Have you ever noticed how many used car lots we have in our neighborhood?
This one is at 14th and S Streets, but I can think of several others off the top of my head: 14th and T Streets, 14th Street and Florida Avenue, 9th Street next to Queen of Sheba. The inventory appears to turn over fairly often, though I can't say that I have witnessed customers on the lots. I know that these businesses are a hold-over from when rents weren't so high and the residents weren't demanding high-end retail, but it just seems odd to have so many car lots. Who's buying from these shady-looking places? Are the cars hot, or are all of these late-model vehicles obtained in a kosher fashion?
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Just Wonderin'
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10 comments:
i read somewhere that the one at 14th and R was going to be replaced with an apartment building soon.
of course, there's also the one at 14th and corcoran, and used to be one at 14th and q. even without the grand old dealerships that used to line 14th street, there has still been a lot of the auto business on the street.
The whole area was once much more dedicated to car sales and repairs. Along 10th street, several old garages have been demolished to make way for Richardson's various developments. (I know Martin of Martin's Garage, now the Visio.) Michael's Garage is still a staging area over there on 11th. There's a car wash on 9th/Sherman... it was the theme of the neighborhood for a long time. I wouldn't assume they are hot... just that they are vestiges of what came before.
They're legit. Angelenos are used to these pocket lots -- they're all over Southern Cal.
actually, the one at the SE corner of 14th and Florida has shut down recently. It's all boarded up. Any idea what's going to replace it?
check out www.skoyles.com/carson14th.jpg
for an old pic of car dealerships at 14th and P st, in what is now the studio theater.
Why do they have to be sketchy? Just because you buy your cars one way and somebody buys it another?
Have you ever thought that cars have been sold this way in DC for decades? Shame.
way to get offended by absolutely nothing at all. he/she was "just wondering" probably because they are everywhere and he/she's doesn't know anone or doesn't know anyone who knows anyone who bought one there. curiosity, not shame.
We have these kind of lots in Texas too. I always found them a little sketchy, but not because the cars might be hot or anything. I just wondered about how good the service would be if there were problems later.
"Why do they have to be sketchy? Just because you buy your cars one way and somebody buys it another?"
Oh good grief.
It has jack-all to do with "how" people buy cars--although I would assume that most people, like us, either buy a car from a dealership, car lot, or directly from an individual. Am I missing anything?
My cousin bought a car from one of those a few years back. He talked to the owner and apparently these lots are one of several they own, including large suburban lots. They rotate the cars among their lots for display purposes.
I mainly remain surprised this is economical. The land values on 14th are getting pretty high and I'd be shocked if they were making sufficient margins to make it economical. Shows what I know, I guess.
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