Merlin no longer employed at St. Charles !!!

[VX KAT]

Yikes! Just was told Merlin is no longer employed at St. Charles.

"He's moved on" was all the guy "Phil" would say.
He said he's worked there 7 years, but I don't know if that was in Isuzu or another of the dealership's brands.

Anybody know about this?

[johnnyapollo]

That Sucks!

[Scott Larson]

OH THE HORROR !!! Seriously, that may be bad news indeed. He really did know his stuff and he knew how to treat us VX folks! He will be missed amongst the VX Community, let's hope that his replacement is worth a toad sneeze...

[Triathlete]

Wonder if that means they are getting out of the isuzu parts game?

[blacksambo]

Well it sure is inconvenient, and I'm surprised he didn't let any of us know?

[ABDragonVX]

That's too bad, he was awesome to deal with.

[TheGanzman]

It's the end of the World as we know it...

[Leon R]

That definitely sucks! Did Phil mention if they are still selling Isuzu parts?

[JoFotoz]

I'm gonna have to sit in the corner of a dark room

For all the amazing help/advice and input he's given us all over the years...
...I can only wish him well and hope its an onward and upward move for him.

BUT OMG....what a huge loss to the Isuzu community.

Jo

[nocturnalVX]

He got hired by Tesla, and couldn't be happier. I have not asked about ISUZU parts availability, or if he appointed a replacement club friend at St. Charles Automotive (a Nissan & Hyundai dealer). I would assume any ISUZU factory authorized service(former sales) shop could still place orders, but we would not get the special treatment we received from Merlin. My go-to former ISUZU dealership is a Dodge/Jeep store.

[JoFotoz]

SWEEEEET!!!

He got hired by Tesla, and couldn't be happier. .

A great loss for us...but good on him.
And a smart move by Tesla, they are very fortunate to have him

jo

[nfpgasmask]

Wow, that definitely sucks. I used Merlin many, many times over the years. Great guy and I wish him the best with Tesla.

Bart

[Scott Harness]

NOOOO! Congrats Merlin and Tesla

[CarNerd76]

Hello VX friends!

My good friend Gill made me aware of this post this afternoon, and it sure was nice to come here and read all the warm responses. It has truly been a pleasure working with so many of you over the years, and there's a few personalities here that I will sincerely miss speaking with on a regular basis!

The Moab trip you helped make possible for me a few years ago is still one of my fondest memories, and to this day I remain humbled by the generosity of this site's members. If I didn't get a chance to thank you in person...thank you!

Someone mentioned being surprised that I didn't let anyone know ahead of time that I was leaving Isuzu, and I certainly understand that sentiment. Allow me to explain...

I was not actively looking for a new position when I was approached by my new employer. The decision to leave St. Charles Automotive after fourteen happy years was certainly not an easy one, and the process leading up to it was exhaustive. Once I gave my two-week notice, the clock was ticking on getting all of my professional matters in order before I left.

At that time, I thought of this group, and really wanted to not only let everyone know what to expect in the future, but also share my excitement with a group that provided such a great deal of encouragement to me over the years!

However, I had a responsibility to my team to make sure systems were in place to keep things flowing after my exit. I knew if I said anything to the kind folks on this site that the phone calls and e-mails of support would soon come pouring in, and potentially create a distraction from my efforts to squeeze a lot of work into a very little amount of time. In addition, every time a coworker would drop by my office to ask about my move I'd have to explain the story over again, and I'm pretty sure the other guys in my office were as tired of hearing that story as I was of telling it!

Again, this group has really meant a great deal to me over the years and I love the small slice of 'celebrity' that's been carved out for me here. It's pretty dang cool, and I'm gonna miss it! You guys have been great, and I hope everyone continues to make the journey out to Moab year after year for many years to come! I call shotgun

Best Wishes,

Merlin Richardson

[Mark B]

Being from Missouri, Merlin was always helpful when I needed parts.
Good luck on your new Job. Tesla is lucky to have you.