Sad to read the Chrysler closing list

I realize that I'm too sentimental for these times, and I hope this move can save what's left of the company.

Still, if you review the list, which is long, and you've lived in any kind of major metropolitan area, you'll recognize dealer names you've seen for years; some (doubtless) go back to the early, early days. I also wondered, for example, what people in North Dakota are doing for service on their Chrysler products - I saw Minot, Grand Forks, and Bismark. I hope there are larger, surviving dealers to service these customers.

Once, I was the world's worst car salesman for three months at a Oldsmobile-Hyundai dealership in Florida before becoming a passable service writer. The salesmen and sales managers come and go, but the office staff, service writers, parts salespeople, and lot staff (they porters and wash rack guys) are often there for years. The good mechanics will end up at the dealers who survived ( and they, in turn, will let weaker, less experienced techs go). Some will open their own shops, or go work in the non-dealer world. Same with the writers, and the office workers skilled in title work and finance paperwork. The rest, I fear, will end up on unemployment.

Good luck to all who heard the bad news today. Let's all hope there are better days ahead.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/15436481/List-of-Chrysler-Dealers-to-be-Closed

is going to be horrendous. I don't think people realize how bad this is. Truly bad.

It's still not bottomed out yet, that's what I think....................

I understand, intellectually, the financial (read : accounting) advantages of dealerships, but sometimes I wonder if factory stores wouldn't be a more practical alternative for modern times?

selling cars is how this works. it clearly wasn't working as it was structured. and if chrysler is going to drag its ass out of its financial crisis some changes must be made.

i'm a business hippy. but even i can see that...

It doesn't make the remedy less painful, though.

As I said in the OP -- hopefully, this saves some American jobs and what is left of the company

where, actually, there may have been more brand loyalty than at some of the metro dealerships. Guess they didn't have the sales figures though. I wonder if people who bought cars where their dad did will follow Chrysler elsewhere, or just go with a different local dealer?

e.g., this one has a nice history on their page - 94 years in one family :(
http://www.pritcharddodge.com/history2.php

I guess I am too sentimental -- and today 1100 GM dealers are going down.

I don't know what happens in these small towns.. I think the vision is that folks will drive to the nearest big town and buy there, but if I still have a Ford dealer in my town, and Dodge & GM have pulled out, my guess is I'm buying an F-150.