Exhibit 99.1
EXECUTION COPY
This ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT dated as of March 1, 2004,
among DAIMLERCHRYSLER AUTO TRUST 2004-A, a Delaware statutory trust
(the "Issuer"), DAIMLERCHRYSLER SERVICES NORTH AMERICA LLC, a
Michigan limited liability company, as administrator (the
"Administrator"), and CITIBANK, N.A., a national banking association,
not in its individual capacity but solely as Indenture Trustee (the
"Indenture Trustee"),
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, the Issuer is issuing the Class A-1 1.0725% Asset Backed
Notes, the Class A-2 1.41% Asset Backed Notes, the Class A-3 2.00% Asset
Backed Notes, the Class A-4 2.58% Asset Backed Notes and the Class B 2.85%
Asset Backed Notes (collectively, the "Notes") pursuant to the Indenture dated
as of March 1, 2004 (as amended and supplemented from time to time, the
"Indenture"), between the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee (capitalized terms
used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such
terms in the Indenture or, if not defined therein, in the Sale and Servicing
Agreement or the Trust Agreement);
WHEREAS, the Issuer has entered into certain agreements in connection
with the issuance of the Notes and of certain beneficial ownership interests
in the Issuer, including (i) a Sale and Servicing Agreement dated as of March
1, 2004 (as amended and supplemented from time to time, the "Sale and
Servicing Agreement"), between the Issuer and DaimlerChrysler Services North
America LLC, as seller (in such capacity, the "Seller") and servicer (in such
capacity, the "Servicer"), (ii) a Blanket Letter of Representations dated
March [4], 2004 (as amended and supplemented from time to time, the "Note
Depository Agreement"), between the Issuer and The Depository Trust Company
relating to the Notes and (iii) the Indenture (the Sale and Servicing
Agreement, the Note Depository Agreement and the Indenture being referred to
hereinafter collectively as the "Related Agreements");
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Related Agreements, the Issuer and the Owner
Trustee are required to perform certain duties in connection with (a) the
Notes and the collateral therefor pledged pursuant to the Indenture (the
"Collateral") and (b) the beneficial ownership interests in the Issuer (the
registered holders of such interests being referred to herein as the
"Owners");
WHEREAS, the Issuer and the Owner Trustee desire to have the
Administrator perform certain of the duties of the Issuer and the Owner
Trustee referred to in the preceding clause and to provide such additional
services consistent with the terms of this Agreement and the Related
Agreements as the Issuer and the Owner Trustee may from time to time request;
and
WHEREAS, the Administrator has the capacity to provide the services
required hereby and is willing to perform such services for the Issuer and the
Owner Trustee on the terms set forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained
herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of
which are hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
1. Duties of the Administrator.
(a) Duties with Respect to the Note Depository Agreement and the
Indenture. (i) The Administrator agrees to perform all its duties as
Administrator and the duties of the Issuer and the Owner Trustee under the
Note Depository Agreement. In addition, the Administrator shall consult with
the Owner Trustee regarding the duties of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee
under the Indenture and the Note Depository Agreement. The Administrator shall
monitor the performance of the Issuer and shall advise the Owner Trustee when
action is necessary to comply with the Issuer's or the Owner Trustee's duties
under the Indenture and the Note Depository Agreement. The Administrator shall
prepare for execution by the Issuer, or shall cause the preparation by other
appropriate persons of, all such documents, reports, filings, instruments,
certificates and opinions that it shall be the duty of the Issuer or the Owner
Trustee to prepare, file or deliver pursuant to the Indenture or the Note
Depository Agreement. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Administrator shall
take all appropriate action that is the duty of the Issuer or the Owner
Trustee to take pursuant to the Indenture including, without limitation, such
of the foregoing as are required with respect to the following matters under
the Indenture (references are to sections of the Indenture):
(A) the duty to cause the Note Register to be kept and to give
the Indenture Trustee notice of any appointment of a new Note
Registrar and the location, or change in location, of the Note
Register (Section 2.05);
(B) the notification of Noteholders of the final principal
payment on their Notes (Section 2.08(b));
(C) the fixing or causing to be fixed of any specified record
date and the notification of the Indenture Trustee and Noteholders
with respect to special payment dates, if any (Section 2.08(c));
(D) the preparation of or obtaining of the documents and
instruments required for authentication of the Notes and delivery of
the same to the Indenture Trustee (Section 2.02);
(E) the preparation, obtaining or filing of the instruments,
opinions and certificates and other documents required for the
release of collateral (Section 2.10);
(F) the maintenance of an office in the Borough of Manhattan,
City of New York, for registration of transfer or exchange of Notes
(Section 3.02);
