DETROIT (AP) -- The American Arbitration Association says 21 percent of GM and Chrysler dealers being shut down have appealed the automakers' decision to close them.
About 600 dealers out of the roughly 2,800 whose franchises were revoked last year have filed paperwork to go into binding arbitration over the fate of their businesses. General Motors and Chrysler say they need to get rid of underperforming dealers so the remaining ones can make more money to invest in their businesses.
The appeals come under a federal law passed in December that appointed the arbitration association to handle the claims.
GM told about 2,000 dealers that their franchises would be phased out by October 2010. Chrysler shed 789 dealers in June.
