Jeep Is More Than a Brand at Schumacher

You don’t have to own a Jeep to sell them, but Rich Harward wouldn’t have it any other way. Throughout his 25-year auto retail career, the past 12 of which have been spent with the Schumacher Family of Dealerships, Harward has always invested in the products he represents. Schumacher acquired its Delray, Fla., Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership in October 2015 and put Harward at the helm as general manager. Since that moment, the former U.S. Marine and longtime Jeep admirer has been “fully immersed” in the brand.

Pull onto the lot in Delray or in North Palm Beach, where Harward is GM of Schumacher’s Buick GMC Chevrolet Volkswagen store, and you might spot a lifted and heavily customized 2018 Wrangler in OD green. That’s his.

“It’s a really special brand and it’s a brand you don’t really have to sell,” Harward says. “Most of the prospects for a Jeep have already done their research. They just need to find the one that’s right for them.”

Trail-Riding Trio: General Manager Rich Harward (center) is flanked by
Jeep Sales Managers Seth Gray and Rob Piekielski.

Work It Like a Business

Harward’s own career began somewhat inauspiciously. In 1994, shortly after leaving the Marine Corps, he took a friend’s advice and joined the sales staff of a Chevrolet dealership in his native South Carolina. Clearly restraining himself, he describes the state of automotive sales training at that time as “rough,” having been equipped only with a phone, a desk and a few product books. Falling back on his military training, he resolved to follow instructions and be regimented in his approach to the job. He had the support of management and the example set by experienced salespeople, but he realized true success would require an entrepreneurial mindset.

“It takes a lot of self-motivation. You are an independent contractor, and they’re providing the customers, the inventory and the space, and you do with it what you would do as business owner. That’s how I looked at it.”

Harward says he quickly came to enjoy the work and the family-owned dealership, where he would remain for more than nine years. After spending two years in law enforcement, he returned to automotive, serving as general sales manager and then general manager at an independent dealership in Greenville, S.C., before getting the call from Schumacher.

Dealership training has come a long way since 1994, and Harward has made good on a promise he made to himself in those early days.

“When I decided this was going to be my career, I said that, if I ever got the chance to be in control, I would do things differently — not only in the way we hire but the way we train,” Harward says, noting that candidates are interviewed by a panel that includes Harward and two other managers, and the majority rules. They’re looking for a personality fit, not necessarily someone with automotive experience, and those who are hired get the training and guidance they need to be successful. “When you hire an employee, it’s your responsibility to make them successful. With that mentality, you can create quite a team.”

Ken Cadmus is general sales manager for the Schumacher group, whose daily inventory of new and used Jeeps averages up to 300 units.

Enthusiasts on the Payroll

The Schumacher group is highly diversified. Both of Harward’s dealerships sell new Volkswagens. The Chrysler-dominant Delray location also has Subaru and Lincoln franchises. The North Palm Beach operation includes a pre-owned center. That’s a total of roughly a dozen businesses in two locations, but Jeep is hardly lost in the shuffle. Schumacher Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is one of the biggest Wrangler dealers in the state, and Harward reports total monthly Jeep sales are in the 100- to 125-unit range — up from 70 to 80 under the previous ownership.

Harward’s secret sauce is a massive inventory — averaging up to 300 Jeeps on any given day — and a matching investment in the brand. The Delray service shop stocks a long list of Mopar parts and accessories, and technicians stand ready to lift, modify and customize a Jeep to match its owner’s vision. Harward’s Jeep sales managers are Seth Gray, a former fellow Marine, and Rob Piekielski, a died-in-the-wool Jeep enthusiast. And Harward, Gray and Piekielski do more than talk the talk.

“We live and breathe Jeep,” the GM says. “Myself and my managers are both part of multiple clubs.”

In June 2018, the dealership hosted its first annual Jeep Show & Competition, which drew hundreds of enthusiasts and spectators and included a raffle of donated Jeep accessories that raised $7,500 for Forgotten Soldiers Outreach. Harward says his team is already in the planning stages for a follow-up event. But he stresses that Jeepers need not wait for the next event or even their next purchase to pay a visit to the store. Whether you want to buy a rig or sell one, Jeep owners are always welcome at Delray.

“We started using Kelley Blue Book’s Instant Cash Offer, so we’ll buy any car, even if you don’t want another one,” he says. “We’re interested in any Jeep. We just bought a ’78 Wrangler CJ-5. We put it in the showroom.”

