Bill Perreault – a former Sexton Chevrolet mechanic – was one of about 100 bidders Saturday on shop equipment at the shuttered dealership.
Nearly a quarter million dollars of tools, lifts, alignment and computer equipment went on the General Motors auction block at the Spreckels Avenue dealership that closed in June drawing bidders from other states plus up and down California.
Dealership buyers came from Denver, Spokane and Portland joining others who watched and listened eagerly with shopping lists in their hands.
A rotary lift was the biggest sale item of the day going for $12,000.
Perreault was working at Sexton when GM shut down the dealership early in June. Prior to that, he had worked at C. Ellis Brooks on Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco’s Auto Row for nine years before it was closed. Brooks was the oldest established Chevrolet dealership in California.
The Manteca mechanic said that after being laid off twice in succession he decided to go into business for himself making house and office calls – focusing on vehicles owned by professionals who don’t have time to take their cars and trucks to a shop.
“I’ve got to start somewhere,” he said of his plan to launch Bill’s Mobile Automotive service. He is going the extra mile in taking the service to his customers.
Perreault said his last day at Sexton was June 5 when management called a meeting and told the employees that GM had pulled their franchise.
“I’m confident in what I do,” he said, seeing the side jobs continue to come into him in the meantime. He is putting together a 14X7 foot mechanic’s trailer with all the tools and equipment he will need to handle most jobs.
When working for someone else you just don’t know what day is going to be your last day, he said. Perreault was in search of a brake lathe and an air conditioning machine at Saturday’s auction.
The bidding competition was keen with many of the bidders having deeper pockets than his, he said. If he didn’t find the right price at the auction he would have to pick up the equipment he needs some place else, he noted.
Cabral has been in business in Manteca for 52 years – before that working for other dealerships in Manteca. Cabral started with Henry Von Berg when he opened the Ford franchise in Manteca in 1951 at Yosemite and Jessie avenues.
He went into the service in 1952 coming back to Manteca in 1954 and going to work for Mike Piccinni at what had become Mike’s Ford. In 1957 it became Jerry Knapp’s Manteca Ford and Cabral worked for Knapp for a short time before going into business for himself.
Frank Steves was among the Manteca bidders, representing his Buick – Chevrolet dealership in Oakdale and a Chevrolet dealership in Chowchilla. Both locations were allowed to stay in business by GM.
Steves said it has been a challenging six months feeling the public is fearful of buying a car in today’s economy.
Also a former Manteca Ford salesman, Steves said he has been in the automobile business for the last 37 years, remembering when Jerry Knapp had a company sponsored baseball team. Steves worked there for 17 years before opening his own business.
Both men lamented the Sexton shutdown as well as that of former Mantecan Dennis Plummer’s dealership in Lodi – also shut down by GM. Plummer had built a showcase operation, they said.
Cabral agreed to the challenges of the day, saying that his Yosemite Avenue and Union Road dealership operation has been challenging as well for the last six months. Of his staff of 50, he said he has tried to keep the best people and has brought other good people on board from dealerships that have been closed.
He also remembered vividly the slower pace of his operation when he had only 12 staff members.
“Cars have been going good. We’ve been doing well in parts and in the service department as well – we’ve been having great months,” he said. “He who thinks negative will be negative,” he stressed.
Cabral said Manteca has been good to his business, noting that he has had opportunities to go other places, but he’s pleased he remained in the Manteca community.
Dale Summers of the West Yosemite Avenue Manteca Auto Mart was also one of the bidders picking up a high pressure washer to clean the grease off of engines.
Harney Clar and his auctioneers opened the bidding on some 500 items – or groups of items – at 11 a.m. and didn’t expect to finish until 4:30 Saturday afternoon.
He said the auction would usually bring 30 to 40 cents on the dollar, adding that the Sexton auction seemed to be doing better than he expected. Following the Manteca auction the team is moving on to a closed GM dealership in Gilroy, then to Los Angeles and on to Long Beach.
The buyers had the responsibility of removing the equipment they purchased by the end of the day – dismantling it themselves. One exception was the ceiling high rotary lift where professionals charging $175 were assigned to take the equipment apart without the prospect of injuring themselves.
“I think when this thing all shakes out the dealers who came through it will be even stronger,” Clar said.
“We get a lot of small shops who have been kept busy -- this gives them the opportunity to upgrade their shops,” the auctioneer noted.
Brent Ward, owner of Main Auto on West Center Street, said he had already bought too much at the auction including a cabinet loaded with tools and some office furniture.
He voiced regret that local businesses like Sexton were forced out of operation – that’s what the economy brings us, he said.
Nearly a quarter million dollars of tools, lifts, alignment and computer equipment went on the General Motors auction block at the Spreckels Avenue dealership that closed in June drawing bidders from other states plus up and down California.
