According to the many polls taken over the years


Auto Dealers, Lawyers and Politicians,

are the professions that we least trust.


In other words "Buyer beware",




HELLO,


My name is Keith Shaffer and I own Manheim Auto Sales & Service, Inc., located at 329 W. High Street, Manheim, Pa. 17545. I’m a former banker and for the past 30 years I’ve co-owned Visaggio’s Restaurant, located in the Harrisburg area. I’ve been an auto dealer since 1998 and started specializing in pre-owned Saturns in 200l. I’m a rather new dealer that loves cars and enjoys the day-to-day workings of a small used car operation.


I’ve been on both sides of the fence. For most of my life, a retail customer and for the last 12 years a car dealer. As a customer and a banker I didn’t always like the odor coming from the auto industry. I’ve had my share of unpleasant experiences, with this bunch, to draw from.



HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I KNOW ABOUT THE CAR INDUSTRY


    I know how it feels to spend a lot of money for a used car and then have mechanical problems shortly thereafter. The runaround that I’ve experienced, on more than one occasion, was not only frustrating for me but poor business thinking on their part. I never went back and furthermore I took every opportunity to tell others how I felt.


Note: I’m not condemning all car dealers, only the ones that I, unfortunately, had the bad luck and displeasure to deal with. There are other good ones, I‘m sure. Maybe, a little hard to find but they are out there. The way to tell the difference is simple. Do they play pricing & financing games? Have they gone over the car and do they really know what they are selling, as it relates to future problems? If they have, are they willing to stand behind their sales claims?



Like you, in most aspects of my life I am the customer. When you consider all the competition in today’s marketplace, there are many different places to spend your money. As a customer I feel I’m entitled to a number of things;
                                  (1) Service and straight talk before the sale.
                                  (2)Sincere concern and help in the event there is a problem after the sale.


Many times during the course of my daily routine, I wonder how some companies, like convenience stores, stay in business. Customer friendliness and good service is not high on their priority list or in their training materials. I can’t count the number of times I’ve stood in line for 5 minutes, or more, to pay for an over-priced cup of coffee. If this is their idea of convenience, I’ll take just the opposite! Unfortunately, all the competition within this industry operates about the same. Our choices are limited.


Not so at Manheim Auto Sales. I’m an auto dealer that feels it’s long past time to raise the bar in a number of areas relating to the auto industry. I view the customer as the most important part of my business; Actually, the very lifeblood of my business.


Most business owners are aware of the high cost to advertise. The reason we spend the money is obvious. It’s all about getting the customer to come in. If a business does not do the right things when the customer shows up, and many do not, SHAME ON THEM.


The success of my restaurant and my car business is no accident. Putting the customer first is not only good business but also pays future dividends in the form of referrals and repeat business.... So why don’t they all do it????? Could it be some think “long range” and other are only concerned about the “quick buck”?


The above gives you a little insight as to how I think when it comes to my customers.
In short, my first instinct is to view things through the customer’s eyes.



S A T U R N S


I chose Saturns as a specialty for numerous reasons. Their reliable reputation at an affordable price got my attention. Their many safety features resulting in lower insurance premiums for both teenagers and others was another big factor. In addition, many of today’s cars have timing belts rather than timing chains. If a car has a timing belt it must be changed at regular intervals. This is not a cheap repair bill. If you buy a used car and the belt has not been changed and it subsequently breaks, OUCH!! When buying a used car it’s important to address this issue. Unfortunately, the dealer selling the car has no way of answering this question unless service records were maintained and with the vehicle. Very, very rarely do I ever see maintenance records in the glove box or elsewhere. (Possibly 1 out of 100)


When you buy a used car with over 60,000 miles that has a timing belt
and no maintenance records, you are rolling the dice.
It might be cheap but I wouldn’t bet on reliable.

Fortunately,
Saturns have timing chains and I do not have to deal with this maintenance issue.


On the other hand I see many used Saturn that are not reliable and I don’t mean just older ones. Based on the hundreds of used Saturns I look at each year, a large percentage are not reliable and I would not represent them for sale nor would I put my warranty on them. These cars were not properly maintained as it relates to oil changes, etc.

The fact that I only buy, sell and repair Saturns
gives me an edge when it comes to separating
the good Saturns from the bad Saturns.

         Every Saturn I sell has been gone over by my ASC certified, licensed Pa. Inspection Mechanic. If we find a mechanical problem with one of our Saturns we fix it. We don’t cover it with a band-aid or pretend that the problem doesn’t exist.

My Lifetime, Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty confirms the condition of the Saturns I offer for sale (see Warranty & Service for more information). If I were selling known problems I would be the last dealer to offer this kind of warranty. This does not mean you will never encounter a problem. Cars have thousands of moving parts.


When I sell a car and something wears out or breaks, I do not view my shop as a profit center. My goal is to always fix it as quickly and as inexpensively as possible and I do exactly that. My warranty is designed to give my customers the piece-of-mind we all want when spending our hard earned dollars on a pre-owned vehicle.


Many customers confuse reliability’s relationship to cheap. I hear it over and over again, “I want something reliable and cheap”. Well, I’m sorry to break the news. The two do not go hand-in-hand. Every dealer in the world would like to have a lot full of reliable cheap cars. The truth is, like most things, you get what you pay for, especially when it comes to a used car. As mentioned, I see many Saturns that were not maintained. These are the cheap ones and they end up on other dealers’ lots.


If you are looking for a reliable Saturn and an honest dealer that will stand behind what he sells, come and see me. If you compare the condition of my cars and the in-house warranty I offer free, my prices are very competitive.


I have the best selection of S-Series Saturns in the area.. Prices range from $2995 to $10,000. I have a large variety of higher mileage Saturns that are in excellent running condition. I also offer my lifetime bumper-to-bumper warranty on these hand picked Saturns.


A few words about mileage. Mileage on a car is secondary to the condition and how it was maintained. I would much rather own a high mileage car that was maintained regularly rather than a low mileage car that had the oil changed annually, at inspection time. One other thing about miles. Not all miles are created equal. Highway miles add up very quickly and do little damage compared to someone that lives a few miles from work..


Condition is the key


If you want value for your dollar
buy a higher mileage Saturn that was well maintained.



THANKS FOR VISITING OUR WEB SITE



Keith A. Shaffer
Owner