Safety and Convenience

Like most Jeep dealers, Harward credits the 2004 introduction of the four-door Wrangler “Unlimited” (now JL) with attracting greater numbers of car buyers — including those with families — to the brand. But a longer wheelbase and a couple extra doors are not the whole story, he adds. The manufacturer and its dealers had to break through several decades’ worth of misconceptions surrounding the Wrangler, an enduring American classic that was nonetheless once widely perceived as a novelty.

“The fact is this vehicle was not on a lot of people’s shortlist. They would look at the soft top and rollbar and not realize how safe Jeeps are. They would look inside and it was all metal and basic,” he says. “So they’ve done a phenomenal job of making the inside of the Wrangler look up-to-date and current — all the luxuries you would have in an SUV or car — and you can still accessorize it like an off-road vehicle.”


Asked when Schumacher would place its first orders for the upcoming Gladiator, the first Jeep pickup to be sold in North America since the Comanche wrapped production in 1992, “That’s the million-dollar question,” Harward responds. “We’re anticipating it arriving hopefully in June. We’ve been waiting on that for a while. There’s a lot of buzz, a lot of excitement.”

Until then, Delray’s Jeep customers have plenty to choose from. Harward says all Jeepers, whether off-roaders or daily drivers, tend to bring an encyclopedia’s worth of product knowledge to the store. Some dealers and sales professionals might be intimidated by that. Harward and his team are not. Informed customers are the best kind, he says, and if they’re greeted with equal parts respect and enthusiasm, they’ll remain with the right dealership for the long haul.

“That’s how we train our salespeople: ‘Sit down with that customer and make a lifelong friend. They’re going to buy from you your entire career.’”

Nuts and Bolts

Richard “Rich” Harward is a Jeep enthusiast and the general manager of two dealerships in the Schumacher Family group, including its Delray, Fla., Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram store, which is among the region’s largest-volume Wrangler dealerships.

Schumacher Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Delray
2102 S Federal Hwy A 33483
Sales: (844) 599-8881
Service: (844) 605-2409
schumacherchryslerdodgejeepramofdelraybeach.com

Crystal Is Serious About Jeeps

You might assume a man who owns six auto dealerships, two Harley-Davidson franchises and a tractor-and-equipment store has spent his entire life growing his retail empire. If you learned his grandfather was a Ford dealer and his father was a Chevrolet and Honda dealer, you might feel certain his course was set at a young age. But if that man was Steven D. “Steve” Lamb, you would be wrong.

“The only thing I did for my father was mow grass and pick up cigarette butts,” says Lamb, 52, a University of Tampa graduate who once planned to become an attorney. His plans changed when, during a senior year in which his class schedule was light, he took an entry-level sales job at a family friend’s dealership. Seven months later, he had graduated to the finance department, and the chance to own his own store appeared to be within sight. “Law school wasn’t going to work out for me. My father said, ‘You’ll only make money when you’re working,’ and he was right.”

By 1989, Lamb had bought into two stores in partnership with the Ferman dealership family. Ten years later, he owned them. Today, he and his wife, Jewel, and his son, Justin, oversee a retail empire that includes two Central Florida Jeep stores: Crystal Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Brooksville and Homosassa. As a lifelong Jeep lover, Lamb has tracked the evolution of the brand and invested enough money in those service departments to offer a wide range of modifications and customizations — and include them in the financing.

“The average conversion is close to $10,000 by the time you add everything in,” he says. “When you start buying wheels, tires and a lift kit, $4,000 or $6,000 goes by in a hurry.”

Growing Fast and Giving Back

Lamb notes that, in his father’s day, owning two stores — let alone two brands — was almost unheard of. Dealers were expected to buy one franchise and stick with it. Starting in the late 1970s and early ’80s, the ownership model began to evolve. Today, massive dealer groups such as AutoNation, Group 1 and Penske own and operate hundreds of stores. The Lamb and Ferman families, among many others, built upon their success by applying their business practices and management style to multiple locations.

“If you had a chance to buy another dealership, and if it was profitable and staffed by a good bench of people, you bought it,” Lamb explains.

Nuts and Bolts

Steve Lamb is the majority owner of Crystal Autos, a 10-store dealer group that includes two fully staffed and stocked Jeep showrooms and service departments.