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(G) the duty to cause newly appointed Paying Agents, if any, to
deliver to the Indenture Trustee the instrument specified in the
Indenture regarding funds held in trust (Section 3.03);
(H) the direction to the Indenture Trustee to deposit moneys
with Paying Agents, if any, other than the Indenture Trustee (Section
3.03);
(I) the obtaining and preservation of the Issuer's
qualification to do business in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is or shall be necessary to protect the validity and
enforceability of the Indenture, the Notes, the Collateral and each
other instrument and agreement included in the Trust Estate (Section
3.04);
(J) the preparation of all supplements and amendments to the
Indenture and all financing statements, continuation statements,
instruments of further assurance and other instruments and the taking
of such other action as is necessary or advisable to protect the
Trust Estate (Section 3.05);
(K) the delivery of an Opinion of Counsel on the Closing Date
and the annual delivery of Opinions of Counsel as to the Trust
Estate, and the annual delivery of the Officer's Certificate and
certain other statements as to compliance with the Indenture
(Sections 3.06 and 3.09);
(L) the identification to the Indenture Trustee in an Officer's
Certificate of a Person with whom the Issuer has contracted to
perform its duties under the Indenture (Section 3.07(b));
(M) the notification of the Indenture Trustee and the Rating
Agencies of a Servicer Default under the Sale and Servicing Agreement
and, if such Servicer Default arises from the failure of the Servicer
to perform any of its duties under the Sale and Servicing Agreement
with respect to the Receivables, the taking of all reasonable steps
available to remedy such failure (Section 3.07(d));
(N) the duty to cause the Servicer to comply with Sections
4.09, 4.10, 4.11 and 5.07 and Article XI of the Sale and Servicing
Agreement (Section 3.14);
(O) the preparation and obtaining of documents and instruments
required for the release of the Issuer from its obligations under the
Indenture (Section 3.10(b));
(P) the delivery of written notice to the Indenture Trustee and
the Rating Agencies of each Event of Default under the Indenture and
each default by the Servicer or the Seller under the Sale and
Servicing Agreement and by the Seller or the Company under the
Purchase Agreement (Section 3.19);
(Q) the monitoring of the Issuer's obligations as to the
satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture and the preparation of an
Officer's Certificate and the obtaining of an Opinion of Counsel and
the Independent Certificate relating thereto (Section 4.01);
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(R) the compliance with any written directive of the Indenture
Trustee with respect to the sale of the Trust Estate in a
commercially reasonable manner if an Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing (Section 5.04);
(S) the preparation and delivery of notice to Noteholders of
the removal of the Indenture Trustee and the appointment of a
successor Indenture Trustee (Section 6.08);
(T) the preparation of any written instruments required to
confirm more fully the authority of any co-trustee or separate
trustee and any written instruments necessary in connection with the
resignation or removal of any co-trustee or separate trustee
(Sections 6.08 and 6.10);
(U) the furnishing of the Indenture Trustee with the names and
addresses of Noteholders during any period when the Indenture Trustee
is not the Note Registrar (Section 7.01);
(V) the preparation and, after execution by the Issuer, the
filing with the Commission, any applicable state agencies and the
Indenture Trustee of documents required to be filed on a periodic
basis with, and summaries thereof as may be required by rules and
regulations prescribed by, the Commission and any applicable state
agencies and the transmission of such summaries, as necessary, to the
Noteholders (Section 7.03);
(W) the opening of one or more accounts in the Issuer's name,
the preparation and delivery of Issuer Orders, Officer's Certificates
and Opinions of Counsel and all other actions necessary with respect
to investment and reinvestment of funds in the Deposit Account
(Sections 8.02 and 8.03);
(X) the preparation of an Issuer Request and Officer's
Certificate and the obtaining of an Opinion of Counsel and
Independent Certificates, if necessary, for the release of the Trust
Estate (Sections 8.04 and 8.05);
(Y) the preparation of Issuer Orders and the obtaining of
Opinions of Counsel with respect to the execution of supplemental
indentures and the mailing to the Noteholders of notices with respect
to such supplemental indentures (Sections 9.01, 9.02 and 9.03);
(Z) the execution and delivery of new Notes conforming to any
supplemental indenture (Section 9.06);
(AA) the duty to notify Noteholders of redemption of the Notes
or to cause the Indenture Trustee to provide such notification
(Section 10.02);
(BB) the preparation and delivery of all Officer's
Certificates, Opinions of Counsel and Independent Certificates with
respect to any requests by the Issuer to the Indenture Trustee to
take any action under the Indenture (Section 11.01(a));
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(CC) the preparation and delivery of Officer's Certificates and
the obtaining of Independent Certificates, if necessary, for the
release of property from the lien of the Indenture (Section
11.01(b));
(DD) the notification of the Rating Agencies, upon the failure
