Tel 713.758.2222Fax 713.758.2346
Exhibit 5.1
November 21, 2014
Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
800 Gessner
Suite 500
Houston, Texas 77024
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel to Group 1 Automotive, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the guarantors listed onSchedule I hereto (the “Guarantors”) with respect to the preparation of the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”) filed on the date hereof by the Company and the Guarantors with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of (1) the offer and exchange (the “Exchange Offer”) by the Company of $550,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.000% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “Old Notes”) for a new series of notes in like principal amount and bearing substantially identical terms (the “New Notes”) and (2) guarantees of the New Notes by the Guarantors (the “Guarantees”).
The Old Notes were issued, and the New Notes will be issued, under an Indenture, dated as of June 2, 2014, by and among the Company, the Guarantors and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (as it may be amended from time to time, the “Indenture”). The Exchange Offer will be conducted on such terms and conditions as are set forth in the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement to which this opinion letter is an exhibit.
We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (i) the Registration Statement, (ii) the Indenture, (iii) the opinions of each of (a) Porter Hedges, L.L.P., special counsel to the Company and the Guarantors with respect to the State of Oklahoma, (b) Venable LLP, to the Company and the Guarantors with respect to the States of California and Maryland, (c) Foulston Siefkin LLP, special counsel to the Company and the Guarantors with respect to the State of Kansas, (d) Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A., special counsel to the Company and the Guarantors with respect to the State of South Carolina, and (e) Woodburn and Wedge, special counsel to the Company and the Guarantors with respect to the State of Nevada, each dated November 21, 2014 and provided in connection with the Registration Statement, and (iv) such other certificates, statutes and other instruments and documents as we considered appropriate for purposes of the opinion expressed below. In connection with the opinion expressed below, we have assumed that the Registration Statement, and any amendments
Vinson & Elkins LLP Attorneys at Law Abu Dhabi Austin Beijing Dallas Dubai Hong Kong Houston London Moscow New York Palo Alto Riyadh San Francisco Tokyo Washington | 1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500 Houston, TX 77002-6760 Tel +1.713.758.2222Fax +1.713.758.2346www.velaw.com |
Group 1 Automotive, Inc. November 21, 2014 Page 2
thereto (including post-effective amendments), will have become effective and the New Notes will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner described in the Registration Statement.
Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that, when the New Notes have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, (i) such New Notes will be legally issued and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, and (ii) the Guarantees will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Guarantors, enforceable against the Guarantors in accordance with their terms, except in each case under such clauses (i) and (ii) as such enforcement is subject to any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other law relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally and general principles of equity.
We express no opinion concerning (i) the validity or enforceability of any provisions contained in the Indenture that purport to waive or not give effect to the rights to notices, defenses, subrogation or other rights or benefits that cannot be effectively waived under applicable law or (ii) the enforceability of indemnification provisions to the extent they purport to relate to liabilities resulting from or based upon negligence or any violation of federal or state securities or blue sky laws.
The foregoing opinion is limited in all respects to the federal laws of the United States of America, the laws of the State of Delaware, including without limitation the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Constitution of the State of Delaware, the laws of the State of Texas and the laws of the State of New York, in each case including the applicable statutory provisions to these laws, the rules and regulations underlying such provisions, and the applicable judicial and regulatory determinations interpreting these laws. We express no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction, domestic or foreign.
We hereby consent to the references to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement and to the filing of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. By giving such consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.
| Very truly yours, |
| /s/ Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. |
Tel 713.758.2222Fax 713.758.2346
Exhibit 5.1
SCHEDULE I
Guarantor | State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization | |
Advantagecars.com, Inc. | Delaware | |
Amarillo Motors-F, Inc. | Delaware | |
Baron Development Company, LLC | Kansas | |
Baron Leasehold, LLC | Kansas | |
Bob Howard Automotive-East, Inc. | Oklahoma | |
Bob Howard Chevrolet, Inc. | Oklahoma | |
Bob Howard Dodge, Inc. | Oklahoma | |
Bob Howard Motors, Inc. | Oklahoma | |
Bob Howard Nissan, Inc. | Oklahoma | |
Bohn Holdings, Inc. | Delaware | |
Bohn Holdings, LLC | Delaware | |
Bohn-FII, LLC | Delaware | |
Chaperral Dodge, Inc. | Delaware | |
Courtesy Ford, LLC | Delaware | |
Danvers-N, Inc. | Delaware | |
Danvers-NII, Inc. | Delaware | |
Danvers-S, Inc. | Delaware | |
Danvers-SB, Inc. | Delaware | |
Danvers-SU, LLC | Delaware | |
Danvers-T, Inc. | Delaware | |
Danvers-TII, Inc. | Delaware | |
Danvers-TIII, Inc. | Delaware | |
Danvers-TL, Inc. | Delaware | |
FMM, Inc. | California | |
G1R Florida, LLC | Delaware | |
G1R Mass, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI AL-N, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI AL-SB, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI CA-DMII, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI CA-F, Inc. | Nevada | |
