OAKLAND -- A car dealership group unexpectedly closed five showrooms in California Tuesday and laid off nearly 500 workers. Two dealerships are in the Bay Area, Superior Nissan of Fremont and Superior Toyota in Oakland. The Oakland showroom was the largest in all of Northern California and just opened ten weeks ago.

By Tuesday evening, salespeople had cleared out their offices, service technicians retrieved their tools and new and used vehicles sat in row after row. Even the vending machines have been hauled away.

Salesman Soheil Siddique said it came without warning. "You had a job two days ago and now I have nothing." Siddique had just sold a car on Sunday and then got a call this morning that everyone was being let go.

Diagnostic Technician James Wong said, "They dropped a bomb on us early this morning. I don't know. I don't know what to do." Wong has a new baby at home. He said he knew business had been slow. But it had only been at its new location for a couple months. The "now open" signs had just gone up along the roadways, and workers hung banners and planted flowers. The new facility cost $35 million.

Then auto sales really tanked. The Superior Automotive group was unable to secure financing for its inventory, so it closed both the Oakland and Fremont dealerships.

The closures caught customers by surprise as well. Brenda Montero stopped by to ask a question about her purchase to find the doors locked. Anh Nguyen was a potential customer and had an afternoon appointment. "We came by this morning and it was open and everything and now they tell us that they are closed," said Nguyen. Dave Jones had a Land Cruiser being serviced. "It's a tragedy being played out everywhere in America right now. I feel horrible for the people inside," said Jones.

Technician Kevin Nguyen said Tuesday morning he had a job and by noon he was packing his belongings. "They said we have to get the stuff out today so we have to go get a truck, load it up because they are going to change all the locks."

Just one week ago, construction was finally completed at the Oakland Dealership and now it's out of business.