Get There!

For the past 31 years, Pete Baur Pontiac has developed a reputation for offering a fair deal and award-winning vehicle service. Now, with the addition of the Buick and GMC lines, they’ve added even more variety to choose from, including a number of vehicles offering 30 mpg—and higher.

By: Ken McEntee
Date: 08/20/2008
One hundred years ago, on Sept. 16, 1908, General Motors was organized, incorporating the Buick Motor Co.
For 31 years—nearly a third of the time that GM has been serving the American automobile market—Pete Baur Pontiac has been a conspicuous landmark in the heart of Strongsville.

Last year, the dealership’s familiar red sign on Pearl Road, just south of Route 82, changed with the addition of the Buick and GMC Truck names.

Baur’s new brands, which came with the acquisition of the Gene Norris Buick GMC
franchise last November, has dramatically increased the dealership’s selection of new and used cars and trucks.

“We have something for everybody across the GM line,” says Bruce Sykes, who has been general manager of the dealership for 20 years. “Along with Pontiac, our sport line, we offer Buick’s full-sized and luxury cars along with GMC trucks.”

The sporty Pontiac line includes the fuel efficient G5 and the Solstice, while the upper-scale Buick lineup features the Lacrosse, the Lucerne and the new Enclave crossover SUV.

Also relatively new to the crossover market is the GMC Acadia.

The Baur and Norris dealerships, Bruce says, each had a very loyal following built on a reputation of trust. Many of the dealerships’ long-time sales people are now servicing a second—or even third—generation of customers. Many of those veteran salespeople from the Norris dealership like GMC Truck Manager Chuck Austin, along with Don Deleur and Nick Bombolis, made the move to Strongsville when the operations were consolidated.

“We’ve had very low turnover in our sales staff over the years,” Bruce says. “When you come in here, you’re going to see some people you know. The same goes for loyal Gene Norris customers, too. You can feel comfortable when you walk in here because you’ll see some recognizable faces—people you know you can trust.”

Bucking the trend of the automobile mega-superstore that spans an area half the size of Rhode Island, Pete Baur holds a sizable inventory of 300 to 400 vehicles on an intimate lot where proper customer service is achievable.

With 2008 model year clearance season upon us, Bruce says it’s a great time to shop for a new car or truck.

Yeah, auto dealers are always saying that, but this time it’s true. “We have $1 million worth of pre-owned cars on the grounds right now,” Bruce says. “And we’re always looking to take in fresh trade-ins.”

If you’re interested in saving money at the gas pump, you may want to take a gander at the Pontiac G5 XFE. It’s among the leaders in fuel economy, with an EPA highway rating of 35 mpg—one of four Pontiacs to top the 30-mpg mark, according to General Motors. Three G5 models topped the 30-mpg mark, along with the Pontiac Vibe—both with automatic or manual transmission.

Once you select your new ride, Pete Baur’s award-winning service department, including Mary Mandal, service writer, and service technicians Al Price and Jeff Demeter, will be glad to keep it running at top performance.The state-of-the-art facility features the most current diagnostic and repair equipment available and Baur’s highly skilled factory-trained technicians will deliver efficient, quality vehicle care.

“It’s always better to have your car serviced here,” Bruce suggests. “We have the most up-to-date equipment and direct knowledge of GM vehicles.”

In fact, he says, Baur’s computerized diagnostic equipment connects your car directly to a centralized GM computer for the most up-to-date assessment. Pete Baur also has a state-of-the-art body shop—and insurance claims are welcome.

“The sale is the beginning of your relationship with Pete Baur,” Bruce says. “We want our relationship to continue for years and the way we do that is to provide the best service and to earn your trust.”

And, Bruce adds, to make car shopping more convenient, “We’re open 24 hours a day at www.petebaur.com.”

The website lets you search through the full lines of Pontiac, Buick and GMC Truck and offers valuable information about financing, lets you request a “quick quote” on your customized vehicle and schedule an appointment for shopping or service.

The Pete Baur Buick Pontiac GMC showroom, located at 14000 Pearl Road, Strongsville, is open Sunday from noon to 4:00 p.m., Monday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and all other days from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Call them at 440-238-5600.

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