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Saturday, June 13, 2009
Quality Chrysler Reopens as Used-Car Dealership
By Copyright © 2009 Albuquerque Journal By Rivkela Brodsky
Journal Staff Writer
A few days after Chrysler terminated ties with 789 dealerships nationwide, including four in New Mexico, the Jeep Chrysler signs are still up at the former Quality franchise on Lomas and Pennsylvania NE.
And they're not coming down until someone from Chrysler takes them down, said Annette DiLorenzo Thayer, director of operations for the dealership.
"We had the privilege of renting the signs ... Chrysler has to come take the signs," she told the Journal on Wednesday.
As of Tuesday at midnight, the dealership could no longer sell new Chrysler vehicles, offer rebates or honor Chrysler warranties.
The dealership reopened Wednesday morning as a used car dealership and service center, although from appearances you couldn't tell such a dramatic change to the family business — which has been selling Chrysler products for 22 years — had occurred overnight.
Chrysler inventory is still parked at the lot. Most of the leftover inventory will go to Mark's CASA Chrysler Jeep Mitsubishi on the West Side and Melloy Dodge will take some of the parts inventory, DiLorenzo Thayer said.
The dealership, which employs 74, plans to keep most workers although it expects to lose some through attrition. It is hiring used car salespeople as part of the transition, she said.
Chrysler cut off all contact with Quality on Tuesday at midnight, and made it clear it wants $350 per vehicle from Quality to move leftover inventory to other dealers, she said.
The DiLorenzos also own Quality Buick GMC and was spared last month when GM announced it was cutting 1,100 dealerships nationwide a day after Chrysler announced its cuts.
"There are almost 800 other dealers and employees in this situation," she told the Journal. "I've never seen anything like it. It's sad the stories that are coming out."
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