Sec. 15.
(1) Any designated family member of a deceased or incapacitated new motor vehicle dealer or an executive manager of the dealership may succeed the dealer in the ownership or operation of the dealership under the existing dealer agreement if the designated family member or executive manager gives the manufacturer written notice of his or her intention to succeed to the dealership within 120 days after the dealer's death or incapacity, agrees to be bound by all of the terms and conditions of the dealer agreement, and meets the current criteria generally applied by the manufacturer in qualifying new motor vehicle dealers. A manufacturer may refuse to continue the existing dealer agreement with the designated family member only for good cause.
(2) A manufacturer may request from a designated family member or executive manager described in subsection (1) a completed application form and any personal and financial information that is reasonably necessary to determine whether the existing dealer agreement should continue. The designated family member or executive manager shall supply the completed application form and personal and financial information promptly on request. As used in this subsection and subsection (3), "application form" means the application form generally used by the manufacturer in connection with a proposal to continue a dealer agreement under this section.
(3) If a manufacturer believes that good cause exists for refusing to continue a dealer agreement under this section with a designated family member or executive manager described in subsection (1), the manufacturer may, within 60 days after receiving notice of the designated family member's or executive manager's intent to succeed the dealer in the ownership and operation of the dealership, or within 60 days after receiving the requested personal and financial information and completed application form, serve on the designated family member or executive manager notice of its refusal to approve the succession.
(4) A notice of refusal served by a manufacturer under subsection (3) shall state the specific grounds for the refusal to approve the succession and that discontinuance of the agreement shall take effect not fewer than 90 days after the date the notice is served.
(5) If a notice of refusal described in subsection (3) is not served within the 60-day period described in subsection (3), the dealer agreement shall continue in effect and is subject to termination only as otherwise permitted under this act.
(6) This section does not preclude a new motor vehicle dealer from designating any person as his or her successor by written instrument filed with the manufacturer. If the dealer files an instrument described in this subsection, it alone shall determine the succession rights to the management and operation of the dealership.
History: 1981, Act 118, Imd. Eff. July 19, 1981 ;-- Am. 2010, Act 138, Imd. Eff. Aug. 4, 2010
Last modified: October 10, 2016