PHOTO: REUTERS/Rebecca Cook

A 63-year-old Ford auto dealership has been bought out as pressures increase to thin the number of Detroit-area dealerships.
A worker carries away a Ford logo sign from Al Long Ford auto dealership in Warren in the photo at left, taken Dec. 23. The image illustrates the intense uncertainty Detroit faces as the new year approahes.

The dealership, owned by Arab American Tarik Daoud, was prompted to stop selling Ford vehicles by a behind-the-scenes buyout brokered by Ford Motor Co. and facilitated by five local dealerships, according a Crain’s Detroit Business report.

Contributing to the deal were principals from Detroit-based Bob Maxey Ford Inc., St. Clair-based Roy O’Brien Ford Inc., Redford Township-based Pat Milliken Ford Inc. and Clinton Township-based Mike Dorian Ford Inc., according to the report.

Dealership executives said having one less dealer around would help.

Daoud still owns the dealership property and plans to remain in business at the site selling used cars and trucks, and running a service department and body shop.

He will also still operate Clinton-Tecumseh Ford Lincoln-Mercury in Clinton.

He’ll forfeit the 63-year-old Al Long name, the dealership’s telephone number and Web site as part of the deal, the Crain’s report said,

The Al Long customer list was divided by region among the five dealers, which purchased roughly 250 cars from the Al Long inventory. The remaining stock will be liquidated or repurchased by Ford, Daoud told Crain’s reporters.

Daoud didn’t disclose the amount of the buyout.