Projo Cars Blog

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. -- A poster in Jim Tarbox's office at his North Kingstown Chrysler Jeep dealership declares: "Challenge: The harder the course, the more rewarding the triumph."

It's a fitting slogan for Tarbox, whose third-generation business is suddenly in peril after Chrysler ended its franchise agreements with his two dealerships in Rhode Island and Massachusetts as part of its bankruptcy and restructuring plan, according to USA Today.

Tarbox's family name has been synonymous with car sales in the area for years, but his public pushback has given him national attention.

He wept openly in bankruptcy court last month, saying he thought the rejection of his dealerships must have been a mistake. Tarbox says he's the lone dealer to appeal a bankruptcy judge's ruling that terminated his franchises and those of more than 700 other dealers.

And he's protested Chrysler's actions to federal lawmakers.

"They've taken not only my businesses, but everything I've worked for, all my wealth and my rights," Tarbox said. "They're taking it all away from me and giving it to someone else up to the road.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to rectify this injustice. It's wrong," he said.

 Tags  Chrysler Chrysler dealerships Chrysler restructuring Jeep Tarbox

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