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dealership spotlight / marketing Daryl K. Tabor Florida Fine Cars Offers Luxury Maintenance Plan Fuels Retention T his tale has all the trappings of a Tinsel Town classic—a success story from humble beginnings, pursuit of the American dream, hot cars, one of the nation's most beautiful settings—but it has no script, there is no ending in sight, the players have no star on the Walk of Fame and production is taking place far from Los Angeles. Despite all this, it remains a Hollywood story without doubt—Hollywood, Fla., that is. The story of Florida Fine Cars, a South Florida auto group that specializes in luxury models, began in 1993 along the southeast coast of the Sunshine State. The initial Hollywood store, the vision of two Asian immigrants, began with only a handful of vehicles on a small lot about 20 miles north of Miami. Since its inception, the store has grown its own footprint. "In 2005, we expanded into a larger facility on a neighboring property," said Jamie Suid, marketing director for the dealership, of the first location change. "The original building still remains, where there was once a mere 20 vehicles offered for sale." My, how things have changed in the two decades since the store first opened its doors. In June 2011, Florida Fine Cars added a 9.5-acre lot to the south in Florida's largest city, Miami. Though more than 400 vehicles are displayed on the combined lots, the new store has become the crown jewel of the group. Suid said the Miami location typically carries twice the inventory of the Hollywood store. Altogether, the independent dealership carrying mostly top-of-the-line luxury cars retailed 2,157 units in 2011. "We're hoping to surpass that this year, but October was just brutal, I think for everyone, not just us," Suid said just prior to Thanksgiving. "I hate to chalk that up to the recent election (Nov. 6), but there has been a notable upswing directly after." Less than two-thirds of the way into November, sales were almost even with the totals from the entire previous month, and if things continue to hold through the end of the year, 2012 figures could eclipse 2011. Secrets to success The marketing director, who serves as a spokesperson for the dealership's low-profile ownership, credits the group's success to a combination of efforts, including an unwavering focus on customer service and a complimentary cost-savings maintenance plan called the VIP Club. He also credits the foundations of any good business: hard work, determination and a neverending pursuit of ways to improve. "I know it sounds cliché, but as long as we have those at our foundations, we Florida Fine Cars specializes in quality pre-owned luxury models, but has a little something for everyone on its Miami lot, which opened in June 2011. The Miami store sits on 9.5 acres and offers nearly twice the selection of vehicles than that of the original Hollywood, Fla., location. 24