Laurel Dodge sold its last Chrysler brand car, an Avenger, on Monday, and general manager Elias Kymingham got word a day later that incorporation papers to change the name of the dealership had been processed.
It's the end of an era for Laurel Dodge, which has been doing business with Chrysler since the 1960s.
The dealership was among 789, including 15 in Maryland, that lost franchise agreements with Chrysler as the financially troubled carmaker looks to cut costs and restructure into a smaller, more efficient company. Yesterday was the dealerships' last day as a Chrysler affiliate.
But many of the dealers aren't shutting up shop or walking away quietly. They're reinventing themselves as used-car dealerships and beefing up the body shop and repair side of the business.
Laurel Dodge will become Laurel Auto Sales and Service, and Kymingham said the company is looking to open a Suzuki franchise.
"We're not going anywhere," he said.
There have been some last-ditch efforts to spare the dealerships. More than 25 attorneys representing hundreds of dealers from across the country were in bankruptcy court yesterday arguing that the franchises should remain open, but the judge ruled that Chrysler could close them. Democratic Reps. Frank M. Kratovil Jr. of Maryland and Dan Maffei of New York introduced House legislation Monday that would require that automakers in which the federal government owns an interest honor their commitments to dealerships.
In the meantime, dealerships on the list have spent the past three weeks trying to sell their remaining cars and transition away from the Chrysler business. Chrysler said it would not buy back the 40,000 vehicles left on the lots of the dealers slated to close, so many were worried that they would be ruined financially if they couldn't sell the cars. Instead, some Maryland dealerships said that they've sold more cars than they have in months, though at steep discounts that yield little if any profit. Buyers flocked to their lots thinking they might get a good deal. Dealers who will keep their franchises are in need of cars because Chrysler is not making new cars while in bankruptcy.
Chrysler will help those slated to close to sell cars to dealers that will remain open, but will charge a fee to do so. The dealerships said they have been told that they would receive help only in selling 2009 models with little mileage.
Chrysler did not return phone calls left over two days with the company.
