Car dealer fighting targeted closure

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.—The owner of two Chrysler dealers targeted for closure said Friday the automaker is targeting his dealerships out of spite, and that he’s not going down without a fight.

Nick Tarbox owns Tarbox Jeep in North Kingstown and Tarbox Chrysler-Jeep in Attleboro. The businesses are two of 789 dealers nationwide that Chrysler told a bankruptcy court it plans to eliminate.

“I took over the business in 1961,“ he said. “I was a kid. My father was sick.“

Nick’s son, Jim, runs the business now.

“This is our livelihood. They’re ruining (Jim’s) life, his business life,“ Nick Tarbox said.

Tarbox said he believes they’re being targeted because in the past his son has fought off efforts by Chrysler to get him to sell.

A few years ago, Tarbox said his son fought a move by Chrysler to open up another Jeep franchise that would have been within a 20-mile radius of their location.

“This is purely on spite. It has nothing to do with our performance,“ Tarbox said. “It’s ridiculous.“

Jack Perkins of the Rhode Island Automobile Dealers Association said he was surprised by the move to target Tarbox, but is also disappointed that any franchises are being terminated.

“If there are too many dealers, then the marketplace takes care of that,“ he said.

A spokesperson for Chrysler said they can’t comment on individual dealerships but said one of the company’s goals is to combine Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep franchises under one dealer.

Tarbox in North Kingstown is a stand alone Jeep dealer.

Chrysler said its decisions were made based not just on performance, but a number of factors that included market size and location.