"The good news is that they're going to honor the parts, warranty and service end of it," said Tom Makarewicz, who has managed the dealership at 4180 Jupiter Ave. NE for the past six years.
Tom Makarewicz, operations manager of K&M Suzuki, said they will remain open to service existing customers.PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI – Tom Makarewicz, operations manager of K&M Suzuki, was trying to look on the positive side on the morning after American Suzuki Motor Corp. announced it will no longer sell new cars in the U.S. market.
“The good news is that they’re going to honor the parts, warranty and service end of it,” said Makarewicz, who has managed the dealership at 4180 Jupiter Ave. NE for the past six years.
Suziki, which said it will still sell motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and marine outboard engines in the U.S. market, announced Monday, Nov. 5, that it will pull out of the U.S. auto market. It will continue to sell cars in European and Asian markets.
“The volume was extremely low for them and that’s why they’re pulling out of the market,” said Makarewicz, one of three Suzuki automobile dealers in Michigan. The others are in Kalamazoo and Dearborn.
Although Suzuki’s line of all-wheel drive vehicles was competitive in the market, the company failed to throw enough resources into marketing the brand, said Makarewicz, who opened the dealer in the former movie theater in 2006.
As for the future of his dealership and its 14 employees, Makarewicz said it will remain open and focus on selling the inventory of 25 new Suzukis, servicing existing customers and selling used cars.
“We’re going to continue to grow with or without Suzuki,” said Makarewicz, whose dealership is affiliated with K&M Dodge, located across Plainfield Avenue. “If another franchise comes along, we’ll take a look at it.”
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