of the Indenture Trustee to give such notification, of the
information required pursuant to Section 11.04 of the Indenture
(Section 11.04);
(EE) the preparation and delivery to Noteholders and the
Indenture Trustee of any agreements with respect to alternate payment
and notice provisions (Section 11.06);
(FF) the recording of the Indenture, if applicable (Section
11.15); and
(GG) the preparation of Definitive Notes in accordance with the
instructions of the Clearing Agency (Section 2.13).
(ii) The Administrator will:
(A) pay the Indenture Trustee (and any separate trustee or
co-trustee appointed pursuant to Section 6.10 of the Indenture (a
"Separate Trustee")) from time to time reasonable compensation for
all services rendered by the Indenture Trustee or Separate Trustee,
as the case may be, under the Indenture (which compensation shall not
be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a
trustee of an express trust);
(B) except as otherwise expressly provided in the Indenture,
reimburse the Indenture Trustee or any Separate Trustee upon its
request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances
incurred or made by the Indenture Trustee or Separate Trustee, as the
case may be, in accordance with any provision of the Indenture
(including the reasonable compensation, expenses and disbursements of
its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or
advance as may be attributable to its negligence or bad faith;
(C) indemnify the Indenture Trustee and any Separate Trustee
and their respective agents for, and hold them harmless against, any
losses, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith
on their part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or
administration of the transactions contemplated by the Indenture,
including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending themselves
against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or
performance of any of their powers or duties under the Indenture; and
(D) indemnify the Owner Trustee and its agents for, and hold
them harmless against, any losses, liability or expense incurred
without negligence or bad faith on their part, arising out of or in
connection with the acceptance or administration of the transactions
contemplated by the Trust Agreement, including the reasonable costs
and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability
in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers
or duties under the Trust Agreement.
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(b) Additional Duties. (i) In addition to the duties of the
Administrator set forth above, the Administrator shall perform such
calculations and shall prepare or shall cause the preparation by other
appropriate persons of, and shall execute on behalf of the Issuer or the Owner
Trustee, all such documents, reports, filings, instruments, certificates and
opinions that it shall be the duty of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee to
prepare, file or deliver pursuant to the Related Agreements or Section 5.04 of
the Trust Agreement, and at the request of the Owner Trustee shall take all
appropriate action that it is the duty of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee to
take pursuant to the Related Agreements. In furtherance thereof, the Owner
Trustee shall, on behalf of itself and of the Issuer, execute and deliver to
the Administrator and to each successor Administrator appointed pursuant to
the terms hereof, one or more powers of attorney substantially in the form of
Exhibit A hereto, appointing the Administrator the attorney-in-fact of the
Owner Trustee and the Issuer for the purpose of executing on behalf of the
Owner Trustee and the Issuer all such documents, reports, filings,
instruments, certificates and opinions. Subject to Section 5 of this
Agreement, and in accordance with the directions of the Owner Trustee, the
Administrator shall administer, perform or supervise the performance of such
other activities in connection with the Collateral (including the Related
Agreements) as are not covered by any of the foregoing provisions and as are
expressly requested by the Owner Trustee and are reasonably within the
capability of the Administrator. Such responsibilities shall include the
obtainment and maintenance of any licenses required to be obtained or
maintained by the Trust under the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Sales Finance Act
and the Annotated Code of Maryland Financial Institutions ss. 11-403. In
addition, the Administrator shall promptly notify the Indenture Trustee and
the Owner Trustee in writing of any amendment to the Pennsylvania Motor
Vehicle Sales Finance Act or the Annotated Code of Maryland Financial
Institutions that would affect the duties or obligations of the Indenture
Trustee or the Owner Trustee under any Basic Document and shall assist the
Indenture Trustee or the Owner Trustee in its obtainment and maintenance of
any licenses required to be obtained or maintained by the Indenture Trustee or
the Owner Trustee thereunder. In connection therewith, the Administrator shall
cause the Seller to pay all fees and expenses under such laws.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the
Related Agreements to the contrary, the Administrator shall be responsible for
promptly notifying the Owner Trustee and the Paying Agent in the event that
any withholding tax is imposed on the Trust's payments (or allocations of
income) to an Owner as contemplated in Section 5.02(b) of the Trust Agreement.
