Area residents in the market for a new set of wheels will have another lot to peruse after Buckhannon Toyota officially opened its Elkins Pre-owned Automobile Dealership Tuesday afternoon on the Beverly Five-lane.
"With the opening of this new dealership, not only do we offer the residents of Elkins, Randolph County and the surrounding area another shopping venue for quality low-mileage automobiles, but bring a new concept to the pre-owned vehicle market as well," owner Bill Minsker said. "We are pleased to be in Elkins and look forward to building a long-lasting and trusting relationship with the residents of the area."
The grand opening ceremony was hosted by Motor Trend Magazine's Senior Vice President John Marriott. Assisting him in the ceremony was Clyde Bass, vice president of EasyCare.
The dealership has been selected as a Motor Trend Certified Advantage Dealership. It is among the first in the United States and the only one in West Virginia to be chosen to participate in the program created for Motor Trend and powered by EasyCare.
According to Minsker and Marriott, the new Motor Trend Certified Advantage program not only provides consumers with the assurance of quality and an exceptional buying experience, but also offers other benefits previously associated only with luxury purchases including mechanical repair coverage, paintless dent removal, guaranteed key replacement, 24/7 concierge service, a 72-hour or 300-mile exchange policy and a Best Value Guarantee.
"Motor Trend Certified Advantage takes the customer buying and service experience to exceptional levels," Minsker said. "It provides a third-party assurance through the respected Motor Trend brand and expands our reach as a dealership by offering consumers a certification program applicable to all manufactured brands in the used vehicle market."
Only a select few dealerships are accepted into the program, according to Marriott.
"I like to compare being accepted into the program to that of being accepted to one of the nation's premier colleges," he said. "Nearly everyone with good grades can gain acceptance into most colleges in the country but only those with exceptional qualifications gain admittance to the very best. Perhaps another analogy would be that of being in the Army; by meeting the minimum requirements one can be accepted but if he or she wants to join the more elite units such as the Rangers or Green Berets they must meet much higher standards and work harder to maintain their membership in the group. Another example is that of being in the Navy. Once in, you can only join the SEALS by having exceptional qualifications and hard work. So it is with being accepted and designated a Motor Trend Certified Advantage Dealership.
Marriott pointed out that only about 7 percent of those that apply for appointment for certification are accepted.
"Motor Trend has set the bar exceptionally high and it takes special qualifications, training and continued trained to be accepted," he said.
According to Minsker, only those dealerships that have been thoroughly vetted and trained by EasyCare to deliver a noticeably better buying and ownership experience in accordance with the requirements of the program are accepted. These dealers agree to ongoing training and monitoring of the consumers' experience to ensure the highest customer satisfaction ratings of any certified program available.
Larry Dorfman, CEO of EasyCare, said Buckhannon Toyota was selected as a Motor Trend Certified Dealership "because of their superior record of customer service and satisfaction. We are absolutely confident that the experience at Buckhannon Toyota truly delivers on the Motor Trend Certified Advantage promise of 'A better way to buy a better car.'"
In order to be Motor Trend Certified, each vehicle on the lot must be thoroughly inspected by a qualified mechanic. If anything wrong is found, it is fixed and each vehicle carries a comprehensive warranty powered by EasyCare.
Every dealer in the MTCA program must adhere to the "7 Point Performance Pledge" which states:
No. 1 - Your relationship with the dealer will be "Friendly and Fun." You will be promptly greeted by a courteous, professionally trained automotive consult.
No. 2 - You will be given an opportunity to fully describe your wants and needs with regard to a vehicle and your consultant will help you select the vehicles that match your specifications giving you every possible opportunity to "Get the vehicle you want."
No. 3- "You will get the facts you need." You will be given an opportunity to learn about the vehicle you want to know about, have all your questions answered and assess the performance of the vehicles for yourself via a comprehensive test drive.
No. 4 - The dealer will present, in writing, a fair and competitive price on your choice of MTCA vehicles so that you will have all the information you need to make the best decision ensuring that you "Get a great price."
No. 5 - "You will never lose your keys again." You will receive the EasyCare Ownership Enhancement Benefits included with the vehicle at no additional charge and be given the opportunity to extend or upgrade each of them if you so choose.
No. 6 - "No questions asked 72-hour return guarantee." You will be allowed a 72-hour/300-mile exchange policy so that you are certain that the MTCA vehicle you buy is the one you want.
No. 7 - The "Best value guarantee" that allows you to buy with confidence.
Other benefits include EasyCare vehicle repair coverage, dent repair and a $500 trade-in value guarantee if all services are performed at the dealership from which you purchased the vehicle and West Virginia inspections for life. Any repairs needed would be the customer's responsibility and any government changes in laws make this benefit null and void.
For more information about the MTCA program, visit www.motortrendcertified.com or visit the Buckhannon Toyota website www.bam33.com.
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