My Review Of Audi Volkswagen of Newton :
Hello, I'd like to share my experience with all of you Volkswagen people out there.
I am a seasoned Volkswagen customer for nearly 15 years. That is 5+ VW's that I have purchased alone not including my family and friends who's purchases have been made on my constant touting of the brand. I have been with one particular dealership in the Hudson Valley for 13 of those years. This past March 30th on a Saturday morning (sunny and springlike), I asked my wife if she would like to accompany me to one of the many dealerships I "shop" before I go to my dealer to buy a new car.
I am one of "those people" who takes the time do my research and be well educated as to what is out there and how much people are spending on their new car. I usually visit about 3-5 dealers of whom I ask the many questions I already know the answer for, take the test drives and see what numbers they throw at me. I do a lot of traveling in my line of work and I stop at dealers along my way so it does not take much effort to visit them. I even do some online phishing (not for Identity theft purposes) to see who will email me back, what offers they have going on and what cars are on their lot.
Lets step back in time for a moment: In early March I received an email from Audi VW of Newton NJ. The email included some interesting extras I usually do not see and claims some very enticing items. The contact on the email was a girl named Sondra Gannon and I decided to call her up and see what they were really up to. Sondra could not have been more informative, sweet and genuine on the phone. But I too can be very inviting on a telephone to get someone in the door. I was definitely curious, but in my mind I had no idea where Newton NJ was and at the time had no want to travel into the depths of New Jersey to find out. As a matter of fact on the phone she asked me if I would like to come down and speak to someone in more depth. With that I told her I was from New York and I did believe that they were way to far of a drive for me (to go and play with the salesmen). "Would you come and pick me up" I asked? Without missing a beat she said "sure if you purchase a car we would be happy to come pick you up" (I was still under the impression that AudiVW of Newton New Jersey was a world away) so I told her "thank you for your time but no I am not ready to purchase right now anyhow I would like to wait for the spring to get my new car, perhaps in a few weeks after winter was a fond memory". "OK sir but please give us the opportunity, when you are ready to purchase to see what we can do for you" with that I hung up the phone and went on with my day.
Fast forward to the present: I had a family gathering to attend in New Jersey. Somewhere in the back of my mind I had remembered the conversation with Sondra. I was scheduled to go to my dealer the following week to talk the talk and buy my new car because spring had sprung. I decided to Google map Newton N.J. and stop on the way down before the gathering. I was a bit shocked when I saw where AudiVW of Newton NJ was located. It was not on my way to see the family but it was actually closer to me then I knew. About 45-55min away from me which is not far because I already travel that distance to my current dealer.
Which brings me back to that Saturday morning March 30th. My wife and I took a nice spring road trip in our 2012 Jetta Sportwagen TDI (that I purchased for her last May from my dealer) to AudiVW of Newton. I had called Sondra to let her know that I was coming down to take a look around. I had no intention of buying a car from them because I am a loyal customer and being so I have earned many benefits at my dealer (I thought) and in a long term relationship you get treated a certain way.
From the moment I entered the building I noticed something different about this dealership (being in sales, I hate sales people so I am usually a very close mouthed and when I want a sales person I will ask for one. If approached as soon as I enter the door by a sales person I push them off and tell them I will ask for someone if I need someone). I found Sondra, introduced myself we spoke a while and she introduced me to Mr. Bill Pacilli. I thought he was the sales manager because Sondra knew I was ready to buy and you usually need someone in management to clear the path to make a deal. Also his demeanor dictated a position of authority, knowledge and confidence I would usually associate with management. We spoke for a bit and he handed me the keys to the car I had told Sondra that I was going to buy at my dealership. My wife and I looked at each other and off we went. She did not have a chance to test drive any of the VW's that I had considered before I made my final choice. She loved it, the way it drove and loved the fact that it too was a TDI, a PASSAT TDI SEL. She loves her diesel so much and has been the happiest camper ever with her New 2012 Jetta Sportwagen TDI.
We head back to the dealership and I return the keys to Bill. He asked us "how did like the car?" I shared with him that I had finally made up my mind and will be purchasing the Passat TDI SEL. He was happy to her that (but I had not made it clear that i would be going back to my dealership to do so) and he begins to tell me all of these wonderful things that doing business with AudiVW of Newton NJ include. From loaners for life to lifetime oil changes and extended drive-train warranty all included. In fact he says that "if you can't make it to us we would come to you to pick up your car and drop off a loaner car for you to use while we service your car" all for just being a customer of AudiVW of Newton NJ. I am thinking this is great and I can't believe half of it but I know my prices and I am surly going to pay for all that good stuff up front. So to humor him I decide to let him know that I am a well educated VW owner, know the right prices, have owned many VW's and have been with the same dealership for 13+ years. He says Great! I tell him the price I want to pay, he looks at me and picks up his calculator, tells me that I am well informed and says OK we can match that. My mouth drops open, I have been with the same dealer for 13+ years and still have to haggle back and forth to get the price I feel comfortable paying and I do not receive any of the extras that just come along with doing business with AudiVW of Newton NJ. From pricing to sales and from service to parts, I have never done business with such a professionally staffed, down to earth, pressure free and friendly dealership that is not looking to stick it to you and pass you off to service after you close a deal.
AudiVW of Newton NJ has opened my eyes to what a dealership should be. No smoke and mirrors here, this is an honest to goodness mom and pop dealer. They always have the customers best interest in mind and have always gone out of there way for me and whatever my needs have been. In fact Bill is not the sales manager and I found this out the day he came and picked me up to take delivery of my New Passat TDI SEL.
I found myself out there without the ability to get to NJ to pickup my car (I sold my 2004 Passat V6 4motion to a good friend the night before i took delivery) and one of my kids was home sick with my wife and we did not want to leave her home alone. Bill came to pick me up on his day off! talk about dedication.
The day I came to take a look around, my eyes were opened wide. I met the owner Joe who is truly a pioneer in his business. In 13 years I never met the owner of my old dealership. Not to mention what a personable, professional, friendly and down to earth man he is.
I want to give many thanks Bill Pacilli (sales), Sondra Gannon (internet sales), Joe (Owner extraordinaire) and his daughter Niccollette (who handled financing, titling and all the other paperwork. She even sold me a extended VW Driver Warranty at a very good price I might add) right down to Megan Fitzpatrick in service and Bill Barcliffe in parts.
All of you at AudiVW of Newton New Jersey rewrote my view of what a car dealership should be and I look forward to many years together. You are my New Volkswagen family!
Thank you so much,
Garrett and Dana
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