Any such notice shall specify the amount of any withholding tax required to be
withheld by the Paying Agent pursuant to such provision.
(iii) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or the
Related Agreements to the contrary, the Administrator shall be responsible for
performance of the duties of the Owner Trustee set forth in Section 5.04 of
the Trust Agreement.
(iv) The Administrator shall satisfy its obligations with
respect to clauses (ii) and (iii) above by retaining, at the expense of the
Trust payable by the Administrator, a firm of independent public accountants
(the "Accountants") acceptable to the Owner Trustee, which shall perform the
obligations of the Administrator thereunder. In connection with paragraph (ii)
above, the Accountants will provide prior to April 8, 2004, a letter in
form and substance satisfactory to the Owner Trustee and the Paying Agent as
to whether any tax withholding is then required and, if required, the
procedures to be followed with respect thereto to comply with the
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requirements of the Code. The Accountants shall be required to update the
letter in each instance that any additional tax withholding is subsequently
required or any previously required tax withholding shall no longer be
required.
(v) The Administrator shall perform the duties of the
Administrator specified in Section 10.02 of the Trust Agreement required to be
performed in connection with the resignation or removal of the Owner Trustee,
and any other duties expressly required to be performed by the Administrator
under the Trust Agreement.
(vi) In carrying out the foregoing duties or any of its
other obligations under this Agreement, the Administrator may enter into
transactions or otherwise deal with any of its affiliates; provided, however,
that the terms of any such transactions or dealings shall be in accordance
with any directions received from the Issuer and shall be, in the
Administrator's opinion, no less favorable to the Issuer than would be
available from unaffiliated parties.
(c) Non-Ministerial Matters. (i) With respect to matters that in the
reasonable judgment of the Administrator are non-ministerial, the
Administrator shall not take any action unless within a reasonable time before
the taking of such action, the Administrator shall have notified the Owner
Trustee of the proposed action and the Owner Trustee shall not have withheld
consent or provided an alternative direction. For the purpose of the preceding
sentence, "non-ministerial matters" shall include, without limitation:
(A) the amendment of or any supplement to the Indenture;
(B) the initiation of any claim or lawsuit by the Issuer and the
compromise of any action, claim or lawsuit brought by or against the
Issuer (other than in connection with the collection of the
Receivables);
(C) the amendment, change or modification of the Related
Agreements;
(D) the appointment of successor Note Registrars, successor
Paying Agents and successor Indenture Trustees pursuant to the
Indenture or the appointment of successor Administrators or Successor
Servicers, or the consent to the assignment by the Note Registrar,
Paying Agent or Indenture Trustee of its obligations under the
Indenture; and
(E) the removal of the Indenture Trustee.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Agreement, the Administrator shall not be obligated to, and shall not, (x)
make any payments to the Noteholders under the Related Agreements, (y) sell
the Trust Estate pursuant to Section 5.04 of the Indenture or (z) take any
other action that the Issuer directs the Administrator not to take on its
behalf.
2. Records. The Administrator shall maintain appropriate books of
account and records relating to services performed hereunder, which books of
account and records shall be accessible for inspection by the Issuer and the
Company at any time during normal business hours.
