April 1, 2020

This paid piece is sponsored by Luxury Auto Mall.

Here’s the reality of car-buying today: There are excellent vehicles to choose from, a lot of people interested in driving away in one and not as much supply as many would like.

“We really never slowed down much, but we’re still finding there’s a lot of pent-up demand,” said Mike Chaplin, general manager of Luxury Auto Mall. “And you can see it everywhere. Drive by lots around town, and you’re going to see holes. And we’ve definitely seen that with recent sunny days. Everyone is out looking.”

It’s a fun time to be in the business, but it also requires helping customers find the right strategy to connect with the cars they want.

“Industrywide, there are challenges in the factories with supply,” Chaplin said. “That’s not to say we can’t overcome them, but it takes some planning and in some cases a willingness to move fast.”

The new additions

Spring always brings new inventory to Luxury Auto Mall, and this year offers some outstanding vehicles for all tastes and lifestyles.

The Mercedes-Benz GLA, GLB and GLC offer an accessible SUV option to drivers often beginning their relationship with Mercedes.

“The GLA has been completely redesigned this year to a slightly smaller style as the beginning point of our SUV lineup,” Mercedes brand manager Andrew Ness said. “It has a higher ride height and all the new technology, including huge touch-screens and voice-activated controls and ambient lighting.”

The GLB came into the lineup last year and “is really an exciting addition because it’s a small SUV that still has a third-row option, with seating for up to seven, so it’s an incredible value when you consider it includes all the latest technology for Mercedes along with the safety you would expect. It’s a big luxury car in a small package.”

Many drivers coming from other SUVs or considering them realize the difference once they try one of these models, he added.

“You need to drive one. When you drive a Mercedes, you understand what a Mercedes is, how solid and safe and truly reliable they are. They’re an incredible vehicle. And once you shop a Mercedes and shop a nonluxury brand, you’ll realize the pricing is not that different.”

And for those ready to indulge in an unbelievable sports car, you have to stop in and see the new BMW M3 and M4.

“It’s a compete rebuild with crazy power,” BMW brand manager Tyson Elder said. “Our M cars are high-performance vehicles. It demands attention. It’s a real eye-grabber.”

The front end differentiates the vehicle, which hasn’t appeared in the lineup since 2018.

“This is the new twist, and they’re really getting wild on their color palette. There are some really cool colors, but that’s what you need with a sports car like this,” Elder said.

An M3 sold nearly as soon as it arrived at Luxury Auto Mall. A two-door M4 coming in behind it will be bright red with white seats.

The first wave of launch cars are arriving, but preorders are still several months away.

“You’ll still have it to take advantage of the nice weather this year,” Elder said. “And the options are crazy. For instance, the back of the front seat can be made out of carbon fiber, and it makes the performance go up even more.”

Other convertibles also are proving popular with drivers.

“We’ve sold multiple convertibles in a day recently,” Chaplin said. “This is the season for them, but there’s been very strong early interest. We do have inventory, but if this is on your wish list for summer, you’ll want to stop in soon.”

The pre-owned strategy

Pre-owned vehicles can offer an exceptional opportunity for buyers, but it’s all part of a pipeline. The fewer new cars enter the market, the fewer used cars become available.

“Used cars are unique. There’s only one. So we can’t order you another,” Chaplin said.

“We do have a nice selection of pre-owned vehicles right now, but my advice is if you see something you like, I would buy it because there absolutely is no guarantee it will stick around or that we’ll see something similar come in later.”

As more big sales pushes come in, “there won’t be enough to reload the supply,” he continued. “We used to be able to go to an auction and buy used vehicles, but that’s not going to be an option for a while.”

Planning ahead

If you’re envisioning yourself driving away in something like the new 2021 Cadillac Escalade – and plenty of drivers have been – you need to stop into Luxury Auto Mall now.

“We’ll be able to put you on a list, but it’s likely going to be months out. We’re sold so far into it,” Chaplin said. “It’s a beautiful vehicle. The demand just far outweighs the supply. But it’s better to put you on a list now so we can get you into one as soon as possible.”

You also can custom-order nearly any luxury vehicle in any of the dealership’s brands. Again, that will come with a bit of a wait, but you’re getting exactly what you want.

“We’re well into our pipeline of ordering, and it is a wonderful experience for the customer,” Chaplin said. “We apply our same one-low-price approach with a custom-ordered vehicle. And you can still come test drive a car, see it and feel it before deciding to customize your own.”

That could be the future of the car business, he added.

“You might not see lots with hundreds of cars going forward. You might come in, try it and then order from the factory. Factories and dealerships have both learned a lot from the pandemic, and ultimately I think it benefits the customer because you receive exactly what you want, but it will require some additional planning.”

Start your vehicle search online here, or stop into Luxury Auto Mall soon for a look at the latest spring inventory.