You’re granted franchise licenses with strict guidelines from the parent company. Ford (or any manufacturer) probably wouldn’t allow another franchise right next door. Highschool friend who owns a Nissan dealership in central NY bought the rights to the dealership when the previous Datsun dealer was shut down by the state for rolling back odometers.
Some years back, I suggested to the local Oldsmobile dealer that he buy a filling station that was for sale and no longer in service. The station was close to campus and would be really convenient for faculty and staff to drop off their vehicles for servicing and minor repairs. The major work would be done at the dealership’s main location. The sales manager thought it was a great idea, but the o wner said that a remote location is considered a satellite location and wasn’t permitted by the rules of the franchise.
Things must have changed because I’ve seen it several times. You’ll see it a lot in Cities where the repair facility and dealership would take up too much room.
@MikeInNH This was quite a few years ago when the owner of the dealership said that the Oldsmobile franchise wouldn’t permit satellite points. (The Oldsmobiles had curved dashboards back then). Perhaps this restriction.has been lifted.
For many years, when I was working for promotion and tenure at my institution, and I didn’t have time to do my owm maintenance, there was a service station within walking distance to my office with a wonderful mechanic. I would drop the car off in the morning and pick it up after work. After that service station closed, I thought it would be a good idea for the Oldsmobile dealer to have a satellite location.
It might also have to do with the location. Yours was probably in Indiana and @MikeInNH’s was likely in New York or another New England state.