Crystal Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Brooksville (Fla.)
1435 Cortez Blvd 34613
352-364-4373
crystalbrooksville.com

Crystal Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Homosassa (Fla.)
1005 S Suncoast Blvd 34448
352-364-9346
crystalchryslerdodgejeep.com

The group now includes 530 employees and is expected to produce total sales of 8,400 vehicles this year, including more than 800 Harley-Davidsons. Lamb puts a premium on “personal growth” among his managers and staff and dedicates time and resources to a long list of charitable causes, including the Boys and Girls Club, Citrus County Food Bank, YMCA and Save Crystal River. He is also past president of the Crystal River Rotary and United Way of Citrus County and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.

As for supporting the Jeeping community, Lamb’s brother-in-law is president of the Inverness, Fla.-based Jeepsters club, and Lamb says Crystal Autos does “basically whatever they ask us to do,” including sponsorship of the annual Jeep Beach event in Daytona. “Jeepsters exists for camaraderie and to enjoy the iconic Jeep brand, and it’s family-oriented. Go to Jeep Beach and look at how many families are in those vehicles. It says something.”

Put Them in a Wrangler

Lamb’s personal history with the Jeep brand goes back to the 1970s, when he bought a restored Willys MB. “It was a little runaround, a grocery-getter. Bikini top. Four-speed. Bulletproof.” Although he now drives a 2013 Wrangler Unlimited he converted to an extended-cab pickup with a Mopar JK8 kit (and which “everybody and their brother” has tried to buy from him), Lamb says a classic two-door is still a great choice for a young driver.

“When my friends come to me and say, ‘I have a child getting ready to turn 16. What would you put your child in?’ I say I would put them in a Wrangler,” he says. “You would have to get hit by a train to get hurt.”

Like most Jeep dealers, Lamb credits the four-door Unlimited with “exploding” the Wrangler market. In the old days, he says, you would find about a dozen Wranglers between the Crystal’s two Jeep stores. Today, he has 40. “It’s a big change. It’s nice having the selection, and we do have a lot of buyers trading up. If it doesn’t eat, we’ll take it in trade.”

Jeep customers will typically find three or four lifted Wranglers in Crystal Autos’ inventory, Lamb says, and his shops are staffed with highly trained and Jeep-obsessed technicians. In addition to maintenance and repairs, they offer a selection of custom tires and wheels, bumpers, lights and accessories, and Crystal-installed Mopar-brand lifts up to six inches won’t void the factory warranty on a new Jeep.

“And it’s fun to watch them do it, but we still want it to be safe,” Lamb says. “Back in the day, you could make a Wrangler look really cool, but it would drive like hell.”

Lamb credits his dealership teams for their success with Jeep and says he is continually inspired by the passion and loyalty those vehicles generate among customers. He plans to remain dedicated to the brand for as long as they do.

“Our mission is to give people an experience they can’t get anywhere else. We will find the right fit for them and their budget. The repeat business we get speaks for itself.”

The Wrangler Wranglers of New Port Richey

As one of 13 dealerships in Central Florida’s Ferman Auto Group, Ferman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of New Port Richey is part of a business that has been around for nearly 125 years but is not afraid to change. Ten years ago, for example, they forbade the use of the word “customer” in favor of “guest,” part of a companywide campaign to maintain a competitive edge at a time when car buyers manage much of the process themselves. They expect dealers to reward their efforts with expert-level product knowledge, finely tuned customer-service skills, and competitive prices for service and maintenance.

This is particularly true of Jeepers, says the dealership’s general manager, Jason Whidden. “They’ve typically done enough research, they’re educated on the product, and they’re intuitive.”

“The only other thing I could consider comparing it to is a Harley-Davidson,” says Mike Hughes, Ferman CJDR’s parts and service director and Jeepin’ Central Florida contributor. “More often than not, your Jeep guest knows what they’re looking for.”

Braving the Aftermarket

Originally founded as a bike shop in 1895, Ferman likely owes its longevity in the transportation business to its ability to adapt — to changing wants and needs, economic booms and busts, the production demands of World War II, and the devastation of the occasional severe hurricane. This evolution is reflected in the Jeep brand, a product of that war, adapted for civilian use but having never lost its utilitarian appeal.

Whidden and Hughes are unapologetic Wrangler wranglers. Paired with the dealership’s sister store in Tampa, Whidden says, Ferman is the largest dealer of new and used Jeeps in the region. Hughes leads a service department so invested in the Jeep brand that it offers customizations and modifications in addition to preventive maintenance and repairs.

