AutoNation USA Opens First California Megastore
9 February 1998
AutoNation USA Opens First California Megastore
IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 9 -- AutoNation USA, the used vehicle
megastore, has entered the southern California market with the opening of its
Irvine store, and hundreds of curious shoppers have been marking the occasion
by browsing vehicle inventories at computer kiosks even before the store
officially opens today.
"I'm impressed with the whole concept," said Irvine businessman Bill Hunt.
"It really IS a new experience in automotive shopping."
Hunt, who was one of the first customers in the store, is president and
CEO of Alton Geoscience, an Irvine environmental consulting firm. He plans to
return to the store for its ribbon-cutting ceremony tonight.
"I wasn't sure what I wanted -- I went in to look at cars for my
construction sales manager -- but I was so excited I bought two of the same
cars," he added. Hunt "pulled executive privilege" and took home the first
Infiniti J-30 they saw, then found another and bought it for his employee.
"Even though our grand opening is today, we've already had nearly 2,000
people stop by to browse," said Joe Hernandez, general manager for the Irvine
megastore.
Stephen Dinino, an Irvine resident who also was in the market for a used
car, walked into the new AutoNation USA megastore at his wife's urging.
"I really didn't know what AutoNation was all about," he said, the happy
owner of a 1995 Dodge Neon, "but the experience was great, the car was decent,
and the price was great. I've been talking it up to all my friends!"
The AutoNation USA megastore comprises a 39,000-square-foot building
located on 20.5 acres in Irvine, near the intersection of the I-5 and the
I-405. The site can accommodate as many as 1,000 vehicles.
The Irvine facility is one of 26 AutoNation USA megastores that have
opened nationwide in the last 15 months. Another four AutoNation USA
megastores are scheduled to open in southern California during 1998.
AutoNation USA differs from most traditional used car stores. The company
offers late model, reconditioned used cars at low set prices, in a pleasant,
no-haggle shopping environment.
Each AutoNation USA megastore features computer kiosks that allow
customers to browse a huge inventory of used vehicles; a fully equipped and
supervised ChildPlay Area; an AutoGear USA store with more than 2,000
automotive accessories; an in-store cafe and a state-of-the-art Automotive
Service Center.
"We're excited to be launching AutoNation USA in California, where there
is significant demand for high-quality used cars at low prices," said Michael
Maroone, president of the Automotive Retail Group of Republic Industries,
AutoNation USA's parent company.
Vehicles sold at the AutoNation USA megastores come with a 99-day/3,300-
mile limited warranty and a seven-day/300-mile money-back guarantee.
That's a feature Irvine's Dinino particularly liked.
"I previously bought a used car from a dealer, and it wasn't the most
pleasant experience," he said. "There was a lack of choice and high prices,
and they kept trying to put me in a new car.
"At AutoNation, the experience was pleasant, and the fact that it has a
warranty was a huge plus."
Maroone said that AutoNation USA's philosophy is built on "treating our
guests with the respect they deserve -- respect for their time, their
intelligence and their pocketbook."
AutoNation USA also owns 52 new vehicle dealer groups, with 268 of the
most respected dealerships in the United States. In California, AutoNation
USA presently owns or has agreements to acquire four new vehicle dealerships,
including Southern California Auto Group of Torrance, Anderson Dealership
Group of Palo Alto, Champion Chevrolet, Inc. of Manhattan Beach and Magic
Ford/Lincoln Mercury of Valencia.
AutoNation USA's parent company, Republic Industries, Inc. is
a diversified holding company with major business operations in the automotive
and solid waste services industries.
SOURCE AutoNation USA