GM to have 4,500 dealers left by Nov. 1

Arbitrations over General Motors dealer franchises have ended, and the automaker said it expects to have 4,500 dealerships by Nov. 1.

GM's dealer network has shrunk from 6,049 in June 2009 when GM began its 40-day bankruptcy restructuring.

As part of that restructuring, the automaker offered to "wind down" hundreds of Saturn, Pontiac, Saab and Hummer dealers because those brands were terminated or sold.

In addition, GM offered "wind-down" agreements to 2,064 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac dealers. Later, GM offered to take back 702 dealers out of 1,176 who filed for arbitration to stop GM's attempt to close them.

Of 62 cases that went to arbitration, GM prevailed in 39, while 23 dealers won rulings to be reinstated.