Billion Automotive consolidating two GM dealerships

IOWA CITY - Billion Automotive plans to consolidate the two GM dealerships it acquired in Iowa City into a 60,000-square-foot facility with two showrooms.

The new facility for Billion Chevrolet Cadillac GMC Buick will open in April, said company President David R. Billion. It will be adjacent to the Billion Honda dealership at 2641 Mormon Trek Blvd.

Billion Automotive acquired Community Motors, a GMC and Buick dealer, and McEleney Autoplex, a Chevrolet, Cadillac and Hyundai dealer, in late 2009.

“We've been in Iowa City for a year now and with the industry cycles we've been through, we're very optimistic about the future,” Billion said, praising the new products GM has in the pipeline. Billion's Iowa City Chevrolet dealership was among the fastest growing in GM's Chicago region last year, Billion added.

The dealership will be among the first to be built with a new set of design standards from GM, Billion said. It will include one showroom for Chevrolet and a separate showroom for GMC, Buick and Cadillac. The showrooms will be divided by a shared service entrance.

Billion said improving the experience for customers taking vehicles in for service was an important aspect of the project, because service quality is one of the things that keeps customers coming back for new vehicle purchases.

A separate 20,000-square-foot all-make collision center will be built behind the new car dealership.

Billion Automotive is a family-owned dealership chain based in Sioux Falls, S.D.

“We've gotten a very good response to both of our facilities,” Billion said. “We're tickled pink.”