt said he isn't surprised.

"Subaru, Kia and Hyundai have that same pattern of fuel efficiency and effective costs," Gitt said. "Opening up that dealership is the smartest thing to do at this point."

Those Asian automakers also benefited from the government's Cash for Clunkers rebate program earlier this year, as did American car companies, but that may have been too much of a good thing.

"Our biggest problem right now is just getting the inventory," Powell said.

However, Powell said the dealership is expecting to get about 150 cars soon.

Meanwhile, the number of U.S. auto sales of domestic vehicles is down sharply. Sales of cars and light trucks dropped nearly 23 percent from this time last year.