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 Over the past 12 years Tom Sparks Automotive, (formerly Tom Sparks Buick), has become one of Northern Illinois’ largest General Motors “program vehicle” dealerships. I get the question asked several times a week, “Tim, where do you get all the nice low mile cars?” Well, we have worked very hard to find the best vehicle, with the lowest miles and the lowest price. When you add in a large selection it becomes easy to do your buying.

 What is a Program Vehicle?

The term Program Car is a catch phrase for late model used cars. The new car manufacturers have many Programs where they supply vehicles in bulk.. A program vehicle can be a dealer demonstrator vehicle, a company executives car, fleet or rental vehicle. Another type would be an off-lease which means that one person drove the car during the lease term. A program vehicle can also be a new car that has been slightly used for test drives throughout the year in which the car was first released. In fact, about 25% of “Program Cars” are lease returns, about 70% are rental cars (cars from Hertz, Avis, etc.), a small percentage of “Program Cars” are cars actually driven by factory officials, and a few of them are “Buy Backs” or “Lemons!” That’s right! They resell the “Lemons” back to the car dealers! At Tom Sparks Auto we stay away from the buy backs!

One Owner Off Lease

This is the easiest way to find a good clean quality car. In the lease program there are a few people who drive low miles. These are the cars we go after. Most of the time we pay a premium for the best car for sale that day. In the past, many of our customers have selected this option.

 Rental Cars

One of the largest suppliers of Program cars is rental car companies. Don’t be alarmed or worried by the term. We buy the best graded cars that we can find. A grading system is used in describing the vehicles to the prospective buyer, us! After we purchase the best car we can find, we put the car through our 110 point inspection. Going over the car with a fine tooth comb gives our mechanic a chance to do any work that GM has already agreed to fix under their warranty policies and procedures.

Fleet Cars

Many large companies will arrange to have vehicles on 6 month, 1 year, 2 year, even 3 year terms. When the time is up they then go back to the manufacturer. At this point, the manufacturer will offer the gently used vehicles to their wholesale partners.

Let’s be clear on one thing, the quality on any used car is as wide as the Grand Canyon. Please do your shopping and research before stepping out of your home. In just a few short hours using sites like AutoTrader.Com and Cars.Com you will have a good idea on what today’s fair market price is on the vehicle your interested in. At www.villagemotors.com you can receive a free e-book, “Eight Keys to a Better Car Deal”. This is a consumer guide to buying used cars.

At Tom Sparks Automotive in Dekalb Illinois and Tom Sparks Chevy of Hinckley, Illinois, we carry a great selection of program vehicles. The selections of the Buick Lacrosse and Lucerne will be in high demand. Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Malibu Classics as well as the Maxx will be in supply. As far as Pontiacs go, with the announcement of the closing of the brand, this will make them a great value. We see the Pontiac G6 as being one of the best buys in the future. Click on over to our web site and see what we have in stock today!  

Tim Jennings “The Internet Guy”

815-739-6054

Get Off The Mouse And Get Out Of The House

Tim Jennings has been selected to be a guest speaker at the 7th Digital Dealer Conference to be held on November 1-3 in Nashville TN. According to the Conference website, Tm will be presenting two seminars Entitled:

YouTube Video Walk-Around

Will Keep you Ahead of the Competition

 In the past year I have done over 350 video workarounds and 60 customer testimonials for my web site that I have hosted on You Tube. In the first year the videos have over 20,000 views. Nothing I have done in the 18 years of selling cars has had a faster return on my time and effort than this. Two days after posting my first five videos, a customer walked into the showroom and said: “Hey, you are the guy in the video!”

You will receive all the info you need to have video up and running in one hour. Also, let me show you some short cuts I have learned in the last year that will save you time and effort. By the way, did I mention this is free technology? Wow, I wish some would have gave me all this information. I had to figure it out on my own. You don’t have to!

The second presentation has been part of the 2007, 2008, 2009 Spring Conferences

The One-Man Internet Department

Are you a “Jack of all trades”? Do you need to be one when it comes to your Internet department? This is the seminar for you. We will discuss a little bit of everything. Included will be tips and tricks that I have learned from the past 10 years at one store, with one web site, and one guy – the Internet guy!

Topics to be discussed:

• Your relationship with your owner/manager
• Your relationship with your computer
• Your relationship with your customer
• Advertise for $5 a day or $50 a month
• Who, what, where, why, and how to spend your money
• Sew it up! Make sure you are in control of the leads
• Brand yourself

Free inventory, video, free video e-mail, free chat, free online listings

Tim Jennings has 18 years of automotive selling experience. The last 15 years have been at Tom Sparks Buick of DeKalb. Jennings welcomed the task of running the Internet department in 1999. At that time the rest of the staff wanted nothing to do with it. Often fellow employees would tease about the “Internet mooches.” Like picking a solid stock early he enjoys a good return on his investment of time. Jennings started the Internet department and has built it into one of the best returns on the dollar at his store. He spoke at the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Digital Dealer Spring Conferences. “I’m not here to sell you anything. I’m here to help you, so you will help me! Let me tell you what I have learned online since 1999.”

To register for the conference, visit the official website at: http://www.digitaldealerconference.com

If you are looking for knowledge in the field digital automotive marketing this is the conference for you. Join us!