Rex McDonald has been selling cars for a long time, and he’s successful at it. So when he explains why Driscoll Motors in Pontiac is the place to go, it’s a good idea to listen.
“People, when they come in, kind of expect us to be friendly, loving neighbors, rather than some of the places that have cropped up recently that are so into business they don’t have that personal touch anymore,” he said. “I think people are really craving a little bit of the personal touch, the camaraderie. The families, they just keep coming back.”
And at Driscoll, they do. The business estimates 60 to 70 percent of its sales are generational or repeat buyers “because of the way they’ve been treated,” McDonald said.
Other employees agree. They also agree that the family feeling comes straight from the top: owner Pam Schahrer, who bought Driscoll in 2011 and then Lynn Chevrolet in 2017, merging the two at 601 S. Newport Road, Pontiac, later that year. She’s been in the car business, in one form or another, since high school. In 2016, GM reported it had 234 women-owned dealerships, or about 11 percent of dealerships nationwide.
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Driscoll has new and pre-owned cars and trucks from the full GM line (Cadillac, Chevy, Buick, GMC) and a dedicated service department. “People start working here and they don’t tend to leave,” said service manager John Pennington of Pontiac, who’s been at the dealership for 19 years. Working with repeat customers is “like an old cousin you haven’t seen for a little bit. It’s always a good time when it comes to regular customers” said service technician Dan Ruiz, who is ASE master certified.
Sales consultant Jamie Iverson of Flanagan joined Driscoll in January and she loves it. “Pam is amazing. (Sales manager Dan Millman) does everything to keep up moral,” she said. “It’s nice to come to work knowing your supervisors have your back.
Jerry Pick of Pontiac, who has been with Driscoll for 27 years, is manager of preowned sales. “We’re honest with everybody,” he said. “When I go home at night, I can sleep. We’re here to help somebody and that goes a long way to making friends and getting referrals.”
And the warranties? Business manager Carla Schlueter of Flanagan, who’s been with Driscoll for 7 ½ years, believes in them. In fact, they’re the same warranties she has for herself and some family members. “I’m only going to sell you something good,” she said. “I’m more than likely to run into you at Walmart and I’m not going to duck into another aisle.”
“Our customers feel that hometown feeling,” Schlueter said. “This place is different.”
Driscoll Motors, 601 S. Newport Road, Pontiac; 815-842-1143; driscollmotors.com;
