4th Scottsdale Car Dealership Closes
October 7, 2008 by Frank
Ahh, this couldn’t have been scripted any better. First the credit cards were maxed out, and no one could get a limit increase. Then the HELOC money dried up – you know, the money the Scottsdale “elite” have been living on all along – and things slowed even more. And then the no-down, no-income-verification, no-credit-check option-arm loans began to reset, and Scottsdale and it’s $39,150 median income just couldn’t pay anymore.
And now the car dealers are dropping like flies.
Before Steve or some other troll chimes in that this is due to a nationwide slowdown and not just Scottsdale, it’s interesting to note that 2 of the 4 dealers didn’t actually close. They simply bailed out of Faketown and moved to other parts of the Valley.
Phoenix Motor Company, one of the largest Mercedes-Benz dealerships in the US, abandoned their Scottsdale plans years ago and opened their new flagship store in north Glendale, which not coincidentally is the wealthiest zip code in Arizona.
Sorry Scottsdale, but your days are numbered. Time for more blighted neighborhoods, more crime, more dirtbags taking over, and even more misery and nastiness from the locals.
And LOTS more speed cameras now that the corrupt city council has openly stated that due to the crash in sales taxes and property taxes, they need new and creative ways to raise revenue.
Hey Scottsdale, f*ck you. You deserve it.
Yeah, two of those dealers moved to Mesa Riverview, which is what, 4 miles from where they were?
Since I’m still stuck in Scottsdale, I’m happy the Riverview and Tempe Marketplace are here, they give me somewhere to go when I’m bored. Everything in Scottsdale is closed except for the bars, which are full of people who park their cars in places with the doors unlocked hoping they will get stolen so they won’t have to pay for them.
I guess this also makes the repo’s man job easier.
Scottsdale builder plays God while trying to create more exurban sprawl: http://www.azcentral.com/news/green/articles/2008/10/08/20081008EPAsettlement.html
Glendale is not the wealthiest zip code in Arizona. In fact, as of April 2007, Paradise Valley’s 85253 was number three in the country behind Greenwich, Conn and New Port Beach, Ca.
Wrong. Paradise Valley is highest income in Arizona but not highest net worth. This is due to the massive mortgage debt in P.V. – few people own their homes outright there.
Arrowhead Lakes is tops for net worth.
Big difference between net worth and income.
With all that’s surfacing across the country now, isn’t it apparent that Scottsdale may actually be a microcosm and on the vanguard of national economic trends?
Yes, Scottsdale may truly be a leader! Everyone may be headed the same direction.
Of course there are exceptions–Newport Beach or Worth Avenue or Lakeshore Drive–but the deterioration in the average Scottsdale economic situation may mirror that everywhere, even if it’s more extreme in its display of consumption.
And not a whole lot has changed since April 2007, right?
Hi Parker –
Not to criticize, but its Newport Beach, not New Port Beach.
MG
El Jefe:
Thanks for the link. I wonder how Johnson could have done this level of change to a River without local authorities knowing about it???
I mean really, are AZ gov’t construction inspectors stupid or do they just not show up on a site or are aware of construction progress???
Seems to me that Johnson and his project managers/engineers were able to do A LOT of change involving huge amounts of soil movement and to think that the government only called him on it AFTER alterations were made is very suspect.
MG
Link to AZ article on HUD admitting 5 million illegals given home loans. Definite impact on AZ:
http://kfyi.com/pages/local_news.html?feed=118695&article=4364653
MG
Hi Cecilia,
Believe me, it’s true. I’ve been in Orange County (Newport Coast, to be exact) for almost two years since leaving Scottsdale and my girlfriend and I are still both surprised on a daily basis at how much friendlier people are around here compared with Scottsdale.
In our first year here we made more friends than seven years in Scottsdale, have a much lower stress level, enjoy a FAR superior quality of life, and on and on. Is it insanely expensive in OC? Yes, but I think the cost more than makes up for the improvement in lifestyle.
And I’ve already decided that, if the economy collapses and I find myself short of money, I will *NOT* be moving back to Arizona. I’ll go somewhere else if I need to save money.
MG, help me out here … let’s save one of our own from going to the hell that is Scottsdale! MG is a frequent poster here who also lives in OC but travels to Scottsdale quite frequently for business.
Frank
PS: Today I saw a jackass with Arizona plates and a Scottsdale license plate frame almost cause a pile-up doing 60 on the 73 freeway… fortunately he turned onto 55 north meaning he’s heading back to Arizona
Where’s Cecelia’s post? I’ll be glad to help out.
MG
MG,
We are watching all the rats trip over each other on the way off the sinking ship. I’m sure everyone looked the other way when things were good and diverting a river for some lame cookie cutter and big box development was just another easy paycheck.
