Car dealers losing Chrysler lines

NORTHWEST OHIO - Chrysler will eliminate one-quarter of its American dealerships in announcement the automaker made Thursday morning.

The car-maker released the list today as part of its restructuring plan.

While Chrysler’s “hit list” of 789 dealerships it plans to shut down was released, dealerships in Sandusky, Port Clinton, Norwalk, Bellevue and Willard were not on the list.

Near greater Toledo, Ed Schmidt in Perrysburg, Integrity Motor Sales in Defiance, Lima Auto Mall in Lima, Bowling Green Lincoln Mercury in Bowling Green and Spangler Motor Sales in Oak Harbor are on the scheduled list to lose their Chrysler line.

Bowling Green Jeep and Schmidt Jeep-Eagle in Perrysburg sell a variety of other brands and would continue in business.

But workers at Ed Schmidt aren't too concerned because employees feel their company is in good economic health.

"Ed Schmidt dealership has other products, so it's not every part of the product line," said Schmidt spokesman BJ Fischer.

The line includes Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Dodge trucks.

Spangler Motor Sales in Oak Harbor, which carries new Chrysler products, will lose all of its new vehicles.  But the general manager says he will stay open as a privately owned used car dealership. As for job losses Spangler and Schmidt aren't expecting a major impact

A total of 47 Chrysler dealerships in Ohio are on the closure list, most are in the Northeastern portion of the state. Fifteen dealerships in Metro Detroit are also on the cut list. There are no Chrysler dealerships on the list from Monroe, Lenawee or Hillsdale counties in Southeastern Michigan.

Read the entire list of dealerships losing Chrysler lines.

“The remaining guys will be stronger,” said Bryan Kasper, who owns Sandusky’s Chrysler dealership.

Kasper said he had expected the good news that arrived today about his dealership.

Dealers will be able to appeal the decisions that are likely to cause devastating affects in communities across the country as thousands of jobs are lost.

(FOX Toledo's Sharia Davis, The Sandusky Register and The BG Sentinel-Tribune, FOXToledo.com media partners, and The Associated Press contributed to this story)