| The same day that American billionaire and investor | | | | Corp. Jeeps, Dodge trucks, and minivans have |
| Kirk Kerkorian offered a bid of $4.5 billion for Chrysler | | | | accounted for 70 percent of Chrysler's sales at the |
| Corp., is the time that a car salesman in Southold, New | | | | time when gasoline cost nearly $3 a gallon in the US. |
| York was also dusting off a framed print. | | | | The Struggle of Chrysler Dealerships |
| Chrysler dealer Dick Mullen said last April 5 while smiling | | | | Mullen for his long years of selling Chrysler products |
| at an editorial cartoon from the 80s, "Time to hang this | | | | have weathered out very storm. He and his father |
| up again. It shows a car bursting from the ground | | | | each bought $10,000 of Chrysler's debentures in 1980 |
| beneath a gravestone marked ``Chrysler: R.I.P.'' | | | | that earns them 11 percent interest per year interest. It |
| Mullen's shop has stayed on Long Island's northeast | | | | was also their Chrysler dealership that was the first to |
| corner for 80 years and has witness to the rise and | | | | sell Jeep in the US after the company bought |
| fall of Chrysler through decades of miscues. Way | | | | American Motors in 1987. Mullen has met Iacocca |
| back in the 80s the good old Mullen has loaned | | | | twice and later he was invited along a handful of |
| Chrysler some $10,000 when it was nearing | | | | dealers at a lunch at New York's Waldorf Astoria |
| bankruptcy. And today Chrysler's future is again on the | | | | hotel. |
| brink as its German parent DaimlerChrysler AG is | | | | The main purpose of Daimler for purchasing Chrysler |
| opening all options for its sale. Despite the somewhat | | | | is to gain mass-market American foothold. |
| bleak future that Chrysler is facing today, Mullen | | | | Unfortunately instead of the gain it is expecting it has |
| remained calm and unafraid leavening the wait gallows | | | | found itself struggling because of price discounts and |
| humor. | | | | union retiree costs that add $1,300 to the price of each |
| According to Mullen, 70 when he told sales Chief | | | | car. And today with oil prices surging high some |
| Steve Landry at New York Auto Show last April 4, | | | | investors see the future of Chrysler as becoming |
| "It's the fourth time I'm going out of business with you | | | | bleaker than before. |
| guys, I'm getting a little tired of it." He also suggested | | | | According to Tim Gilbert, who helps manage $10 billion |
| for Chrysler to write a book based partly on his | | | | in assets including DaimlerChrysler bonds at principal |
| up-and-down ride and pass it out to future executives. | | | | Global Investors in Des Moines, Iowa, "When the |
| Landry said as a way of confirming his conversation | | | | product cycle turned, the ugly really outweighed the |
| with Mullen, "Most of our dealers have faith, and they | | | | good." He also said that he firm is adding more bonds |
| know that whatever happens, our brands and | | | | of the Stuttgart Germany-based carmaker because it |
| products are not going anywhere." He also said that he | | | | should be more stable if it sells Chrysler. |
| plans of meeting with as many as 50dealers this year | | | | DaimlerChrysler shares on the New York Stock |
| to answer questions and to mend relationships. | | | | Exchange have jumped 25 percent to $80.69 since |
| Surveying the business of Mullen and the rest of his | | | | the company has announced last February 14 of its |
| fellow car dealers on Long Island, it's hard to miss the | | | | plans of getting rid of its money-losing arm Chrysler. |
| obvious fact that the Japanese carmakers influence | | | | Overproduction is the Problem |
| has also reached Long Island. | | | | Mullen says that Eaton was smart to sell when |
| The Union | | | | Chrysler was riding high. But he was less happy last |
| Chrysler maker of Dodge truck parts and Dodge truck | | | | year, when Chrysler's production outstripped demand. |
| accessories has been a one of the 'Big Three' US | | | | Mullen and the other dealers were left with unwanted |
| automaker alongside General Motors Corp. and Ford | | | | vehicles. This has provided Mullen with the idea for his |
| Motor Co. way back in 1929. Unfortunately out of the | | | | book which he has given the theme: 'Overproduction |
| 'Big Three" it's only GM that has successfully | | | | causes problems.' |
| maintained its post. | | | | Landry also said that he is aware that dealers were |
| The wrong decisions that have been plaguing Chrysler | | | | upset and that is why he's meeting with many of them |
| started back in 1970s when the Auburn Hills, | | | | this year. The most perplexing thing that Mullen found |
| Michigan-based automaker try to push gas guzzlers as | | | | on the potential sale is that Chrysler cars have never |
| oil buying habits were changing. Chairman Lee Iacocca | | | | been better. As a matter of fact the Crossfire sports |
| was able to avoid bankruptcy when it acquired $1.5 | | | | car shares 40 percent of its parts with Mercedes |
| billion government-guaranteed loans. After a revival | | | | including the engine. The Chrysler 300 on the other |
| behind the compact K-car and the minivan, the US | | | | hand makes use of the same axles and transmission |
| automaker once again embarked in 1998 on a rocky | | | | as the Mercedes E-Class sedan. |
| $36 billion union with Daimler, the maker of | | | | Chrysler is also narrowing the quality gap with Toyota |
| Mercedes-Benz. | | | | just last year the average new Chrysler had 12 |
| The union only plunged Chrysler to graver financial | | | | percent more problems than a typical Toyota basing |
| crises that went on for more years than anyone can | | | | on the results found by researcher J.D. Power & |
| remember. Chrysler has obtained a $1.5 billion loss | | | | Associates in Westlake Village, California. But despite |
| which prompted its German parent to investigate a | | | | such that average is much better than the average |
| sale. It was also then that Chrysler has surrendered | | | | industry gap of 15 percent and far better than the 22 |
| the No.3 slot in the US market share to Toyota Motor | | | | percent that Chrysler incurred in 2000. |