Aftermarket work has heated up over the past several years, Whidden says, and the brand’s manufacturer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, has responded, getting “in the game” with factory-branded lift kits and other accessories.

“In the past, a lot of our guests would go aftermarket because of the expense of Mopar. It used to be three times the cost. Now it’s just as reasonable, and it’s protected by the warranty.”

“To upgrade the tires and wheels on a Wrangler JK, you had to go aftermarket to make the necessary corrections to the computer,” Hughes adds. “Now, the factory offers dealer programming.”

Two Kinds of New

The Jeep driver has evolved along with the brand, a change spurred in part by the 2007 release of the four-door JKU (a.k.a. “Unlimited”) version of the Wrangler. Whidden credits the JKU with entering the Wrangler into a friendly competition with the Grand Cherokee and every other family-friendly SUV on the market. However, he stresses, the Wrangler’s heritage and appearance will always set it apart.

“Way back when, the Wrangler driver was a weekend driver. That’s no longer true,” Whidden says. “It’s an everyday driver, women and men, old and young. But there’s nothing on the market that compares. How often do you see a review comparing a Wrangler to a Ford Fusion? It doesn’t happen.”

Ferman’s sales teams currently finds themselves with an enviable problem: As of this writing, the New Port Richey location alone still has a number of 2017 Wranglers on the lot — “an amazing product, still selling,” says Hughes — and even though they commonly move more than one per day, they are discounting them to make room for the two-door (now “JL”) and four-door (JLU) Wranglers that were redesigned for 2018.

Feedback on the new Wrangler has been “unbelievable,” Whidden says, but available discounts on the 2017s make them nearly as attractive to Jeepers who are willing to stick with the prior generation to get a brand-new unit. “Three Wranglers at one time? It’s an odd position in which to find ourselves, but we feel like we’re able to help anyone who wants a new Jeep.”

It’s a Family Thing

Whidden says Jeep buyers who choose his store are treated like family throughout the buying, financing and ownership cycle. He believes they have earned a reputation in the Central Florida Jeepin’ community, regularly welcoming members from various groups and clubs and planning the launch of a website that will make Ferman even more accessible for off-road enthusiasts. “We want  to make it friendly and interactive. It all ties into a Ferman-wide initiative: It’s a family-owned experience that you can’t get at other stores,” Whidden says.

The initiative includes a friendly approach to marketing, a willingness to resolve any customer concern, and a continuation of Ferman’s history of giving back to the community. Whidden notes that the group is home to an improbably high number of long-term employees in an industry know for frequent turnover in sales and other key positions.

Nuts and Bolts

Jason Whidden and Mike Hughes are the general manager and parts and service director, respectively, of Ferman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in New Port Richey, Fla., which specializes in sales, service and customization of new and used Jeeps, including Wranglers.

Ferman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of New Port Richey
4023 US-19
34652
Sales: (877) 300-6346
Service: (888) 737-6571
fermancjdnewportrichey.com

“We have a long-tenured staff. Some employees have been with Ferman 30 or 40 years. We recently celebrated one guy’s 50th anniversary with the group,” he says. “Mike has been here for 18 years, my assistant for 10, some of our finance managers, up to 18 years. You’re going to see the same faces, from sales to service.”

Whidden firmly believes this sense of permanence attracts and binds customers to Ferman. He knows that, even as the car-buying process continues to change, Jeepers appreciate a familiar face when it’s time to trade in, trade up, get service, or just say hello.

“We pass that loyalty onto our guests,” he says. “They buy a vehicle and don’t have to worry about coming back the following week and seeing a different person.”

Inside Jerry Ulm Jeep

There are so many great things about owning a Jeep. The community, the quality, the versatility — the list goes on. Another possible addition is the sense of goodwill that seems to extend out to the dealerships — or rather the owners and team at the dealerships — as well. This combination of owners and suppliers makes for a very compelling case to anyone who is not already part of the Jeepin’ community — and those who already belong are probably not surprised.

Drei Ulm, general manager at Jerry Ulm Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Tampa, Fla., has been working at his family business since they bought the dealership in 1990. Starting out sweeping the lot, he returned home after attending college to carry on his family’s legacy of conducting business with integrity.

“I won the parental lottery between him and my mother. Good, honest people who have always done the right thing. I like to think I do the same,” Ulm says.

