Sad, sad, sad.

[CBT]

This Chrysler thing is jacked up. What's even more jacked up is they got bailed out with OUR tax dollars. I will NEVER buy another GM product, it would be like paying for the same damn thing TWICE!! Once with my taxes and once with my hard earned pay, wtf?, am I the only person who feels this way? Read the letter from this poor bastard:



Letter to the editor

My name is George C. Joseph. I am the sole owner of Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu, a family owned and operated business in Melbourne, Florida. My family bought and paid for this automobile franchise 35 years ago in 1974. I am the second generation to manage this business.
We currently employ 50+ people and before the economic slowdown we employed over 70 local people. We are active in the community and the local chamber of commerce. We deal with several dozen local vendors on a day to day basis and many more during a month. All depend on our business for part of their livelihood. We are financially strong with great respect in the market place and community. We have strong local presence and stability.
I work every day the store is open, nine to ten hours a day. I know most of our customers and all our employees. Sunshine Dodge is my life.
On Thursday, May 14, 2009 I was notified that my Dodge franchise, that we purchased, will be taken away from my family on June 9, 2009 without compensation and given to another dealer at no cost to them. My new vehicle inventory consists of 125 vehicles with a financed balance of 3 million dollars.
This inventory becomes impossible to sell with no factory incentives beyond June 9, 2009. Without the Dodge franchise we can no longer sell a new Dodge as "new," nor will we be able to do any warranty service work.
Additionally, my Dodge parts inventory, (approximately $300,000.) is virtually worthless without the ability to perform warranty service. There is no offer from Chrysler to buy back the vehicles or parts inventory.
Our facility was recently totally renovated at Chrysler's insistence, incurring a multi-million dollar debt in the form of a mortgage at Sun Trust Bank.
HOW IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CAN THIS HAPPEN?
THIS IS A PRIVATE BUSINESS NOT A GOVERNMENT ENTITY
This is beyond imagination! My business is being stolen from me through NO FAULT OF OUR OWN. We did NOTHING wrong.
This atrocity will most likely force my family into bankruptcy. This will also cause our 50+ employees to be unemployed. How will they provide for their families? This is a total economic disaster.
HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN IN A FREE MARKET ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?
I beseech your help, and look forward to your reply. Thank you.
Sincerely,
George C. Joseph
President & Owner
Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu

[W4LTD]

This Chrysler thing is jacked up. What's even more jacked up is they got bailed out with OUR tax dollars. I will NEVER buy another GM product, it would be like paying for the same damn thing TWICE!! Once with my taxes and once with my hard earned pay, wtf?, am I the only person who feels this way? Read the letter from this poor bastard:

I know George personally, and this entire situation is indeed dire. He and his family are wonderful people and the kind of neighbors most would envy. Although I have not purchased any vehicles from his dealership; if i had ever chosen to go the Chrysler route, I would have trusted him [and his employees] enough to send my own mother to him. It is ironic that you found his letter, I guess as they say.. "It's a small world!" We can only wish him, his family and his employees strength enough to persevere through this [lousy] ordeal.

BTW, using the term "bastard" seems to be a poor choice of words...

[Spectragod]

It's total B.S., Renovate at your cost, by a company's asking, then pull the plug on them, what a bunch of fu%@sticks. To add insult, you can't sell your cars/parts adn we're not buying them back.... PLUS, we're giving away your franchise that YOU paid for. No worries, I'll never buy a Chrysler product.

Is this the "change" we are getting?

[CBT]

BTW, using the term "bastard" seems to be a poor choice of words...

I meant that in no way disrespectful, I feel for him. Enough to post his letter and share his plight with folks. I was (and still am) angry about what happened to him, guess it just reads like I'm insulting him but far from it actually.

[W4LTD]

I meant that in no way disrespectful, I feel for him. Enough to post his letter and share his plight with folks. I was (and still am) angry about what happened to him, guess it just reads like I'm insulting him but far from it actually.

