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| Aroostook Republican photo/Barb Scott Gary Gagnon |
By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
“We used to sell to family members from three or four generations of GM buyers,” said Gary Gagnon, owner of Gagnon’s Auto/RV Sales located on 500 Main Street in Caribou, “ it wasn’t uncommon to see that loyalty from your customers 20 or 30 years ago. Things have changed in the car industry, a lot of the more personal side of dealings both with the corporations/representatives, banks and customers has lessened in recent years but the challenge and enjoyment of working with individuals is still here,” he added.
Beginning his car sales career in 1984, Gagnon worked as a salesman at the former Caribou Motor Company, a Ford, Mercury, Lincoln new car dealership owned by Sheldon Scott. Selling the Ford product for two years, Gagnon became employed in sales at Northeast Sales and Service, also in Caribou and after five years at that location he opened his own business, Gagnon’s Auto/Trailer Sales which he operated for two years before merging his initial business with Paul LeBlanc who owned Northeast Sales and Service, renaming the GM Franchise Gagnon’s Auto and RV Sales, Inc.
During that time Gagnon improved the property, increasing to a three-acre lot, and rebuilding/refurbishing the dealership building and carried an average of more than 300 vehicles at the location. In 2001 Gagnon bought out LeBlanc’s share in the business and this year mark’s the dealership’s 20th anniversary.
Through the past 20 years, Gagnon, as a new car dealer has come face to face with a number of big challenges, including the closure of the Loring Air Force Base (creating the loss of 10-15,000 people from the area). “That’s a lot of potential customers,” said Gagnon, “but our sales weren’t really impacted a great deal by the base closing.”
However when the poor economic situation nationwide hit the ‘big 3’, and bankruptcy and bailouts filled the news in the mid-late 2000s, things were a bit unstable in the lives of franchise dealers. General Motors dealers spent the better part of six months not knowing what was going to happen with their manufacturer or what direction they would be forced to take if things didn’t improve.
“In 2009, said Gagnon, “our fate of remaining a GM dealer was literally in the hands of a FedEx driver who would deliver a letter to the dealership informing me if this dealership was among those being chosen to continue under the new corporation.”
The anticipated (or dreaded) letter would be delivered to Gagnon’s Auto Sales on June 2, 2009. “When the FedEX driver came into the office,” said Pam Wilcox, business office/administrative manager, Gary and I both just looked at that envelope. He finally said, ‘you open it,’ Wilcox laughed and I remember shaking my head saying, “I’m not going to open it you do it.”
In the end, Gagnon opened the FedEX envelope, pulling out the business letter, which was dated June 2, 2009. The first paragraph in part, read, “On behalf of the entire GM team, as GM embarks on an exciting new future, I am extremely pleased that Gagnon’s Auto & RV Sales, Inc., has been identified by GM as one of its key dealers for the Buick, GMC Truck brands.” In brief the letter went on to confirm that Gagnon’s business would be assumed under the new GM agreement, remaining part of the new corporation.
The timeframe for agreeing to the new agreement and becoming part of the newly formed corporation didn’t allow for extensive in depth research or legal counsel as the agreement had to be signed and be back in the hands of GM no later than June 12.
“There were six or seven GM dealers in the state that were closed during that time,” said Gagnon, “it was a very difficult summer spent wondering what was going to happen and of course our sales suffered, but once things got back on track we did quite well.”
Although the challenges never cease in most any business, Gagnon is upbeat about the future of his dealership and remains confident that the product he and his salespeople sell, complimented by highly trained technicians and parts department and state of the art equipment used in the service department creates a good environment for his clientele.
“Of course things have changed from when I first started selling cars,” said Gagnon. “I still remember the very first vehicle I sold and that was to Viola Paradis of Washburn. I actually delivered that car to her (something that was very common if not expected prior to the new millennium) and she invited me into her house for coffee, we really didn’t know each other — that is not something that happens on a regular basis these days,” Gagnon added. Gagnon also said that regular, loyal customers such as Paradis became, isn’t something that holds fast today. We still have our regular customers, some who are third or fourth generation vehicle buyers, those who you know will come back but each year that number is apt to change.”
“There isn’t as much showroom traffic now either,” said Gagnon. “That used to be where the majority of the car deals were made with customers but now with the internet and everything people know what they want, what the prices are — but we have a strong website at Gagnon’s Auto and RV Sales.com and we also have access to auction vehicles.
“We have five sessions online through the GM factory sales every week,” said Gagnon, we can literally find any vehicle someone wants just through the touch of a button.”
“Through the years, with all the changes and everything else, the bottom line,” said Gagnon, “It’s the people (car buyers) that make it all worth while. Just talking with everyone — that’s what gives excitement to this job — it’s what makes me want to come to work everyday.
Gagnon received the General Motors Corporation Distinguished Dealer Award in both 2003 and 2004, recognizing the dealership as being ranked GM’s number 1 selling volume dealer in the area that encompassed the entire state of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire as well as the very north eastern parts of New York.
Business hours at Gagnon’s Auto and RV Sales, Inc. are sales: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Service hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Telephone 493-3358.
