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Earlier this week a spokesman for General Motors officially announced what had been expected for some time: Saturn will cease its operations in Canada on or before December 31, 2009.

“This is very disappointing news and comes after months of hard work by hundreds of dedicated employees and Saturn retailers who tried to make the new Saturn a reality,” said CEO Fritz Henderson in a statement, commenting that the issue was that Penske Automotive Group could not solidify a deal with another automaker to supply vehicles after the contract with GM was scheduled to run out.

At Tom Sparks Auto we are not surprised at all with this announcement. GM has been pushing ahead with a predetermined plan using the government’s money and their blessing for some time. So with one big sweep General Motors will have it their way.  We will adapt as we continue to sell cars the way we always have: priced right with the highest quality cars that we can find.

We would like the fine folks of Northern Illinois and the surrounding area of Dekalb to know that with Pontiac closing and now Saturn in tow, that we will still service the cars that we have sold in the past. We will also continue to have them available for sale. We have already gone through this once with Oldsmobile. The value of Old’s did NOT fall off one, two, even three years after the closing of Oldsmobile. Three years after the Old’s closer, the Achiva’s value was that of it’s cousin the Grand Am. Therefore, the person that bought an Achiva didn’t lose any trade-in value.

Just because the makers of these fine automobiles are no longer in business doesn’t mean the cars already in service go bad over night. They were made by hard working American men and women who did a quality job for a quality product. At Tom Sparks Auto we will continue to stock parts to service the cars we have sold in the past.

Saturn was meant to be a warm and fuzzy car company, one that invited customers to annual events at its plants and sent buyers birthday cards on the anniversaries of their purchases. It featured low-key showrooms and no-haggle prices, part of its “a different kind of car company” slogan. But the brand struggled to make money, and receded into the background as GM focused on higher profit SUVs and trucks.

Anyone that has done business in the past will tell you that we try to make it a warm and fuzzy experience here at our location at 216 S. First Street in Dekalb, IL. We are the little store with low overhead and a low price. Stop by today and let us give you a hand with your automotive needs.

Tom Sparks Auto  in Dekalb, Il – Tom Sparks Auto Sales is the premier Used Car Dealership in Northern Illinois!
Tom Sparks  Locations – Tom Sparks Automotive in Dekalb, IL but serves all of Illinois. We even serve the states of Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, and Michigan. The cities we serve include Sycamore, Rochelle, Rockford, Shabbona, Waterman, Malta, Kaneland, Genoa, Cortland and anyone looking for Worry-Free Car Buying in the county!!
Car Models at Tom Sparks: We have many Used Cars to choose from including Buick, Pontiac, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, Hyundai and Kia.

 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

At Tom Sparks Automotive of DeKalb, Illinois, (near Sycamore), we have had a love affair with the Buick Motor division for more than 75 years. Adli Schultz started the business many years ago in Hinckley, Illinois. He later moved it to DeKalb, Illinois. Tom Sparks purchased the dealership in 1989. He continues to sell cars the old fashioned way, with a smile and a hand shake.

My name is Tim Jennings. I have been working for the company since 1994. Since that time I have seen many cars come and go. The most common cars on our lot are still the Buicks. The Buicks have been called a Farmers Cadillac. As part of their livelihood, a farmer has to research and buy all kinds of machinery. In this area, one of our best customer segments have been the farming community. They get quality at a good price. That’s what Buick brings to the table, a quality car at a fair price. From the 2000 Buick Century to the 2010 Enclave, we try to stock a good selection of quality used cars and trucks.

According to Edmunds.com: “At heart, though, the Lucerne is still a traditional Buick sedan. It’s a front-wheel-drive, full-size car in which passenger comfort takes top priority. Seating is spacious and luxurious in both the front and rear, and Buick’s “Quiet Tuning” measures, which cover everything from the thickness of the carpet padding to the design of the windshield wipers, makes the Lucerne one of the quietest cars on the market. Soft suspension tuning results in a plush, absorbent ride”.

 You can find our Buick Lucerne stock by clicking here.

 According to Cars.com the LaCrosse has great value, too.

 Apart from the portholes on each front fender, dual exhaust tips and a small rear spoiler, the LaCrosse Super looks much like the other trims. At 198.1 inches long, it’s longer than both the Milan and the 300. With a front bench seat, an uncommon offering in this class, the LaCrosse can seat up to six. A five-seat model with front bucket seats is also available. The top-of-the-line Super gets a silver-colored center stack and unique gauges. The LaCrosse has roughly the same interior volume as the Milan.

 You can find our Buick LaCrosse stock by Clicking Here

 With our rich history one thing you can be sure of is that Tom Sparks Auto will always have a good selection of Buicks. Our mechanics will always be able to service what we sell after the manufacturers warranty is up.

 Click here to see what Buicks we have in stock today ready to take delivery.

Ask for Tim Jennings “The Internet Guy”. Get off the mouse and get out of the house!

815.739.6054