Tom McGinnes founded a car dealership in Kilmarnock back in 1928, at a time when horse and buggies far outnumbered automobiles in the Northern Neck. Today, McGinnes Chevrolet-Buick is ever mindful of its rich heritage as it strives to bring the enhanced services of a modern dealership to its customers.
“We have focused on improving our selection of new and used inventory, and that pays off in more choices for our customers,” said John Bowditch, President of McGinnes Chevrolet-Buick.
“Our sales team is trained to never be aggressive. We listen to what the customer wants, and provide helpful information about the vehicle, options and special rebate promotions that can add up to big savings,” he added.
Visitors to the showroom are likely to find a gleaming Corvette or luxurious LeSabre, and a huge selection of all kinds of new and used cars on the lot outside, at 538 North Main in Kilmarnock.
Car buyers come from all over the Northern Neck and beyond to shop at McGinnes. Why? It could have something to do with service.
“We are constantly striving to raise the bar when it comes to level of service,” Bowditch said.
Among recent improvements, he says, is an expansion of hours of operation. The dealership is now open Monday through Friday until 6 p.m. and until 3 p.m. on Saturdays. The service department has increased the number of qualified technicians on the staff, so that it can handle more cars on a daily basis. To make it more customer-friendly, McGinnes provides loaner cars or shuttle service, and has Saturday hours, for customer convenience.
“We think the service department is a very important part of the dealership. We focus on factory-scheduled maintenance because taking care of problems when they're small prevents major repairs down the road,” Bowditch said.
The McGinnes service department not only provides General Motors parts and services, but also has an on-premises tire shop supplying a wide assortment of top quality tires and wheels. And although McGinnes is a GM dealership, the service department works on all makes and models of vehicles.
“We've started many customer relationships through our service department. We help customers keep their cars running as long as they want to drive them, and many service customers then come to us for a new car,” Bowditch said.
McGinnes customers also get a good deal. Bowditch says McGinnes is competitive with other, out-of-the-area dealerships, in Richmond, Gloucester, or Newport News. That's one of the reasons people would rather buy a car from McGinnes.
“We combine the friendly, laid back approach the Northern Neck is famous for, with the professionalism and level of service people want and expect. We always try to be customer-oriented. When we say we're going to do something, we do it. Our customers expect that,” Bowditch said.
