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Ferman Halts New Car Sales, Repairs In Plant City

News Channel 8 photo by MICHAEL EGGER

The Chrysler dealership at 1722 S. Collins St. now operates as Plant City Used Car Supercenter.

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By GEORGE WILKENS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 17, 2009

PLANT CITY - Citing the economy, Tampa's oldest automobile dealership, Ferman, has halted new car sales and repairs at its Plant City location but will continue to sell used vehicles there.

The Chrysler dealership at 1722 S. Collins St. now operates as Plant City Used Car Supercenter, according to a news release by Steve Straske, vice president and corporate counsel for the Ferman group, headquartered at 1306 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa.

Ferman will continue to sell and service Chrysler and Jeep vehicles at its New Port Richey location on U.S. 19 at State Road 54, and Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles at its Cypress Creek dealership on State Road 54 in Land O' Lakes.

"Our decision to discontinue Plant City new car sales is based on forecasts for continuing deterioration of the national economy, but this is an isolated event for Ferman," chief executive officer James L. Ferman said in a statement. "We do not contemplate discontinuing either sales or service at any of our other locations."

Ferman has been serving the Tampa Bay area since 1896 and currently operates at 12 locations. In addition to Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge, the company's dealerships sell new vehicles manufactured by Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, GMC, BMW, MINI, Acura, Mazda, Nissan, Volvo, Harley-Davidson and Buell.

The company opened Ferman Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Plant City in 2006, when it acquired Plant City Motors. That dealership traced its roots to 1943, when B.M. Smith opened a used car lot. In 1958, his son, B.M. "Mac" Smith Jr., joined the company and it became an American Motors dealership.

Ferman is the second major Plant City dealership to undergo major changes in recent months. In late December, Stingray Chevrolet opened at the former Bill Heard Chevrolet dealership at Park Road and Interstate 4. Bill Heard closed in September after its parent company declared bankruptcy.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 865-4433.

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