A letter from a small town Dodge dealer. Pretty interesting.
05-20-2009, 10:52 PM
#21
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Another one:
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
on a personal note - this will be the third time in my life that the govt has destroyed my ability to support myself or my family
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
on a personal note - this will be the third time in my life that the govt has destroyed my ability to support myself or my family
05-20-2009, 11:21 PM
#22
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I feel sad for the employees mostly. Most of the owners have fat wallets and will move on to another business venture. Dont let their sad songs fool ya.
05-21-2009, 10:05 AM
#23
The Houston Chronicle posted numbers for the highest volume new car selling dealers in the area for 2008. As I recall, in the top 5 were four Toyota dealers and one was a Honda Dealer. The top two Toyota lots sold over 6000 new cars each while the closest domestic lot sold around 2000. Much of the reason is because the import dealers do not saturate their dealer market as the domestics do. There are no where near the number of Toyota lots per new Toyota sold as there are Chevy lots for every new Chevy sold. This is part of the reason you see GM and Chrysler shutting down franchises. Ford did this on its own a few years back and Ford managing to stay somewhat afloat right now.
Good point never thought about that but yeah you drive down 59, or I-10 an how many Ford, Chevy, and Dodge dealers do you see verses the others Mercedes, Toyota, Honda etc...Wonder if Classic Chevy is gonna stay open
Last edited by SLV_WS6; 05-21-2009 at 12:35 PM.
05-21-2009, 12:34 PM
#24
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05-21-2009, 05:32 PM
#25
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I agree on both. I did not find the service manager at Rodger's to be very friendly, so I did not go back.
I sat down with Ron Carter Toyota (looking at a used diesel truck) once and ended up laughing in their face and leaving. I guess they were used to dealing with retarded rednecks from the outskirts of Alvin or something.
I sat down with Ron Carter Toyota (looking at a used diesel truck) once and ended up laughing in their face and leaving. I guess they were used to dealing with retarded rednecks from the outskirts of Alvin or something.
05-21-2009, 05:38 PM
#26
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i've met Nick Parks personally. young guy, 29 years old, wears glasses and has a law degree.
he got into selling cars with his uncle but stuck with it because he enjoyed it.
now he's a GM of a dealership that's closing it's doors.
most likely he will be moving his family up to Dallas. there was talks that he was going to purchase a dealership up there.
he got into selling cars with his uncle but stuck with it because he enjoyed it.
now he's a GM of a dealership that's closing it's doors.
most likely he will be moving his family up to Dallas. there was talks that he was going to purchase a dealership up there.
05-22-2009, 01:11 AM
#27
well I went to Ron carter to negotiate with them for my a vehicle for my parents. They wouldnt discuss price or anything with me. I calmly explained to them that I negotiate for my parents and when the numbers are done that my parents would then come up and sign whatever is needed. The guy even took my parents credit information over the phone for me but the desk manager wouldnt disclose anything. I told him if he wouldnt I would find someone who would...He continued to be a *****. About that time my mom pulled up in her 2007 c6 vette and I walked out and he about ran after me with the information I had been asking for. I told him no thanks I will buy elsewhere.
05-22-2009, 02:33 PM
#29