Believe it or not folks, I actually went to a neighborhood BBQ on Sunday near Scottsdale and McDonald where some of my family lives. Many of the residents have lived there for 20+ years. There were kids running around, dogs playing in the streets and everyone knew each other. One of my friends from High School who lived in that neighborhood growing up came in from Austin to introduce the whole ‘hood to his new fiance.
Places like this still do exist, even in the heart of Scottsdale, AZ. I hope we can one day take our city back.
Hellon Frank,
Thanks for the response. We think you’re very funny and witty. We are leaving tomorrow to the Phoenix area as my husband has to go for business. I look forward to going away, but a little apprehensive since we almost made a down payment on a home and not sure how I will feel looking at the home site again. I have loved the southwest since I moved here from Roumania 27 years ago. I’ve lived in OC all that time and so has my husband who’s 50. We both love the southwest so very much, so wanting to live in Scottsdale (although Chandler looks really nice) is only an extension of what we love. I suppose if we don’t move there we would end up in Yorba Linda. I will be more on cue to look for the Scottsdale male and female” while we are there this weekend. And you know since you live in Newport and I live in Irvine, why don’t we meet!! We got lots to talk about.
Take care, Cecilia
Frank,
Am I really wrong? It is all in what defines “wealth”. I look at wealth as the amount of money earned and assets owned minues debt accrued. Basically, who has the most? In fact, you said “wealthiest” not Net Worth. When looking up the “wealthiest”, which is how you put it, 85253 fit the bill when the last ranking was done in 2007 not any zip in Glendale.
cecilia,
If you have to relocate for business/ work purposes, you most likely have no choice, but beware of what you wish for. I’ve been living and working with my family in “upscale” North Scottsdale for more than 12 years and know every square inch as well as the business climate and social, educational and cultural structure. Boxed in because of personal reasons, we’ve been planning our desperate escape for the past 3 years, as we first sold our home, wound up our employment requirements and are in the final phase, as the last remaining piece, (sibling education transfer), is finalized. Our destination…..California !!, a state we know very well,(North San Diego county).
Everything you’ve read on this web site is on target and as somebody here on the ground, even more so.
RED FLAG:
Education: if you have children, absolutely terrible and sub-standard, some of the worst in the country, and don’t fall victim to the “Scottsdale schools” myth. One of my regrets, but stuck here for employment purposes, was subjecting my children to such a sub-standard educational system and marginal classmates, that may have impaired them in the future.Private schools are a joke also, and charter schools, a scam. Also, a HUGE amount of drug use and availability in schools here, rivaling inner city ones. (Arizona is the perennial winner of the “Dumbest State in the Nation” award).
Housing/Weather:
Don’t let the appearances of new developments fool you….poor construction and design, promoting square footage and a pseudo-lifestyle which is a marketing ploy, populated by transient migrants who have nothing in common. Eventually they mature into modern ghettos, the geography of nowhere. Very familiar of Windgate Ranch and adjoining DC Ranch, not worth the cost, as they fit the aforementioned description perfectly. If you HAVE to move here, just rent something as you’ll eventually flee. The weather is horrific…from mid-May to mid-October, the heat and blistering sun will restrict your mobility and drive you indoors with the rest of the Scottsdale hermits, while the air quality and dust can very unhealthy at times. Winters are overcast ,blustery, chilly, (yes, you need the heat tuned on), and the dusty ,barren landscape is revealed as it is, ugly.(Pools here by the way are mostly unusable due to the weather extremes and really for “show”, a prevalent Scottsdale trait).
Socio-economic-cultural:
Transient, soulless, hypocritical, tinges of bigotry, morally bankrupt, insecure wannabes,rudeness, alienation, vacuous, contempt, look-at-me attitude, vapid, living on the edge dead-enders and last-chance desperadoes. In summary, an astounding menagerie of misfits and phonies with no moral, cultural and financial anchors.
This is just an abbreviated snapshot, for more details, go back and read the postings on this site and Frank’s other original site on this repository of human failures, the Land of Fake.
If you have other option, reconsider…seriously reconsider.
PS. In case, you might wonder if I’m “envious” of those around me and suffer from some version of socio-economic “class warfare”, for what it’s worth, my personal economic and educational stats would place me in the top 2-3% of North Scottsdale rankings.
raven
“City needs up to $35 mil fix, finance official says
by Lynh Bui – Oct. 9, 2008 03:27 PM
The Arizona Republic
SCOTTSDALE – Scottsdale is facing a financial crisis of an unprecedented scale and is looking for a quick $25 million to $35 million fix, the city’s finance director said Thursday.
“This is like nothing we’ve ever seen,” said Craig Clifford, Scottsdale’s chief financial officer.”