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3. Compensation. As compensation for the performance of the
Administrator's obligations under this Agreement and as reimbursement for its
expenses related thereto, the Administrator shall be entitled to $200 per
month which shall be solely an obligation of the Seller.
4. Additional Information To Be Furnished to Issuer. The
Administrator shall furnish to the Issuer from time to time such additional
information regarding the Collateral as the Issuer shall reasonably request.
5. Independence of Administrator. For all purposes of this Agreement,
the Administrator shall be an independent contractor and shall not be subject
to the supervision of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee with respect to the
manner in which it accomplishes the performance of its obligations hereunder.
Unless expressly authorized by the Issuer, the Administrator shall have no
authority to act for or represent the Issuer or the Owner Trustee in any way
and shall not otherwise be deemed an agent of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee.
6. No Joint Venture. Nothing contained in this Agreement (i) shall
constitute the Administrator and either of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee as
members of any partnership, joint venture, association, syndicate,
unincorporated business or other separate entity, (ii) shall be construed to
impose any liability as such on any of them or (iii) shall be deemed to confer
on any of them any express, implied or apparent authority to incur any
obligation or liability on behalf of the others.
7. Other Activities of Administrator. Nothing herein shall prevent
the Administrator or its Affiliates from engaging in other businesses or, in
its sole discretion, from acting in a similar capacity as an administrator for
any other person or entity even though such person or entity may engage in
business activities similar to those of the Issuer, the Owner Trustee or the
Indenture Trustee.
8. Term of Agreement; Resignation and Removal of Administrator.
(a) This Agreement shall continue in force until the dissolution of
the Issuer, upon which event this Agreement shall automatically terminate.
(b) Subject to Section 8(e), the Administrator may resign its duties
hereunder by providing the Issuer with at least 60 days' prior written notice.
(c) Subject to Section 8(e), the Issuer may remove the Administrator
without cause by providing the Administrator with at least 60 days' prior
written notice.
(d) Subject to Section 8(e), at the sole option of the Issuer, the
Administrator may be removed immediately upon written notice of termination
from the Issuer to the Administrator if any of the following events shall
occur:
(i) the Administrator shall default in the performance of any of
its duties under this Agreement and, after notice of such default, shall not
cure such default within ten days (or, if such default cannot be cured in such
time, shall not give within ten days such assurance of cure as shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Issuer);
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(ii) a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree
or order for relief, and such decree or order shall not have been vacated
within 60 days, in respect of the Administrator in any involuntary case under
any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in
effect or appoint a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee,
sequestrator or similar official for the Administrator or any substantial part
of its property or order the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs; or
(iii) the Administrator shall commence a voluntary case under any
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in
effect, shall consent to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary
case under any such law, shall consent to the appointment of a receiver,
liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator or similar official for
the Administrator or any substantial part of its property, shall consent to
the taking of possession by any such official of any substantial part of its
property, shall make any general assignment for the benefit of creditors or
shall fail generally to pay its debts as they become due.
The Administrator agrees that if any of the events specified in
clauses (ii) or (iii) of this Section shall occur, it shall give written
notice thereof to the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee within seven days after
the happening of such event.
(e) No resignation or removal of the Administrator pursuant to this
Section shall be effective until (i) a successor Administrator shall have been
appointed by the Issuer and (ii) such successor Administrator shall have
agreed in writing to be bound by the terms of this Agreement in the same
manner as the Administrator is bound hereunder.
(f) The appointment of any successor Administrator shall be effective
only after satisfaction of the Rating Agency Condition with respect to the
proposed appointment.
(g) Subject to Sections 8(e) and 8(f), the Administrator acknowledges
that upon the appointment of a Successor Servicer pursuant to the Sale and
Servicing Agreement, the Administrator shall immediately resign and such
Successor Servicer shall automatically become the Administrator under this
Agreement.