Company History

Jerry Ulm CDJR is now part of the Morgan Auto Group, but the dealership itself has been around since the late ’60s. “They’re wonderful people. About as likeminded as we could be,” Ulm says about Morgan Auto Group. Drei was 7 when his father, Jerry Ulm, acquired the business. He worked his way up from detailing and washing cars in high school to upper management.

Ulm has monitored the trends of the Jeep brand over the years, and he is looking forward to seeing the new lineup of trucks and SUVs coming in. The next-generation Wrangler and the long-awaited Jeep pickup truck have very recently been ordered. Ulm is excited about these new developments.

“It’s been interesting to watch it progress. When the four-door Wrangler came out, some people were hesitant at first,” Ulm says. “It wasn’t considered traditionalist. Back then, we were selling twice as many two-doors. Now it’s the opposite. We’re in Tampa and people love the Jeep name. They want to drive a Jeep, have kids, and need utility that comes with extra space.”

The dealership supplies customers with the option of a reconditioned pre-owned Jeep with a rapidly rotating stock of mostly Wranglers. Ulm wants his customers to be confident his team has taken care of these used vehicles as if they were their own.

Service

Jerry Ulm was among the first Chrysler dealerships to receive the Customer First Award for Excellence. Speaking to the level of customer service and sales, many team members have been with them for more than 10 years. Drei Ulm says that, if you are looking to have a solid relationship with a supplier, this is the place to do it. Consistency is the best kind of experience as a customer, and these guys have it.

“I think one of the main reasons we received this award is because you’re generally going to see a familiar face.”

The service center is known for holding up these values as well, and again, the expertise in this department has also proven that longevity works. All of the dealership management-level employees have been with them for no less than 12 years. They have continuously kept some of the highest customer service scores in the business center and the country.

“We don’t sell customers things they don’t need. In the event we do make a mistake, we make it right. It’s just the right thing to do,” Ulm notes. They also have an onsite express service and accessories department where they are capable of doing lifts and modifications. “We have a couple guys back there who love doing it. A lot of them have Jeeps themselves.”

One of these guys in Ulm’s service department just happens to be Alex Perez, vice president of the Tampa Jeep Krewe. You can read more about his Jeepin’ group and what they are up to in our last issue (“The Growth of a Giving Community,” November/December 2017, Page 12). As Ulm puts it, if you are going to get work done on your Jeep, you want someone who puts their rig through the ringer and understands what needs to be done to keep your Jeep rolling.

Nuts and Bolts

Drei Ulm, manager at his family dealership, Jerry Ulm Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM, is determined to provide his customers with an honest service and support before, during and after doing business together.
Jerry Ulm Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
2966 N Dale Mabry Hwy 33607
Sales: (813) 872-6645
Service: (813) 249-0404
jerryulmchryslerdodgejeepram.com

Price Game

As availability multiplies, dealers are working overtime to help customers sort through all the vehicles, options and terms available to Jeep buyers. When it comes to pricing, the flashy, discounted numbers can catch your eye, but Ulm warns Jeepers to be wary of the experience to follow. He wholeheartedly disagrees with the trend in vehicle advertising that lures you in with a price that has every discount and rebate available tacked on to the advertised dollar amount.

The disillusionment settles in once customers realize that many of these discounts are not available to everyone, Ulm says, and in his advertisements, you are seeing what you get.

“I have seen advertising that will have verbiage buried a page deep in the tiniest print possible. The trend on the pre-owned side: The cost of reconditioning is not included. Effectively, they can tell you and it’s not advertised online. This unfortunately puts us at an advertising disadvantage, but we refuse to do that. It’s incredibly dishonest.”

Drei Ulm says you are looking for a new or used Jeep and want a quick, honest and full-service experience, Jerry Ulm Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Tampa is worth checking out. To have anything guaranteed is a lot to ask, but what is clear at Jerry Ulm, is that they will try their best to guarantee you expertise with a great experience.

Inside Ferman Auto Group

Jeep buyers are highly educated, and they tend to know exactly what they want when they visit a dealership. So says William “Bill” Small, general manager of Ferman Auto Group, one of the largest automotive groups in Florida. Small loves the brand just as much as his customers do, and he is proud of the work his dealership does to serve them.

“I don’t drive a Jeep every day, but in my business, I am fortunate to have access to them, and I am a very big enthusiast,” Small says.

