Car dealer in Wayne keeps on growing
Credits 'trust' from customers
By: Philip DeVencentis
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
WAYNE - automakers like to fling around a lot of superlatives.
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Every vehicle is the fastest or the safest or the most reliable. They are all the first in their respective classes, turning in unmatched performances and unparalleled luxuries.
..... At one local car dealership, it is not hyperbole.
..... Wayne Mazda, at 1244 route 23 north, just finished construction of the largest Mazda facility in the country, which is fitting because it sells more cars - by a mile - than any of its ally dealers.
..... It is not for a lack of competition. There are at least 10 rival brands doing business on Route 23 between the Mazda facility and the Interstate 287 junction 5 miles north. another cluster of dealerships can be found in the opposite direction, on Route 46 east.
..... Kevin DiPiano, the owner of Wayne Mazda, revealed the secret of his success at a recent function held in the showroom of his new dealership.
..... "Every customer," he said, :leaves with a sense of satisfaction and trust."
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DiPiano addressed hundreds of guests at the grand opening on the dealership, an event that had the air of a big Hollywood wedding. There was a four-piece o5rchestra, a man rolling cigars and someone else mixing margaritas. The Mazda logo - a pair of wings - was chis4eled out of ice, with the sculpture serving as a platter for clams on the half shell and cracked lobster tails.
..... And because one ribbon could not suffice, DiPiano and a cadre of company executives cut two in half - one on a stage inside of the impressive facility and another outdoors.
.... Thomas Donnelly, the chief executive officer of North American operations for Mazda Motor Corporation, said at the event that the dealership was the "most spectacular" that he had ever seen. "Without question." he said, "this is the biggest and the best execution of our vision of retail evolution that I've been a part of across many, many years."
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The 54,524-square-foot facility, scheduled to open to the public on September 15, [2024] was built on an empty lot to replace a considerably smaller Mazda dealership that opened next door in October 2001.
..... The old dealership, about 350 feet north of New York Avenue, will be remodeled and eventually occupied by Wayne AutoMall Hyundai, which DiPiano also owns as part of Performance Auto Group.
..... The organization includes 12 dealerships plus The Collision Center, an auto repair shop on Beaverbrook Road in Lincoln Park.
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The existing Hyundia facility at 1935 route23 south will be demolished to make way for a third DiPiano dealership Genessis of Wayne. The Planning Board approved construction of that 22,740-square-foot building, including a mezzanine in February 2023.
..... Township Planner Christopher Kok said the high concentration of auto dealerships on the highway benefits the local economy. he said consumers recognize that Wayne is a destinaito9n to buy cars, which keeps the retailers thriving. "You can do sort of one-stop shopping," he said.
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Mayor Christopher Vergano, who spoke at the grand opening on behalf of the township, said he was proud that Wayne Mazda is part of the community.
..... "And that it takes care of our community," he added. "and takes care of its employees. Because today. 09/03/2024] it's a very difficult world out there, and these people are doing it right."
.....The National Automobile Dealers Association, which releases statistics on financial trends in the industry, reported that total sales at new-car dealerships grew slightly to $1.2 trillion last year. [2023] New Jersey dealers accounted for $42.55 billion of that revenue. the data shows.
..... Overall, the number indicate that the industry rebounded form its pandemic slump in 2020, when total sales fell below %1 trillion for the first time since 2016.
..... This year, [2024] Donnelly said, the local Mazda dealership has sold 450 cars per month, when the average dealer in the company has sold 65.