___________________________________________________________
article says city needs ” $25 to $35 million quick fix”…That’s exactly the Scottsdale problem…….the majority of Scottsdale residents have been living on a “quick fix” for the past few years and now its city government is looking to do likewise.
Kinda like …..”chickens coming home to roost”….
raven
Crass bordering on the socially obscene is what immediately comes to mind…. but hey, its Scottsdale “values’ in full light…from today’s AZ Republic web site:
raven
http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/2008/10/10/20081010sr-cougars1011.html#comments
“Documentary to focus on ‘cougars’ prowling clubs
Alex Bloom – Oct. 10, 2008 10:50 AM
The Arizona Republic
SCOTTSDALE – On any given night here, you can find cougars fresh on the scent of young cubs.
Two Valley residents are making a documentary about those cougars, but they aren’t filming any mountain lions or baby bears.
Cougars, in slang, are older women who go out to clubs, dance the night away, and pick up younger men, known as cubs. Scottsdale, according to Susie Merwin of Mesa, is the “cougar capital of the world.”
Cecilia:
I do not live in Scottsdale as raven does, but having to go there every 2 mos or so gives me anther perspective. I will use cities that are familiar to you in presenting my comparison.
Basically, Scottsdale is like Corona but with the infrastructure of Orange. Not at all like Irvine which is a planned community with speed limits of 55 mph up and down Culver/Jeffrey. I do not know if this is important to you or not, but with planned communities, you are able to drive faster since the city layout has largely eliminated the surprise factor of cars coming out of endless businesses each with an entry point to the main roads. (I hope I am being understood here.)
If you have lived in Irvine for any length of time, you have gotten used to left turn lanes and signals, smooth roads (like NB), higher speed limits, and green belts.
This cannot be found in Scottsdale to any degree as in Irvine. Sure, Scottsdale has nicer parts that feature winding sidewalks, etc… but these areas are the exception not the rule.
And the summer heat…., plan on using your AC 24/7 6-7 months out of each and every year. Its hot like Palm Springs where everybody stays indoors most of the time during the hot season. Certainly you will want to factor in energy costs into your home decision.
And the women/girls: if you don’t mind living among females who carry fake LV bags who look as though they make 24k a year and yet also HAVE THE ARROGANT ATTITUDE that they *think* rich people have….you can see them individually and in groups at the various malls (both strip and enclosed) in Scottsdale. Watch them emerge from their Nissan Sentras and minivans with that “get out of my way” attitude that is just so funny to watch. lol
I would say that in my experience, these females, described above, would pass as residents of San Bernardino, Fontana, Banning, or parts of Riverside county. And Hesperia and Palmdale. Throw those in too.
So, its really up to you.
Personally, if you’ve lived in Irvine, you would like YL a whole lot better and there is real money there as opposed to Scottsdale. Having a Presidential Library in YL helps too, but the main thing is about YL is that the residents there try to keep a small town feel …the horses, the homes on 1 or more acres, the country stores and boutiques there, the Library, the outlook at city hall, and the general upscale folksiness of the town.
Contrast that with Scottsdale and there is a big difference between the two not to mention the weather differences and the crime in particular. YL is very safe and that will make a difference in your property taxes and insurance – both cars and home. Plus, if you want to go to the beach its 1/2 hour away in CDM.
hth a bit
MG
Although Scottsdale is dramatically cheaper than Orange County, there are some hidden costs of living to keep in mind –
My car insurance and car registration were both double in Arizona what they are in California. Energy costs are higher as you will not only run the a/c for 7 months of the year, but you will also run your heat a lot more in winter. It gets bitter cold at night. You will spend DRAMATICALLY more on gas because everything is so ridiculously spread out and there is far more stop-and-go traffic vs. OC.
Just a few things to keep in mind as you compute the costs. As far as everything else, I can’t think of anything that MG and Raven haven’t brought up already or that you can’t find in recent posts.
One biggie though – Scottsdale has taken a dark turn for the worse in the wake of the housing crash, since it’s entire economy was based on real estate. Crime is spiraling out of control. All the nice restaurants are closing or, best case, are downgrading their quality and service. (This was readily apparent on our last visit, when we visited our favorite Phx/Scottsdale restaurants and noticed the poor service and lower quality of food.) To handle the sales tax crisis of the last year, the city is putting up speed cameras on every square inch of road, and the cops are now totally overzealous on traffic enforcement.
On top of all that, Arizona is the only state in the union with “slightest degree” DUI laws, meaning you can go to jail for DUI and suffer all the other consequences of it for having just one glass of wine with dinner. Wait, check that – you *WILL* go to jail and suffer the consequences if you are pulled over after having one single glass of wine. There’s no “maybe” about it.
