Transfer brings Chrysler back to Le Mars

(Sentinel photo by Magdalene Landegent) Bob Jensen, owner of Jensen Le Mars Ford Chrysler, shows a new Chrysler vehicle in the Le mars showroom. Jensen announced this week that he is shifting the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep franchises from Heartland Motors in Hawarden to Le Mars. [Click to enlarge]

Le Mars Ford is adding Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep sales and service, according to owner Bob Jensen, of Sioux City.

Jensen is transferring those franchises from Heartland Motors, which he owns in Hawarden, to his Le Mars dealership.

The announcement comes seven months after Motor Inn of Le Mars lost its Chrysler franchise along with 788 others across the nation during Chrysler's bankruptcy dealings.

"It occurred to me that since I had those same franchises in a much smaller market, in a much smaller town, that it would make sense to try to get them transferred," Jensen said. "Somebody, I felt, needed to represent them (Chrysler)."

The process with Chrysler took Jensen six months, working through reasons for the transfer, operating plans and business plans, he said.

"The good news is we got it done and we're awfully excited about it," he said.

Now known as Jensen's Le Mars Ford Chrysler, the business will see three new employees added to its 24-member staff, two in sales and one technician.

All three are currently employed at the Hawarden dealership but will transfer to Le Mars within the next week or two, Jensen said.

Physical changes for the building are ahead, too.

This spring, construction will begin on a new Chrysler showroom, just south of the current Ford showroom on southern Business Highway 75 in Le Mars.

"We're taking some space off our used car lot," Jensen said. "We'll hopefully have it done before the fall of this year."

His sales staff will be split between Ford and Chrysler, but the service and parts department will accommodate both franchises.

Jensen is already ramping up the dealership's Chrysler inventory.

"We have a dozen now on the ground and we have an order bank of 50-60," he said. "By the end of the first quarter we're going to have a lot of Chrysler/Dodge merchandise around here."

Jensen said it was unfortunate dealerships like Motor Inn and the former Nuebel Chevrolet in Le Mars both lost franchises in automakers' 2009 bankruptcy filings.

"Those decisions were made corporately. They were ultimately blessed by the bankruptcy judge through the bankruptcy courts," Jensen said. "To say we have empathy for those others, there's no question. It's a real shame."

Steve Ohm, of Motor Inn, chose not to comment regarding the news of Le Mars' new Chrysler dealership. Motor Inn continues selling new GM vehicles.

As for Jensen, the Le Mars dealership is the second one he acquired in Iowa, buying it in 1994.

Jensen first purchased the Hawarden Ford dealership in 1988, moving to Iowa after more than a decade in the auto business near Detroit, Mich.

In 1989 in Hawarden he added the Chrysler line.

Jensen reached into Sioux City five years ago, purchasing a Mazda franchise there, which he has since expanded.

Jensen said he's excited about the future of Jensen Le Mars Ford Chrysler.

"Le Mars is a great town," Jensen said. "There's a lot of potential here; it's just a great community."