9. Action upon Termination, Resignation or Removal. Promptly upon the
effective date of termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8(a) or
the resignation or removal of the Administrator pursuant to Section 8(b) or
(c), respectively, the Administrator shall be entitled to be paid all fees and
reimbursable expenses accruing to it to the date of such termination,
resignation or removal. The Administrator shall forthwith upon such
termination pursuant to Section 8(a) deliver to the Issuer all property and
documents of or relating to the Collateral then in the custody of the
Administrator. In the event of the resignation or removal of the Administrator
pursuant to Section 8(b) or (c), respectively, the Administrator shall
cooperate with the Issuer and take all reasonable steps requested to assist
the Issuer in making an orderly transfer of the duties of the Administrator.
10. Notices. Any notice, report or other communication given
hereunder shall be in writing and addressed as follows:
(a) if to the Issuer or the Owner Trustee, to:
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DaimlerChrysler Auto Trust 0000-X
x/x Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx XXX, National Association
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Trustee Administration Department
(b) if to the Administrator, to:
DaimlerChrysler Services North America LLC
00000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Assistant Secretary
(c) if to the Indenture Trustee, to:
Citibank, N.A.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Structured Finance, DCAT 2004-A
or to such other address as any party shall have provided to the other parties
in writing. Any notice required to be in writing hereunder shall be deemed
given if such notice is mailed by certified mail, postage prepaid, or
hand-delivered to the address of such party as provided above.
11. Amendments. This Agreement may be amended from time to time by a
written amendment duly executed and delivered by the Issuer, the Administrator
and the Indenture Trustee, with the written consent of the Owner Trustee,
without the consent of the Noteholders and the Certificateholders, for the
purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating
any of the provisions of this Agreement or of modifying in any manner the
rights of the Noteholders or Certificateholders; provided that such amendment
will not, in an Opinion of Counsel satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee,
materially and adversely affect the interest of any Noteholder or
Certificateholder. This Agreement may also be amended by the Issuer, the
Administrator and the Indenture Trustee with the written consent of the Owner
Trustee and the holders of Notes evidencing at least a majority of the
Outstanding Amount of the Notes, the holders of Certificates evidencing at
least a majority of the Percentage Interests evidenced by the Certificates for
the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or
eliminating any of the provisions of this Agreement or of modifying in any
manner the rights of Noteholders or the Certificateholders; provided, however,
that no such amendment may (i) increase or reduce in any manner the amount of,
or accelerate or delay the timing of, collections of payments on Receivables
or distributions that are required to be made for the benefit of the
Noteholders or Certificateholders or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of
the holders of Notes or Certificates which are required to consent to any such
amendment, without the consent of the holders of all the outstanding Notes and
Certificates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may not amend
this Agreement without the permission of the Seller and the Company, which
permission shall not be unreasonably withheld.
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12. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement may not be assigned by the
Administrator unless such assignment is previously consented to in writing by
the Issuer and the Owner Trustee and subject to the satisfaction of the Rating
Agency Condition in respect thereof. An assignment with such consent and
satisfaction, if accepted by the assignee, shall bind the assignee hereunder
in the same manner as the Administrator is bound hereunder. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, this Agreement may be assigned by the Administrator without the
consent of the Issuer or the Owner Trustee to a corporation or other
organization that is a successor (by merger, consolidation or purchase of
assets) to the Administrator; provided that such successor organization
executes and delivers to the Issuer, the Owner Trustee and the Indenture
Trustee an agreement in which such corporation or other organization agrees to
be bound hereunder by the terms of said assignment in the same manner as the
Administrator is bound hereunder. Subject to the foregoing, this Agreement
shall bind any successors or assigns of the parties hereto.
13. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS CONFLICT OF
LAW PROVISIONS, AND THE OBLIGATIONS, RIGHTS AND REMEDIES OF THE PARTIES
HEREUNDER SHALL BE DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUCH LAWS.
14. Headings. The section headings hereof have been inserted for
convenience of reference only and shall not be construed to affect the
meaning, construction or effect of this Agreement.
15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts,
each of which when so executed shall be an original, but all of which together
shall constitute but one and the same agreement.
16. Severability. Any provision of this Agreement that is prohibited
or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall be ineffective to the extent of
such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining
provisions hereof and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any
jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in
any other jurisdiction.
17. Not Applicable to DaimlerChrysler Services North America LLC in
Other Capacities. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect any obligation
DaimlerChrysler Services North America LLC may have in any other capacity.
