Shoppers Rate Auto Stores

Anthony Fontanelle
July 19, 2007

Based on the poll conducted in the spring by Pied Piper Management Co. of Pacific Grove, Calif., dealers selling the Honda Motor Co.'s premium Acura vehicles won the highest marks from car shoppers, followed by Land Rover, Saturn, Jaguar and Volkswagen stores.

Acura, the luxury division of the Honda Motor Co., has etched a good name in the American auto industry. Before, Japanese cars were primarily economical in design and largely targeted at low-cost consumers. With Acura’s arrival, the standing of exported vehicles from Japan was elevated to new heights.

As reported by The Auto Channel, the poll shows luxury brand dealers give customers best treatment. At the other end, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, Jeep, Lincoln, Kia and Scion scored poorly, according to the poll conducted in the spring by Pied Piper Management Co. of Pacific Grove, Calif.

The brands with the highest ratings also tended to have higher sales and profits, noted Fran O'Hagan, the president of Pied Piper. “We found that eight of the top ten brands averaged more than 250 units per year, and only three of the ten lowest rated brands averaged more than 250 units. There are exceptions, but still, it makes me think those numbers are a proxy for dealer profitability,” he declared.

The survey's findings dispelled a deeply rooted myth about the business, O'Hagan said. While most people associate car shopping with overbearing sales staffers, “the reality is, it's four times more likely for a customer leaving the dealership to feel that they were undersold than oversold,” he added.

Other surveys measure car owners' satisfaction with their dealers and dealer service, but O'Hagan said that his study is the first that gauges prospective car buyers' fresh impressions.

Pied Piper surveyed shoppers at 1,592 dealerships. O’Hagan said that Acura, the top-rated brand, showed a high level of consistency, with survey respondents giving dealers high marks across the board. Of the 55 attributes measured, “they were always up in the top five or six,” he said. In addition, there were not any sharp variations in the scores of individual Acura dealers.

Chip Elliott, a sales manager at Suburban Acura in Farmington Hills, said the store strives to achieve the right balance. Staffers do not go out to the parking lot to greet visitors as they pull in. “Once they come into the dealership, there’s a meet-and-greet,” Elliott said. “If they choose to be left alone, that’s OK. We stay close by for questions or concerns, until we can take it to the next level.”

If are heading to Pennsylvania auto parts store or any dealership, try to compare and rate them. This is your opportunity to have the best slice of the auto industry.

Source:  Amazines.com