Why the Chrysler dealers are angry

More details on why the Chrysler dealers who found their franchises taken away from them believe they were ill-used by the company that is now part of the portfolio of the federal government. From Dealers Say They Were Led Astray in Chrysler’s Final Days – washingtonpost.com:

They still remember the Call. It came on Thursday, Feb. 5. Thousands of Chrysler dealers across the country dialed in to hear another in a string of pitches from Press and Steven Landry, Chrysler’s executive vice president.

With the passion of a street preacher, Press implored the dealers to order as many cars as possible to help the company as a deadline loomed to prove its viability to the U.S. government.

“You have two choices,” Press told the group, according to reports. “You can either help us or burn us all down.”

Many dealers would long remember the warning that followed to those who refused to order their whole allotment of cars: “If you decide not to do that, we’ve got a good memory.”

Many of the dealers complied with this threat, buying up lots of cars for their lots, only to be stuck with them when the company, despite its “good memory,” shut them down.

Chrysler is now saying they will try to help the former dealers distribute their inventory to surviving dealers