Trust

[Ralph]

I was sitting here wondering why I always seem to look for the negative in this auto industry in general, Chrysler in particular. It hit me square between the eyes, I don't trust them anymore.

When I here the lily white PR spin about plans and products, the 8 hour November press conference for example, I don't believe them. When I hear that Fiat wants Chrysler to expand and go long term, and I see what they're actually doing...I don't trust them.

I certainly don't trust this current government, and wasn't too keen on the last one either. I've watched the farcical bankruptcies and seen what happened, and listened to the spin about them and what they were supposed to accomplish, and they don't match. "It'll make the dealer body and the company stronger", they said. The government is controlling things now, and I don't trust that.

The Jim Press regime did more damage to this franchise that anyone has grasped I think, and it is because they completely obliterated an already tentative, nervous and skeptical public and dealers alike.

When I hear, We're here to stay, we have great product right around the corner, stick with us" I actually hear, "You can either help this company or help to burn the house down. We're not going into bankruptcy, now order vehicles."

When I hear, "We're going to make the tough decisions to change the culture in Chrysler, and make it great again and you dealers profitable," I actually hear, "Reports now show that Cerberus sent Landry around the world to shop Chrysler and any or all of its parts from day one."

When I hear about the flood of Fiat, Lancia and Alpha vehicles that will be soon supplementing the anemic Chrysler product pipeline...beginning with the 500," I read no Fiat, No Alpha, maybe Lancias in 2012-2013 and the 500 will be sold mostly in South America and select metro dealers.

I grew up having been taught, that "a man's word was his bond...a handshake is worth more than a contract...without your word, you're nothing. Most everything I've seen in the last 10 years has been spin, and it's getting worse daily. Politicians, Corporations, and everyone at Chrysler lately seem to hide behind the belief that, "We have to say this BS because there'll be a run on the banks...people will loose confidence in the product, the dealership, Chrysler itself."

What no one seems to understand is that they've gone to the well a few hundred times too many. I don't know about everyone else, but I don't believe anything they say anymore, and the more positive the message, the more I disbelieve it. It's a shame, but this disbelief seems to come to fruition. They are lying. Time proves it. Nothing Chrysler has done lately has been truthful, I don't believe...not because I'm a "doubting Thomas"...I'm usually a pretty happy guy, it's because I've been burned...roasted...cooked listening to these guys.

I had a chance to sell 4-5 years ago, with blue sky and at a nice big number...would have been set for life, I thought about it long and hard because I didn't like what I was seeing, and just had a bad feeling. I was talked out of it, because at the time my negative thoughts were just outlandish to the general thought. Chrysler dead, unthinkable. I don't look back and never regret decisions I made based on sound thought at the time, just because they turned out wrong in the end. I do however lament the state of the state, where our leaders, in our industry especially, will say and do anything to get to point B and it is at the expense of those who trust because they were taught that a "Man's word is his Bond."

[XDCX]

I think a lot of Chrysler dealers can relate to this post.

In the case of both Daimler and Cerberus there was a huge disconnect between the spoken word and the true agenda.

In the case of Cerberus I remember them stating early on that they were not going to "strip and flip" Chrysler; they were "patriots" and their objective was to restore a great American company. That was pure BS.

Like you, I struggle when Marchionne makes statements that seem to place Chrysler's interests ahead of Fiats. History has proven that most people and companies tend to act in their own self-interest.

[steve_biegler]

Well its -3 here and the wind chill feels about -99 with a 25 to 35 mph wind, so the powersports business is a little slow so I got looking at old posts. I really miss Ralph and just thought I would skim through some of his old posts. The title of this one got my attention, just because it seems so little of it exists in my life anymore, just like Ralph's.
Ralph's last post was March of 2011, I sure miss him.

[possum]

Funny, I thought about Ralph just a couple of days ago, and how his writings said everything I was feeling.

[tnpartsguy]

I saw Ralph mention Lancia, and I wondered ... Lancia used to be pretty awesome... so I went to their website.... and any fantasy of Lancia was crushed... They now consist of rebadged Fiats, and Chyslers- not a SPECK of a real Lancia in sight!!

[XDCX]

Originally Posted by steve_biegler

Well its -3 here and the wind chill feels about -99 with a 25 to 35 mph wind, so the powersports business is a little slow so I got looking at old posts.

I swear, I have no idea how you can survive in that climate. I know I'd go crazy trying to figure oout how to keep warm.

Originally Posted by steve_biegler

I really miss Ralph and just thought I would skim through some of his old posts. The title of this one got my attention, just because it seems so little of it exists in my life anymore, just like Ralph's.
Ralph's last post was March of 2011, I sure miss him.

I miss Ralph too.

Although we butted heads on one occasion, we were able to work through it and I always enjoyed reading Ralph's posts. He was a gifted writer and had the ability to convey his thoughts and opinions in a way that had me (and many of our other members) thinking Ralph was a mind reader.

He also had a great sense of humor and often brought a smile to my face as I read his posts.

The last time Ralph and I exchanged emails he indicated that he decided to stop visiting the forum so he could move on. He was tired on all the drama that Chrysler brought to his life and felt that being part of the forum made it too hard to let those memories fade. While I was sad to see him leave I can understand his reasoning.