New Car Dealership Adapts to Changing Buyers' Needs

As a competitor of major dealerships that stretch out along Route 30 in nearby Frankfort and other surrounding communities, New Lenox resident Jerry Joynt is prepared to provide the kind of specialty services that make car buying affordable.

Joynt, 33, opened the used car dealership New Lenox Motors about three months ago, off Center Road and Old Plank Road. Although his lot has room for only 15 vehicles at a time, his inventory moves quickly and features a complete inventory shift in a matter of a couple weeks.

What makes car buying different from the days when people would stroll massive lots, looking for a vehicle that catches their eye, is access to the Internet. Hardly anyone shows up or even calls without having researched the type of vehicle for which they're looking, Joynt said.

The Internet has created educated customers. They're not wasting time listening to some sales person spin yarns about how a driver of this or that vehicle will be the envy of the neighborhood, or some hyperbole that links a certain vehicle to a popularity scale.

In today's market, he said, car buyers are savvy and conscientious about value and the bottom line. With that in mind, Joynt set out with a goal to achieve access over lot size and affordability over status. As for how that happens, Joynt spends two-to-three days a week at vehicle auctions—places where anywhere from 2,700 to 3,500 vehicles are sold within a few hours.

Customers frequently contact New Lenox Motors, looking for a specific vehicle and price range. The discussion is usually quick and to the point—no sense in trying to move a customer toward something that won't accommodate his or her needs or into a vehicle that is way out of a predetermined financial range. Customers are usually armed with vehicle reviews, facts and figures before they ever contact a dealership.

The playing field for car-buying has changed, with practices at car dealerships have changed in favor of the customer. Everything is built on referrals these days.

The biggest selling vehicles at the moment are small trucks and jeeps. "One of the most searched for cars is still the Ford, Mustang," he said. Next, New Lenox Motors gets a significant number of requests for low-mileage vehicles such as the Toyota Camry, the Honda Civic and SUVs.

"I can't keep compact trucks on the lot," he said.

What customers like about the small dealership is that Joynt has a relationship with Standon Automotive Repair, which located just around the corner of New Lenox Motors. The two independently-owned small businesses have established a professional relationship based on ethics, credibility and standards. The automotive repair company runs a fine-toothed comb through every vehicle that Joynt brings in. Each vehicle has to pass a series of inspections before it receives the seal of approval.

As a mechanic who specialized in small engine repair and graduate of a four-year mechanic apprentice program, Joynt said he is capable of performing many repairs himself; however, is there is a computer program issue or something beyond his purview, then it's handled by the Standon staff.

Beyond a professional relationship, it's this kind of trust factor that customers enjoy, especially those that live locally. Still, according to Joynt, customers come from all over the region to shop at the small dealership.

People come from Chicago for a several reasons, including the fact that sales tax is cheaper and the price of the vehicle is better. "I can keep the cost low because I have low overhead. I do a lot of the work myself. Basically, nine out of 10 times I can beat the price of any dealer."

Joynt also welcomes consignments and enjoys a chance to talk about dirt bikes and over-the-road vehicles. As a kid, he said, "I grew up fixing cars in my dad's garage."

Working on cars can't help but to bring back memories of music from the likes of the band Nirvana, Green Day and Smashing Pumpkins, the beat from which kept he and his friends plenty pumped for a four- or five-hour stretch of car repair projects. That, of course, depended on whether his stepfather was working with the boys. "If he was home, all we listened to was country music."

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