Why Would You Do This?: Chrysler VP Leaves to Run a Mercedes Benz Dealership!

The Chrysler group's embattled executive vice president of global sales, marketing and service resigned from the company today.

Joe Eberhardt, 43, will take a management position in an unspecified Mercedes-Benz dealership, the automaker said.

Eberhardt had become a flashpoint for dealer anger over unassigned cars the factory was making without orders from dealers. Vehicles piled up on dealership lots this year, even though dealers say they repeatedly warned about overproduction. Chrysler last week instituted dealer cash incentives ranging as much as $7,000 a vehicle.

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AUDIMAN4 - 12/5/2006 4:53:01 PM

+1 Boost

Retard.

07mcs - 12/5/2006 5:11:41 PM

+1 Boost

They should have him at a chysler dealer to try to thin out the inventory build up due to his mistake.

jeepsista - 12/5/2006 5:16:45 PM

+1 Boost

I don't exactly think he had a choice. And if you know anything about auto dealerships, especially high end ones, he is one lucky guy. He made out big time!

Cynical - 12/5/2006 7:23:53 PM

+1 Boost

Agreed - he made out like a bandit given that many of the dealerships are often lucrative, and posts like a GM at one (like the MBZ in beverly hills) can make between 200K - 500K per year

Agent001 - 12/5/2006 7:37:55 PM

0 Boost

He will end up in a much better situation with less hassle.

The GM of a place like Fletcher Jones in Newport Beach makes about $750k per year...but there's no money in cars ;)

bmwdrvr - 12/5/2006 8:30:19 PM

+1 Boost

not to be the realist here but if you leave from being VP of major corporation to running a car dealership (if this is true), there has to be a pretty damn good reason........

jeepsista - 12/6/2006 3:40:43 PM

+1 Boost

I don't think he "left"...I think this deal was a nice alternate to being "asked to leave". The person who did the job before him that "left" got a pretty nice parting gift as well.

bmwdrvr - 12/6/2006 6:47:23 PM

+1 Boost

ok yeah that makes good sense, now that i could believe and the "left" part would be a cover up

IZZIE06 - 12/5/2006 9:01:37 PM

+2 Boost

He's most likely making about the same money, but less head aches

S4cabriofoxone - 12/5/2006 10:02:56 PM

+2 Boost

I'd say he's making MORE money, actually.

S4cabriofoxone - 12/5/2006 10:02:35 PM

+2 Boost

Sure- you'd get a lot more good news at a dealer than at a DCX headquarters!