That's for sure! Very cool. How did you get into the used car business, Tim? Everyone seems to hate and mistrust car salesmen and it's been like that forever. Why did you take that on when you already had a successful repair shop? Weren't you worried it would sully your stellar reputation and be more trouble than it was worth?
After about four years on the service side, I really started to register how many times a customer would ask if I knew where they could get good used cars. I came to the conclusion that, although there are plenty of used car lots out there, there was a supreme lack of a service that was desperately needed: somewhere you could get a great used car at a reasonable price. So I took the values and principles I had successfully applied to the auto repair business and started the used car side. I was never really worried about sullying my reputation because I stand behind the cars I sell the same way we stand behind our repair work. I offer great used vehicles and I only ask my fair profit.
I had to make a decision when I first started in the used car business. Was I going to be the guy that marked all my vehicles way up and leave room to negotiate? No! That's not me. If there is even the slightest question of the integrity of a car, it goes right to auction. If I feel that a car is a great option, then we fix what needs to be fixed and put it on the lot at a price that's fair for both parties. It's a simple and straightforward approach that I would appreciate if roles were reversed.
Take this couple that came in recently. They had been referred to us by a friend and entered our shop as most people do when used car shopping, tense, wary, and very ready to bolt. My employee Ryan and I greeted them warmly as we do all customers and we took a moment to get to know them to find out their needs and what they were looking for. We explained to them how we conduct business and they seemed to relax. Ryan spent the next two days patiently working with them, going over each car they were considering and giving them the information they needed to make the best decision. In the end, they decided on a wonderful Camry. Then, they asked how much they needed to put down to hold the car. Our response was our usual: a handshake while looking us in the eye with the assurance that they were serious about the car. This blew them away so much that they promptly asked Ryan if they could give him a hug. We are here to provide a much needed service for our customers, a great product at a great price, no pressure, no games. This couple has since sent others our way, and for that we are grateful.
I bought a car from you four or five years ago. I didn't worried for one second that I might be getting a lemon or a bad deal. And it's true - there was absolutely no pressure. It was an education as well as a thoroughly pleasant and novel experience. You carefully steered me toward what you felt would serve me best in the long run. I really really wanted a Prius. You could have just accepted my request. Instead, you firmly told me that I just didn't drive enough to justify the extra cost. Your refusal could have cost the sale. But, with a commute of less than three miles a day round trip, I reluctantly had to agree. I ended up with a 2007 Honda Accord which fits my needs just fine. You're very careful about all the cars you offer and you include a warranty on each one. Tell us about that, please.
Of course, Joan.
What are you looking for when you shop at an auction?
I try my best to make sure that when I am selling a car to a customer, that it is going to be exactly what they need. That's why we take the time to get to know our customers and exactly what they will be using the car for. Whether I am looking for a customer or looking for my lot, my standards are very high. Each car has to be clean, smoke-free, no major accidents reported to Carfax, no flood damage, no major body work, and something that I know when I sell it to a customer, it will be a great car. I do all of my homework before I head to the auction, inspect the cars at auction, and then if they are the right price and I win, I have them inspected again once they get back to the shop. If they don't pass any of these inspections, then they don't make it to my lot or customers. If they do pass, then we fix what needs fixing on the vehicle and get it ready for the customer. It's because I take so much care in vehicle selection that I give a free one year bumper-to-bumper warranty on these auction vehicles. It's my way of saying "thank you!" to my customers for trusting in me and the service that we provide here.
No wonder we all like buying cars from you! Moving beyond cars for a moment, what do you enjoy doing in your free time, presuming that you have some? Do you live at the shop or are you careful to find a balance between the various aspects of your life?
For the first 15 years, at least, I'm sorry to say that I did live at the shop. It's a sacrifice that had to be made. And, although it has allowed me to be where I am today and to have the success that I have, I am sorry about what I had to sacrifice to that end. Unfortunately, I missed a lot of my daughter's life and the milestones of her growing up, because so much of my time and attention had to be invested at the shop. This, of course, means that I'm not as close to my daughter as I wish I could be. She has truly become a beautiful and remarkable young woman and I'm sorry every day that I missed out on so much of her growing up. That realization has been the catalyst for change and allowed me to have a much closer relationship with my son, as I try to not repeat the mistakes I made the first time around.
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