18. Limitation of Liability of Owner Trustee and Indenture Trustee.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, this instrument has
been countersigned by Chase Manhattan Bank USA, National Association not in
its individual capacity but solely in its capacity as Owner Trustee of the
Issuer and in no event shall Chase Manhattan Bank USA, National Association in
its individual capacity or any beneficial owner of the Issuer have any
liability for the representations, warranties, covenants, agreements or other
obligations of the Issuer hereunder, as to all of which recourse shall be had
solely to the assets of the Issuer. For all purposes of this Agreement, in the
performance of any duties or obligations of the Issuer
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hereunder, the Owner Trustee shall be subject to, and entitled to the
benefits of, the terms and provisions of Articles VI, VII and VIII of the
Trust Agreement.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, this
Agreement has been countersigned by Citibank, N.A. not in its individual
capacity but solely as Indenture Trustee and in no event shall Citibank, N.A.
have any liability for the representations, warranties, covenants, agreements
or other obligations of the Issuer hereunder or in any of the certificates,
notices or agreements delivered pursuant hereto, as to all of which recourse
shall be had solely to the assets of the Issuer.
19. Third-Party Beneficiary. The Owner Trustee is a third-party
beneficiary to this Agreement and is entitled to the rights and benefits
hereunder and may enforce the provisions hereof as if it were a party hereto.
* * * * * * *
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed and delivered as of the day and year first above written.
DAIMLERCHRYSLER AUTO TRUST 2004-A
By: CHASE MANHATTAN BANK USA, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
not in its individual capacity but
solely as Owner Trustee
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
----------------------------------
Name: Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Vice President
CITIBANK, N.A.,
not in its individual capacity
but solely as Indenture Trustee
By: /s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
-------------------------------
Name: Xxxx Xxxxxx
Title: Associate
DAIMLERCHRYSLER SERVICES NORTH AMERICA
LLC,
as Administrator
By: /s/ X. X. Xxxxx
--------------------------------
Name: X. X. Xxxxx
Title: Assistant Controller
POWER OF ATTORNEY
STATE OF }
}
COUNTY OF }
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that _______________________________,
a ___________________________-, not in its individual capacity but solely as
owner trustee (the "Owner Trustee") for DaimlerChrysler Auto Trust 2004-A (the
"Trust"), does hereby make, constitute and appoint DaimlerChrysler Services
North America LLC, as administrator under the Administration Agreement dated
March 1, 2004 (the "Administration Agreement"), among the Trust,
DaimlerChrysler Services North America LLC and Citibank, N.A., as Indenture
Trustee, as the same may be amended from time to time, and its agents and
attorneys, as Attorneys-in-Fact to execute on behalf of the Owner Trustee or
the Trust any and all such documents, reports, filings, instruments,
certificates and opinions as it should be the duty of the Owner Trustee or the
Trust to prepare, file or deliver pursuant to the Basic Documents, or pursuant
to Section 5.04 of the Trust Agreement, including, without limitation, to
appear for and represent the Owner Trustee and the Trust in connection with
the preparation, filing and audit of federal, state and local tax returns
pertaining to the Trust, if any, and with full power to perform any and all
acts associated with such returns and audits, if any, that the Owner Trustee
could perform, including without limitation, the right to distribute and
receive confidential information, defend and assert positions in response to
audits, initiate and defend litigation, and to execute waivers of restrictions
on assessments of deficiencies, consents to the extension of any statutory or
regulatory time limit, and settlements.
All powers of attorney for this purpose heretofore filed or executed
by the Owner Trustee are hereby revoked.
Capitalized terms that are used and not otherwise defined herein
shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Administration Agreement.
EXECUTED this ___ of March, 2004.
CHASE MANHATTAN BANK USA, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION,
not in its individual capacity but solely
as Owner Trustee
-------------------------------------------
Name:
Title:
A-1
STATE OF ___________ }
}
COUNTY OF _________ }
Before me, the undersigned authority, on this day personally appeared
_________________, known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to
the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged to me that he/she signed the same
for the purposes and considerations therein expressed.
Sworn to before me this ___
day of _______, 2004.
_________________________________________________
Notary Public - State of ________________________
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