One more thought – my girlfriend and I were talking the other night and she was telling me how happy she is living here in OC. In just under two years she has made a nice group of close friends who go out together a lot, play tennis, etc etc. Just like she had back in NY with her friends there. The point being that this NEVER happened in Scottsdale.
Both of us experienced few friends in Scottsdale, mostly because people are very anti-social and make no effort to be sociable. If you try to be friendly, they look at you like you’re from another planet. The few “friends” we had there, with only one real exception, were only “friends” with us because they were out to get something out of the deal to benefit themselves.
For the most part it was just the two of us in Scottsdale, going out to dinner alone, etc. Now we are constantly doing things with friends, to the point that we rarely go out alone any more – just the two of us – and have resolved to start turning down friends at least one night a week so we can have the time to ourselves!
Have you looked at http://www.camerafraud.com lately? This is starting to become very frightening. It’s not just in Scottsdale/PV anymore either. Does anyone else feel like they’re being watched?
You see how the liberal, tax and overspend communists in the City government of Scottsdale are now behind $35M+ and are panicking!
Funny how the non-productive, bureaucratic Nomenclatura ruling City Politiburo scrables like rats to slap up more draconian police state traffic cameras, to try to keep the money rolling in, so they can spend more and keep their fat a– pensions rolling, while the rest of working-class America watches their 401Ks fry and their job prospects erode!
These same scummy types are the ones that champion diversity and globalization until the fricken’ whole industrial and economic base of the USA is in shambles.
What is their solution? Slap up more taxpayer-paid-for radars on every square
inch of highway and shake people down for half a week’s pay for a stupid infraction.
Next the communist police-staters will be having Scottsdale cops fine you for mismatched clothes and using more than four sheets of toilet paper at any one visit to the commode.
Scottsdale is so screwed. Bad thing about it is that I’m starting to sense the same thing moving into NW Phoenix and Glendale. Scope out the cameras on Hwy 101 in the NW valley.
As the overspending socialists see their coffers dwindle, they’ll lash out at the citizens with more novel shakedown tactics and efforts at hidden taxation with elected misrepresentation.
It’s really starting to bite the big one big time…
Hello everyone and as always, thank you for the responses and updates. When we were in Scottsdale last weekend, we had a good time. But wih absolute honesty, the worst drivers had California license plates. Of course there is also the bad Az drivers, but its the young ones and they think they have 9 lives, but that is true anywhere there’s teens and college kids driving. With all the colleges and universities around, you have to expect that. You know we have to move there for my husband’s work so obviously we hope it works out and mostly I hope that my kids do well. I suppose if it did not work out in whatever way, we would move back to some other part or O.C. And maybe there would be a point where our kids would not want to live there and we would move back. You know, sometimes you have to make decisions in life that are just a c___ shoot, like voting! We’ve had our share of living with neighbours around us that are so very, very shallow or you just don’t want to have anything to do with them. I suppose it’s more prevelant in other places. If it does not work out, we are fortunate that we have the good luck and luxury that we can move back. I personally don’t need to have a pool of friends to be happy. My time is dedicate to my kids, my husband, and my catering and volunteer work. I’m 40 and my husband is 50 and together we’ve expereinced friendships of all kinds, from all over the world. We’ve been let down enough times by people here because of their shallowness. I too have heard about the drug problem in schools there, but it also exists here. Like, next door to me. I am always surprised what teenage kids do to each other, regardless of the family status or where they live. I was brought up in a very militant and disciplined family so my style is no different. In all, you guys are so sweet and I adore you, I always love to come back here to read updates. I wish I could meet some of you. You know, I just love the southwest and if we move there, you can come to my house for a party. As a caterer, I can throw a mean party. Life’s too short to worry about everything and if you’re awake, you may as well drink!! Election time coming and you that’s a c___ shoot too!!! We’re going to vote for Micky Mouse and then it will be the happies place on earth!!! Love you all, Cecilia
I went to the Coyotes game last night and I left via the 101 south to the 10. Between Glendale and the 10 there are about 3 or 4 photo radar cameras within 3 miles. Now on the 10 headed east back into Phoenix they have Photo radar cameras hidden in the bushes. I saw at least 3 between 83 ave and 7ave and the tunnel. Its freaking ridiculous!!!
Halloween, October 31, 2008.,..a nasty Scottsdale trick
Today’s Temperature forecast, high of 92 degrees (94 yesterday)
Is this were people with real money would choose to live ?
I hate to say this since I actually live in S Scottsdale…………..but———-this place does suck for want of a better word.
The town may look affluent but it feels ‘rotten’ as of late.
Frankly; either central Phx or N Tempe is looking better and better to live in.