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Fourteen local Chrysler dealerships either slammed their doors shut yesterday or are being forced to sell other brands, part of the U.S. automaker’s national bankruptcy program. “We are calling it Black Tuesday when 14 profitable dealers who were supporting their brands are being terminated for no apparent reason,” Tim Jackson, president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association tells The Denver Post.
The closures came as the U.S. Supreme Court delayed the planned sale of Chrysler to Fiat (via The New York Times), eventually making way late yesterday for the deal (via CNN).
Next up on the dealership scrap heap could be 15 General Motors distributors in Colorado (via the Denver Business Journal). But not all Coloradans tied to the auto industry are suffering through idle times. Following the wicked hailstorms of the last week, insurance companies are busy investigating damages: State Farm says it’s looking into 9,000 auto claims, CBS4 reports. Maybe dealerships should be looking into the windshield business.