Chrysler announces dealership closing.........

[BubbleGumTiger]

Sad day for the tri-state...


Closings

[henrysteele]

Harmon's gone.

Ironton might lose the two GM dealerships as well. GM's list was suppose to be out today as well. I am sure Higgins and Clyse already know something or will know in the next few hours or so.

If Ironton loses all of its new car dealerships, then this is going to have a huge impact on other businesses as well. For example, it's going to be very tough for the Ironton Tribune to continue "business as usual" without those full-page car ads.

[The Instructor]

Chrysler may cut Harmon Motor Sales
Company looking to eliminate 47 dealerships across state
By The Associated Press, | The TribuneStaff Report | The Tribune

Published Thursday, May 14, 2009

IRONTON — Chrysler wants to eliminate 47 dealerships in Ohio and an Ironton dealer that has been in business for 51 years could be on the cut list.

Harmon Motor Sales is the local Chrysler dealer that could be a casualty of the cutbacks. Overall, the automaker wants to eliminate 789 of its 3,200 U.S. dealerships.

Local Chrysler owner Frank Harmon said he hadn’t been notified of anything as of Thursday morning and didn’t know what he would do if his dealership is one of the proposed shut downs.

“When they cut your arm off, what do you do?” he said. Harmon’s is also a Dodge dealership, which isn’t affected by this announcement.

Dealers will be able to appeal the decisions that are likely to cause devastating affects in communities across the country as thousands of jobs are lost.

A number of other Ohio small towns could be losing dealerships including Bowling Green, Circleville and Eaton.

Chrysler also wants to close a dealership in the Toledo suburb of Perrysburg where the automaker has a plant that makes steering columns and other parts.

Proposed closings in the northeast part of the state would include dealerships in Elyria, Wadsworth, Parma and Beachwood.

Locally, Bill Spurlock Dodge in Huntington, W.Va., is listed as a dealership that Chrysler has opted to close. Crown Dodge in Nitro is also on the list.

http://www.irontontribune.com/news/2009 ... lers-ohio/

[The Instructor]

The above story says that Harmon's Dodge dealership isn't affected.

[henrysteele]

Instructor:

That info was wrong and has been corrected by the reporter. It now reads...

http://www.irontontribune.com/news/2009 ... lers-ohio/

Local Chrysler owner Frank Harmon said he was just notified Thursday afternoon and didn’t know what he would do at this time.

“When they cut your arm off, what do you do?” he said. Harmon’s is also a Dodge and Jeep dealership, which are also affected by this announcement.

Harmon Motor Sales employs approximately 15 people, many of whom now face an uncertain future.

"What can I tell my employees?" Harmon said, adding that he was frustrated with the way the situation is being handled.

[BubbleGumTiger]

Instructor:

That info was wrong and has been corrected by the reporter. It now reads...

http://www.irontontribune.com/news/2009 ... lers-ohio/

Local Chrysler owner Frank Harmon said he was just notified Thursday afternoon and didn’t know what he would do at this time.

“When they cut your arm off, what do you do?” he said. Harmon’s is also a Dodge and Jeep dealership, which are also affected by this announcement.

Harmon Motor Sales employs approximately 15 people, many of whom now face an uncertain future.

"What can I tell my employees?" Harmon said, adding that he was frustrated with the way the situation is being handled.

Wonder if this will affect his motorcycle sales......

[Bassmaster]

Chrysler was fortunate to make it as long as they have with their 2.7 engine and it's nightmares

[caglewis]

Truthfully, I have wondered for quite a while how Ironton [or any other place for that matter] supported so many car dealerships. How many cars do they regularly sell, and who buys them?
It is however, the car dealers who buy ads on local TV, radio, and newspapers, support many local sports teams, and other events, and are in many cases a PRINCIPAL community mainstay. I hear, see, read and appreciate their support!

But yet I generally buy only one car a DECADE, usually "used"; and then I make it last! I haven't bought a "new" car since 1980; or any car at all since 2000.
So no car dealer has now or ever made much if any money off me because, truth-be-told, I'm simply not in the market for their product for very long stretches of time. I haven't bought any furniture, or home appliances in almost as long either!
What I'm buying [spending money on] these days is food, utilities - heat, light, water, gasoline - and maybe some clothes and/or shoes. I can't even afford even to service my car, let alone buy a new one. But, oh my goodness, what will our communities do without these car dealerships who have been so generous and supportive over the years?

[Regulator]

This may seem like a dumb question, but what happens to the cars they have on their lot? Will they sell them cheap or just ship them to other dealers?
I guess what I am asking is, Will they have a going out of business sale?

[Tigercannon71]

This is sad news for our community. Thats a lot of money leaving our community programs as well as the schools systems.

[MTSWNGRVSG]

The scary thing is our politicians tell us the worst is over. I wonder if it just starting?

When will the list come out from GM?

[Tigercannon71]

I was just reading the paper and it it made some sense about these closing. It said the companies are hurting themselves because the salesmen. The little dealerships pay for their own rent and utilities and property. They pay for their workers and their benefits plus they pay for the cars coming from the factory. Chrysler just lets them use their name they arent paying for anything so how will this save them money. All it does is close another market for Chrysler.

[vids4ckcrash]

This may seem like a dumb question, but what happens to the cars they have on their lot? Will they sell them cheap or just ship them to other dealers?
I guess what I am asking is, Will they have a going out of business sale?

Fire sale on an already depressed market.

The way I understand it, due to the bankrupcy court, the dealers are on their own. Some may still owe Chrysler for product and be required to pony up but Chrysler owes them diddly.

[qualified101]

this actually does very little in the way of saving chrysler or gm any great deal of money. the dealer already pays for all of the advertising(both national & local), the dealer pays the floorplan interest to stock the cars, the dealer pays the manufacturer for all the brochures and point of sale stuff such as banners and posters. these closings will hurt the small towns alot worse than the big city mega dealers. in most cases (as has been posted on here) local car dealers sponsor alot of school activities, usually run the biggest ads in the newspaper(which means newspaper folks will suffer also) and usually buy the most radio spots. this effects alot more people than just employees of the dealership. kind of a trickle down effect.

[fuzzhead]

Good article here.

Lots of discussion about this over on the Politcal Forum if anyone's interested.

[url]http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE54D3FM20090514?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true


[/url]

[shaneS]

We may need a brand new car every so often, and Miller Dodge Chrysler Jeep is one of the best dealerships out there right now that can help. The dealership offers more than just a ton of options; it offers professionals to help you choose between the different options. If you already know what you would like, they will make sure you find it. I walked away with the best car I have ever owned when I went. If you want a fantastic dealership, Miller Dodge Chrysler Jeep is the place to go.

[dazed&confused]

Amazon destroyed Barnes & Noble. Netflix is putting Blockbuster out of business. Why do you need salesmen when you can go on line, click the options you want, then check for the best deal among any car dealer? Automation is putting more and more occupations on the scrap heap.

[abuck76]

Dazed is right............But what did we do in other eras when technology changed the landscape.....We adapted..........But we have been slow to adapt..................Training and education outside the current paradigm is what we need more of.............The jobs of the 21st century are not or fathers jobs...................But you know what, we will survive and we will prosper.............. :12224

[Raiderball]

Less competition in the area; higher prices for the consumer.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Amazing, well if you believe the garbage the media puts out about things being so good in this country.