Site purchased by giant Flemington dealership.
By: Paul Sisolak
MONTGOMERY Area Mazda owners were in for a surprise beginning Saturday when they discovered the Z&W Mazda dealership at the intersection of Routes 206 and 518 had abruptly shut its doors.
Joseph Purcell, owner of Z&W Mazda and Cherry Hill Toyota, sold the business to Flemington Car and Truck Country, a large automobile dealership based in Flemington. The deal, which was finalized last weekend, occurred without notice to local customers.
"We were struggling for a couple of years," said Mr. Purcell.
With business starting to decline around 1998, Mr. Purcell noted that Z&W suffered because Mazda sales and registrations, both statewide and nationwide, had been plummeting since the mid-1990s.
"A new car franchise can sometimes go way down," he said.
Steve Kalafer, owner of Flemington Car and Truck Country, could not be reached for comment Thursday. Mr. Purcell speculated that while Flemington Car and Truck Country sells Mazdas, the company will not reopen the lot as a new-car Mazda dealership.
Mr. Purcell said he notified his salesmen and service mechanics in advance of his intention to close. They all found employment at other dealerships, he said.
The Z&W Web site, www.princetonmazda.com, is in the process of being deactivated, according to Cherry Hill Toyota manager Ralph MacKelvey, who kept his managerial position after formerly working at Z&W Mazda. On Thursday, the site was still up and running.
Bob Goodwin, sales manager at Hamilton Mazda, said his dealership increased its inventory to accommodate former patrons of Z&W, some of whom came straight to his dealership on Saturday upon arriving at an empty Z&W lot.
"As a matter of fact, they bought cars," he said.