I guess I was just being a little too sensitive... :beer:

[CBT]

I guess I was just being a little too sensitive... :beer:
I understand, if you see him tell him his story is being told webwide, people care. I joke alot, but some things I actually take seriously, this would be one. America in general. I feel like I wasted 20 years in the military, the real war was going here, against us, by politicians.

[W4LTD]

I understand, if you see him tell him his story is being told webwide, people care. I joke alot, but some things I actually take seriously, this would be one. America in general. I feel like I wasted 20 years in the military, the real war was going here, against us, by politicians.

I called him earlier and understandably he sounds really depressed... I am going to visit with him tomorrow morning... :(

[LIGHTNIN1]

If we were in there place it would be rough. Domestic enemies can be just as bad as foreign.

[jerrym3]

I feel sorry for this gentleman, but there are many people out of work for no fault of their own.

My two daughters were good workers and did not spend beyond their limit, but they are on unemployment now.

I have over 30 years experience in my field, but I was kicked out the corporate door in 2007 because of advanced age, high salary, and a past manager with a grudge against me.

And, I never spent beyond my means, nor did I do anything personally to deserve being unemployed.

To add insult to injury, I got a shareholder's letter from my ex company stating that they've recently added additional financial advisors. (My job was to support the expansion, closing, and/or merging of remote offices due to changes in headcount. I guess all those weekends I lost setting up remote offices meant nothing.)

I'm not saying I was singled out. There were many middle to upper managers let go that were employed longer and liked much better than I was. (A few weeks ago, another 8,500 people worldwide were let go by the firm.)

But, this is the way it is. I can say "why me?" and "not fair" but it doesn't matter. Nobody ever said life is fair.

Again, I do feel sorry for him and the millions of us that are unemployed for no reason of our own.

[Joe Walsh]

Think about how the U.S. government runs:

The IRS
The Post Office
The Social Security Administration
Any other Governement Agency for that matter

Now consider the U.S. Govt. running an Automobile manufacturer!

:eek:

The good news is that I have a choice in buying a Chrysler (and soon GM) product.

Guess what!?

I WON'T!

[FordNut]

Think about how the U.S. government runs:

The IRS
The Post Office
The Social Security Administration
Any other Governement Agency for that matter

Now consider the U.S. Govt. running an Automobile manufacturer!

:eek:

The good news is that I have a choice in buying a Chrysler (and soon GM) product.

Guess what!?

I WON'T!

I think that sentiment is widespread in the US. Soon there will only be one. Unless the gov't forces us to accept one of their cars and then taxes us to pay for it.

[FrankJAG]

4 family owned stores are shutting down in Houston.
The ironic thing about all this. The stores that DO cost them money are Chrysler owned and operated and are staying OPEN!
In addition to the now worthless parts stock and to add insult to injury. Is all the cars and trucks will have to be purchased and cannot be given back; just like the parts.
Allot of families (including my own) are going to be hurting; thanks Prez Obama!

[mrjones]

Check this out.

http://www.rogersdodgeofalvin.com/index.htm

This is the dealer that I've been using for service on my Durango. Scroll down and read the letter and update from the dealer's attorney.

[Aren Jay]

..........

[Leadfoot281]

Nobody gets rich, without someone else getting poor.


Oh really? :shake: Have you got any evidence to support that socialist/communist rhetoric?

[knine]

Oh really? :shake: Have you got any evidence to support that socialist/communist rhetoric?
Don't....don't.........don't.. ...........ah, hell. :popcorn:

[juno]

I was wondering why Chrysler would close dealerships. They did not cost them any money and were a source of income. If these two examples are typical and they are indeed "transferring wealth" to other dealers, they should be closed down. It is obvious that GM and Chrysler management are incompetent.

[FrankJAG]

I agree Juno, the dealers are Chrysler's customers! They pay for the land, fixtures, parts, etc. Chrysler doesn't!

But yet the stores that are owned by Chrysler are staying open.....How does all this make sense?

So much for saving jobs.....Yes we can? No we didn't!