Auto Dealer Monthly Magazine is the daily operations publication serving the retail automotive industry. This automotive publication serves dealer principals, officers and general managers with the latest best practices.
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dealership spotlight / marketing will be successful." Complacency seems to be an attitude with which the 100 or so employees of Florida Fine Cars are unfamiliar. Suid said the dealership could have continued to thrive at its single Hollywood locale, but that's the antithesis of the company's mission. "Never be satisfied when there is opportunity," he added. Though Florida Fine Cars does offer a range of vehicle options at its two lots, its signature is high-end, pre-owned cars that are nit-picked from bumper to bumper before hitting the lot for resale. "We work very hard at presenting the best product possible to our clients," Suid said. "The majority of our vehicles come from auctions with some trade-ins that make the cut. We put each and every incoming vehicle through a thorough inspection in our service department and spend the money to fix what is needed." Both the Hollywood and Miami locations, in the midst of a 5.5 million-resident urban area with some of the highest real estate prices in the country, are filled with brands like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus, Infiniti, Cadillac and Land Rover. The two premier German automakers are the top sellers, though. "BMW and Mercedes, by far, are our most popular makes," Suid said. While luxury models account for more than half of the units offered by Florida Fine Cars, Florida Fine Cars in Miami and Hollywood, Fla., keeps its service lanes busy with its VIP Club, a free maintenance program attached to each sale that gives the owner lifetime labor discounts on all service invoices, low-rate oil changes, free diagnostics and more. fine cars aren't necessarily determined by the price tag. In fact, Suid pointed out, non-luxury vehicles from manufacturers like Ford, Nissan, Volkswagen and Toyota are also peppered across both lots. "Our prices will range from about $9,000 for a lower-end to $50,000 at the higher end," he explained. Regardless of the retail price, each vehicle goes through a rigorous inspection. Roadside assistance and bumper-tobumper extended warranties offered at the time of sale offer added security for buyers. To further ensure a quality experience at Florida Fine Our average customer is somebody (who) wants to drive an upper-echelon vehicle, but probably feels like they can't because of finances." - Jamie Suid, Marketing Director Cars, each customer is enrolled in the dealership's VIP Club when they receive their new set of keys, making every buyer a "very important person." At the time of purchase, clients are presented with a rugged, black VIP card designed like most any other plastic found in a wallet. The card includes the client's name and customer number as well as the date of purchase, and it represents membership into the VIP Club for the length of ownership of the vehicle. "With that comes several benefits like lifetime oil changes for only $15, synthetic oil changes for $35 and 30 percent off all labor charges on any service performed," said Suid, adding that the focus is retention of the customer. "We wanted to make it so aggressive that the choice to come to us for service was an easy one. That's the dealer's moneymaker." The VIP Club is part of Florida Fine Cars' commitment to treating every customer equally. "Our average customer is somebody (who) wants to drive an upperechelon vehicle, but probably feels like they can't because of finances," Suid said, describing dealership's clientele. In fact, the auto group prides itself on helping subprime or even no-credit customers. "They come to Florida Fine Cars, are treated like family, and we work every angle possible to make sure that not only are they in a car they want, but in a car that fulfills their needs," he added. Suid said these people don't want to be intimidated when searching for a luxury model, regarded negatively or treated in any different manner. 25