It’s still possible to buy a new Buick in Tucson but the supply at Royal Buick is getting limited. And there’s still no indication from General Motors who will take over the franchise.

“We’re down to just a handful,” said Steve Lace, general manager and vice president of Royal Automotive Group. “We’re going to get a few more in but then that’s it.”

Royal, 4333 E. Speedway, is in the process of winding down its operations as Tucson’s only Buick dealer. Lace says the company will continue servicing Buicks for its existing customers until Oct. 31, 2010, and continue beyond that as a dealer for Lexus, Jaguar, Land Rover, Kia and Suzuki.

Print this story Email this story Post a Comment ADVERTISEMENT

In the meantime, GM has not begun talking to other Tucson area dealerships about becoming a Buick franchisee.

John M. McDonald, a spokesman for GM in Detroit, said the company has yet to finalize any agreements to replace a brand that was lost in a market. While he couldn’t comment specifically about Tucson, he said discussions have started in some markets but they are complicated.

“We have dealers that are in the wind down. We want to be fair to them and not put another dealer right in over the top of them. But during the transition it’s tough for the consumer who can’t go to their neighborhood dealer and see all of the new product they’re used to seeing,” McDonald said.

Among Tucson dealers, an assumption is that Quebedeaux, 3566 E. Speedway, could be in line to pick up the Buick franchise because it is continuing as a GMC dealer and the new GM is combining Buick and GMC in dealerships while leaving stand alone Chevrolet and Cadillac dealers. Quebedeaux has also been carrying Pontiac but that brand is being discontinued in the new GM.

What has been Don Mackey Cadillac Pontiac GMC, 815 W. Auto Mall Drive, has agreed to continue as a Cadillac dealer.