GPI CA-NIII, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI CA-SH, Inc. | Nevada | |
GPI CA-SV, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI CA-TII, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI CC, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI FL-A, LLC | Nevada | |
GPI FL-H, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI FL-VW, LLC | Delaware |
Vinson & Elkins LLP Attorneys at Law Abu Dhabi Austin Beijing Dallas Dubai Hong Kong Houston London Moscow New York Palo Alto Riyadh San Francisco Tokyo Washington | 1001 Fannin Street, Suite 2500 Houston, TX 77002-6760 Tel +1.713.758.2222Fax +1.713.758.2346www.velaw.com |
Group 1 Automotive, Inc. November 21, 2014 Page 4
Guarantor | State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization | |
GPI FL-VWII, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI GA Holdings, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI GA Liquidation, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI GA-CGM, LLC | Nevada | |
GPI GA-DM, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI GA-F, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI GA-FII, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI GA-FIII, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI GA-FM, LLC | Nevada | |
GPI GA-FV, LLC | Nevada | |
GPI GA-SU, LLC | Nevada | |
GPI GA-T, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI GA-TII, LLC | Nevada | |
GPI KS Motors, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI KS-SB, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI KS-SH, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI KS-SK, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI LA-FII, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI LA-SH, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI MD-SB, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI MS-H, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI MS-N, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI MS-SK, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI NH-T, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI NH-TL, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI NY Holdings, Inc. | Nevada | |
GPI NY-DM, LLC | Nevada | |
GPI NY-FV, LLC | Nevada | |
GPI NY-SB, LLC | Nevada | |
GPI OK-HII, Inc. | Nevada | |
GPI OK-SH, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI SAC-T, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI SC, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI SC Holdings, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI SC-A, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI SC-SB, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI SC-SBII, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI SC-T, LLC | Delaware | |
GPI SD-DC, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI TX-ARGMIII, Inc. | Nevada | |
GPI TX-DMII, Inc. | Nevada | |
GPI TX-EPGM, Inc. | Delaware |
Group 1 Automotive, Inc. November 21, 2014 Page 5
Guarantor | State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization | |
GPI TX-F, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI TX-FII, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI TX-HGM, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI TX-HGMII, Inc. | Nevada | |
GPI TX-NVI, Inc. | Nevada | |
GPI TX-SBII, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI TX-SBIII, Inc. | Nevada | |
GPI TX-SHII, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI TX-SK, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI TX-SKII, Inc. | Nevada | |
GPI TX-SV, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI TX-SVII, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI TX-SVIII, Inc. | Delaware | |
GPI, Ltd. | Texas | |
Group 1 Associates Holdings, LLC | Delaware | |
Group 1 Associates, Inc. | Delaware | |
Group 1 FL Holdings, Inc. | Delaware | |
Group 1 Funding, Inc. | Delaware | |
Group 1 Holdings-DC, L.L.C. | Delaware | |
Group 1 Holdings-F, L.L.C. | Delaware | |
Group 1 Holdings-GM, L.L.C. | Delaware | |
Group 1 Holdings-H, L.L.C. | Delaware | |
Group 1 Holdings-N, L.L.C. | Delaware | |
Group 1 Holdings-S, L.L.C. | Delaware | |
Group 1 Holdings-T, L.L.C. | Delaware | |
Group 1 LP Interests-DC, Inc. | Delaware | |
Group 1 Realty, Inc. | Delaware | |
Harvey Ford, LLC | Delaware | |
Harvey GM, LLC | Delaware | |
Harvey Operations-T, LLC | Delaware | |
Howard-DCIII, LLC | Delaware | |
Howard-GM II, Inc. | Delaware | |
Howard-GM, Inc. | Delaware | |
Howard-H, Inc. | Delaware | |
Howard-HA, Inc. | Delaware | |
Howard-SB, Inc. | Delaware | |
Ira Automotive Group, LLC | Delaware | |
Ivory Auto Properties of South Carolina, LLC | South Carolina | |
Key Ford, LLC | Delaware | |
Koons Ford, LLC | Delaware | |
Kutz-N, Inc. | Delaware | |
Lubbock Motors, Inc. | Delaware | |
Lubbock Motors-F, Inc. | Delaware |
Group 1 Automotive, Inc. November 21, 2014 Page 6
Guarantor | State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization | |
Lubbock Motors-GM, Inc. | Delaware | |
Lubbock Motors-S, Inc. | Delaware | |
Lubbock Motors-SH, Inc. | Delaware | |
Lubbock Motors-T, Inc. | Delaware | |
Maxwell Ford, Inc. | Delaware | |
Maxwell-GMII, Inc. | Delaware | |
Maxwell-N, Inc. | Delaware | |
Maxwell-NII, Inc. | Delaware | |
McCall-F, Inc. | Delaware | |
McCall-H, Inc. | Delaware | |
McCall-HA, Inc. | Delaware | |
McCall-N, Inc. | Delaware | |
McCall-SB, Inc. | Delaware | |
McCall-T, Inc. | Delaware | |
McCall-TII, Inc. | Delaware | |
McCall-TL, Inc. | Delaware | |
Mike Smith Automotive-H, Inc. | Delaware | |
Mike Smith Automotive-N, Inc. | Texas | |
Mike Smith Autoplaza, Inc. | Texas | |
Mike Smith Autoplex Dodge, Inc. | Texas | |
Mike Smith Autoplex, Inc. | Texas | |
Mike Smith Autoplex-German Imports, Inc. | Texas | |
Mike Smith Imports, Inc. | Texas | |
Millbro, Inc. | California | |
Miller Automotive Group, Inc. | California | |
Miller Family Company, Inc. | California | |
Miller Infiniti, Inc. | California | |
Miller Nissan, Inc. | California | |
Miller-DM, Inc. | Delaware | |
NJ-DM, Inc. | Delaware | |
NJ-H, Inc. | Delaware | |
NJ-HA, Inc. | Delaware | |
NJ-HAII, Inc. | Delaware | |
NJ-HII, Inc. | Delaware | |
NJ-SB, Inc. | Delaware | |
NJ-SV, Inc. | Delaware | |
NY-SBII, Inc. | Delaware | |
Rockwall Automotive-DCD, Ltd. | Texas | |
Rockwall Automotive-F, Inc. | Delaware | |
Tate CG, L.L.C. | Maryland |