Bryan "Mr. Pippa" L. - 2016 Austin TX
Last week I bought two vehicles, and my only regret is that I bought one of them before finding Texas Auto Ranch. I called and left a message Monday morning and received a call back from the owner, John Phillips. I pass by his lot every day coming and going and noticed that he always seemed to have lots of nice looking stock on hand.
I was in the market for a late model Infiniti and noticed that he had several on hand. When John called me back, I delivered my typical "This ain't my first rodeo speech," so as to let him know that I was not going to be a pushover. John was very humble and friendly, it was immediately apparent to me that working with him was going to be fun and easy.
After speaking on the phone a few times, curiosity finally got the better of me and I stopped by after work. John is a man's man who loves to talk about fishing and his kids, and we got along famously. He presented me with several options and earned my trust by revealing several aspects of the deal that are normally kept from customers. It was an educational experience, even for someone like me who's bought several cars and has friends who have their dealers license.
The car had some minor imperfections, but John made some calls and got me taken care of. As it turns out, this is not his first rodeo either and he is incredibly well connected, and apparently incredibly influential with his business contacts as he was able to get me some nice freebies and discounts.
Having purchased 10 cars since moving to Austin, most of them at Austin Infiniti, I had a good basis for comparison for rating a car buying experience. John and Texas Auto Ranch are far and away the best I've ever encountered, and because of integrity, his personality, and his willingness to go above and beyond, he's earned a customer for life.
Here are some pointers:
1. Call him first to find out if he has what you want, or visit his website.
2. He may be able to find what you want if he doesn't already have it.
3. Be nice and you'll be amazed at the level of service you receive.
4. Give John a shot at your financing even if you already have your own lined up. He could have saved me some money, as it turns out.
5. Compare his prices to anyone in town; you'll be amazed.
6. Tell him that you contacted him because of his YELP page, so he'll believe me when I tell him it will actually increase his sales.