Ken Zangara
Ken Zangara our Chief Operating Officer and 32 year veteran of the automotive industry shares his thoughts, opinions and insights in this the first of an occasional series of articles.
Thriving in a Different Environment
Harry Douglas is an interesting individual. His nationally syndicated radio show “Car Concerns” has one of the largest listening audiences of any show in the United States. Not bad for a former car dealer. I can certainly empathize with the concept of a former car dealer starting a new career. His was in broadcasting and mine is the AutoStar National Dealer Network Inc®. Both of us former car dealers have proven that even in today’s economy there is still opportunity out there to thrive in a different environment.
AutoStar Superstore® is the Key to the Future
That is what new car dealers and former new car dealers like Harry and I need to recognize. It is time to change what we did in the past and thrive in a new environment. Harry Douglas gets it! He embraced the AutoStar idea immediately and got really excited about it. He recognized that AutoStar is the key to the future for hundreds of car dealerships. He believes that even though you lost your flagship brand or you have a weak brand you can still be successful and make a lot of money selling the AutoStar brand! Even when Harry was a new car dealer he still recognized the money was on his used car sales. Why suffer the huge depreciation that you shoulder immediately after you take delivery of that new car? Why not buy a certified EverStar® vehicle with a lifetime engine guarantee and lifetime safety features for thousands less? Why pay the difference if you can’t see the difference. Listen to Harry Douglas interview George Lovato, Jr. our Chairman, Jerry Shroff our Chief Marketing Officer and myself for more insights into why the benefits of buying a used car far outweigh those of buying a new car.
Listen to the Car Concerns Interview
AutoStar Superstore® Increases Service and Parts Absorption
Before AutoStar National Dealer Network Inc.® there was only one good used car brand out there and that is Carmax. But guess what, you cannot get a Carmax franchise because they are all corporately owned. Carmax is a great brand, they sold 349,000 vehicles from 100 locations last year, but they could do even better if they placed equal emphasis on service and parts as they do sales. That is why we will have the advantage with our AutoStar vehicles. In order for the customer to maintain coverage on the EverStar vehicle he or she must return the vehicle to the AutoStar Dealership every three months or 3000 miles for scheduled maintenance. This assures the AutoStar dealership of increased service and parts absorption and that is something that Carmax simply does not have.
The Car Business Has Changed Forever
In the 15 months since the creation of our network of AutoStar Superstores® I have found that of the hundreds and hundreds of dealers that I have spoken to come in two varieties – those that get it and those that don’t. The dealers that get it usually get it almost immediately. They recognize that the money has always been in used vehicle sales plus their well run service and parts operations. AutoStar strengthens their positions in those areas. Those that don’t get it are many times still in a state of shock over what they have been through in losing their new car franchise and confusion and fear over what the future may bring. I can certainly empathize with that problem, having gone through it myself. Smart dealers need to recognize that what has happened isn’t going to change, and they can’t do business the same way as they did in the past because the car business has changed and that change is going to be here forever.
AutoStar Delivers a Complete Infrastructure
That is why an AutoStar Superstore® is the answer for the smart dealer who recognizes that he or she needs to change with the times. We bring a solid and complete infrastructure back into the dealership, from floor planning, to parts, to automotive chemicals, to DMS system, to bulk oil and much more. We have strong and supportive partners in Shell Oil, Wilson Technologies, Bardahl and NAPA. We get our dealers far better pricing than they can get on their own, even if they own several dealerships. Our programs have proven to be extremely successful in our operating stores.
Make the Smart Move Now
If you are a dealer that is sitting on the fence regarding AutoStar, now is the time to make the smart move to an AutoStar Superstore. There are empty dealership facilities all over the USA. There are some excellent real estate lease and purchase deals to be had. Please contact me today at 877-265-5123 or email me at ken@autostarsuperstore.com.
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