Dealership buyers came from Denver, Spokane and Portland joining others who watched and listened eagerly with shopping lists in their hands.
A rotary lift was the biggest sale item of the day going for $12,000.
Perreault was working at Sexton when GM shut down the dealership early in June. Prior to that, he had worked at C. Ellis Brooks on Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco’s Auto Row for nine years before it was closed. Brooks was the oldest established Chevrolet dealership in California.
The Manteca mechanic said that after being laid off twice in succession he decided to go into business for himself making house and office calls – focusing on vehicles owned by professionals who don’t have time to take their cars and trucks to a shop.
“I’ve got to start somewhere,” he said of his plan to launch Bill’s Mobile Automotive service. He is going the extra mile in taking the service to his customers.
Perreault said his last day at Sexton was June 5 when management called a meeting and told the employees that GM had pulled their franchise.
“I’m confident in what I do,” he said, seeing the side jobs continue to come into him in the meantime. He is putting together a 14X7 foot mechanic’s trailer with all the tools and equipment he will need to handle most jobs.
When working for someone else you just don’t know what day is going to be your last day, he said. Perreault was in search of a brake lathe and an air conditioning machine at Saturday’s auction.
The bidding competition was keen with many of the bidders having deeper pockets than his, he said. If he didn’t find the right price at the auction he would have to pick up the equipment he needs some place else, he noted.
Cabral, Steves among potential buyers
Bill Cabral of Cabral Chrysler Jeep Dodge Suzuki was looking for a hoist for his service department if it didn’t cost him too much. Otherwise, he would have to buy a new one, he said. Cabral has been in business in Manteca for 52 years – before that working for other dealerships in Manteca. Cabral started with Henry Von Berg when he opened the Ford franchise in Manteca in 1951 at Yosemite and Jessie avenues.
He went into the service in 1952 coming back to Manteca in 1954 and going to work for Mike Piccinni at what had become Mike’s Ford. In 1957 it became Jerry Knapp’s Manteca Ford and Cabral worked for Knapp for a short time before going into business for himself.
Frank Steves was among the Manteca bidders, representing his Buick – Chevrolet dealership in Oakdale and a Chevrolet dealership in Chowchilla. Both locations were allowed to stay in business by GM.
Steves said it has been a challenging six months feeling the public is fearful of buying a car in today’s economy.
Also a former Manteca Ford salesman, Steves said he has been in the automobile business for the last 37 years, remembering when Jerry Knapp had a company sponsored baseball team. Steves worked there for 17 years before opening his own business.
Both men lamented the Sexton shutdown as well as that of former Mantecan Dennis Plummer’s dealership in Lodi – also shut down by GM. Plummer had built a showcase operation, they said.
Cabral agreed to the challenges of the day, saying that his Yosemite Avenue and Union Road dealership operation has been challenging as well for the last six months. Of his staff of 50, he said he has tried to keep the best people and has brought other good people on board from dealerships that have been closed.
He also remembered vividly the slower pace of his operation when he had only 12 staff members.
“Cars have been going good. We’ve been doing well in parts and in the service department as well – we’ve been having great months,” he said. “He who thinks negative will be negative,” he stressed.
Cabral said Manteca has been good to his business, noting that he has had opportunities to go other places, but he’s pleased he remained in the Manteca community.
Dale Summers of the West Yosemite Avenue Manteca Auto Mart was also one of the bidders picking up a high pressure washer to clean the grease off of engines.
Harney Clar and his auctioneers opened the bidding on some 500 items – or groups of items – at 11 a.m. and didn’t expect to finish until 4:30 Saturday afternoon.
He said the auction would usually bring 30 to 40 cents on the dollar, adding that the Sexton auction seemed to be doing better than he expected. Following the Manteca auction the team is moving on to a closed GM dealership in Gilroy, then to Los Angeles and on to Long Beach.
Firm doing GM auctions thru Aug. 29
Clar said his firm – based in Orinda – is booked for auctions through Aug. 29 by General Motors, Chrysler and Ford. The auctions have no set bidding minimum, and the items are sold for what they will bring from the bidders.The buyers had the responsibility of removing the equipment they purchased by the end of the day – dismantling it themselves. One exception was the ceiling high rotary lift where professionals charging $175 were assigned to take the equipment apart without the prospect of injuring themselves.
“I think when this thing all shakes out the dealers who came through it will be even stronger,” Clar said.
“We get a lot of small shops who have been kept busy -- this gives them the opportunity to upgrade their shops,” the auctioneer noted.
Brent Ward, owner of Main Auto on West Center Street, said he had already bought too much at the auction including a cabinet loaded with tools and some office furniture.
He voiced regret that local businesses like Sexton were forced out of operation – that’s what the economy brings us, he said.