That kind of attitude is one of the reasons Ferman Auto Group is one of the top places to buy, sell and service Jeeps of all types. Small and his managers and staff believe their business isn’t about “selling” anyone anything. Rather, they take the approach that it is their role to serve their customers – to be there when they need them, to answer questions, and to make sure they always get exactly what they need, when they need it.

“The age of the internet and information is already at their fingertips,” explains Small. “We try to be a servant. I have people call me for jobs. They’ll say they’re interested in a job but don’t think of themselves as a salesperson. I ask, ‘How do you feel about people? Do you care enough to be a servant to them?'”

A History of Service

The Ferman Auto Group was founded in 1895. Today, the group has 13 locations, with Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge-RAM dealerships in Tampa and New Port Richey. And the group has evolved right alongside the Jeep brand. Small notes that, for most of its existence, the Wrangler was a utilitarian, two-door, off-roader, not designed for or welcoming to families. But when the four-door Unlimited model came out, the lineup became accessible to a much wider range of people. “They made the vehicles remain rugged, and at the same time, their appeal has grown to include other segments of the market,” says Small.

The Wrangler Unlimited, along with the Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and Compass SUVs, is bringing more families into the Jeep fold, Small says, which dovetails with Ferman’s corporate culture. “I try to treat everyone who works with me like family. I think we’re going to whatever we can to do what’s right. We like to err in the direction of generosity.”

And it isn’t just the employees who are family. He notes that “Anything a guest needs, we’re going to do everything we can, within reason.” And that, Small says, is what really sets Ferman Auto Group apart, and what ultimately has led to their success: They care.

But Ferman Auto Group doesn’t just talk the talk. They also walk the walk. “We don’t use addendums. There is no additional markup,” Small stresses. The price they list for each vehicle is the price the consumer is going to pay, with no attempts to obfuscate the true price. “One thing drives me crazy about industry, and that’s advertising that’s not truthful.”

That philosophy extends beyond new-vehicle sales. Used-car buyers and service customers get the same treatment. Small notes that one of Ferman’s pre-owned lots include about a dozen Wranglers, and they tend to go fast. (“If I could get twice as many, I’d sell them all.”) The technicians that Ferman Auto Group employs are all factory-certified, but even here, that’s not what Small focuses on when talking about his dealership group. Instead, he notes that the store recognizes that everyone in the equation is human, and their goal is to make sure that everyone walks away happy.

“It’s the same thing in service. In one of our Jeep stores, we have probably 175 to 200 employees. Someone’s going to make a mistake. We try not to make mistakes. But if we do, we’ll fix it. We know how to say we’re sorry.”

Convenience is another aspect of service as well. While some dealerships still struggle with how to marry the online and offline components of the service department, Ferman Auto Group has forged ahead. They are one of the few offering the ability to make online appointments, for example, as they constantly look for new and better ways to serve their customers’ needs.

Nuts and Bolts

Ferman Auto Group operates 13 Central Florida dealerships, including Jeep stores in Tampa and New Port Richey.

• Ferman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Tampa
2431 State Road 54 33559
Sales: (877) 292-6296
Service: (888) 893-5247
fermancjdtampa.com

• Ferman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of New Port Richey
4023 US-19 34652
Sales: (877) 300-6346
Service: (888) 737-6571
fermancjdnewportrichey.com

Giving Back

Another reason to give Ferman Auto Group your business? The service doesn’t stop at their doors.

The company is heavily involved in a variety of community outreach projects, looking to get involved and help in their communities as much as they can. “I am heavily involved in support of law enforcement, especially the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office,” says Small. “They are heroes who deserve our support. The Jeep community also supports law enforcement, so it’s a great fit.”

Just one example is an annual Jeepin 4 Justice that Ferman helped sponsor in partnership with Pasco County Sheriff Charities. The third annual event will be held November 10-12.

“There are some great people that seem to me to be more like one big family in the many Jeep clubs that are in the area,” says Small. “They do a tremendous amount of work in the community. For example, I am very proud of the Pasco Sheriff’s Volunteer Search and Rescue that has a huge amount of participation, and does great work in Pasco County.”

As far as Small is concerned, Ferman Auto Group is the total package. They are an automotive company that realizes the people have to come first, and they embody that philosophy in everything they do. Their employees are family, their customers are valued, and the vehicles and service they provide have to be the best. It doesn’t matter whether someone walks on the lot with a Jeep to trade in or sell – and whether they are longtime enthusiasts or recent converts to the brand – Small says Ferman Auto Group will ensure they get exactly what they need and want, every time.