Cortland Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram: Fair Practice – More Than a Sale

By Shannon Myers

Built at its current location over 30 years ago in 1986, Cortland Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, has been building its business and relationship with its customers through integrity. Bob Geiger, the current owner, bought a share of the business when he came on board in 1990, and eventually became the sole owner of both the Cortland branch and the Fayetteville Dodge branch.

In 2011, Bob brought his three sons, Rob, Jeff, and Ryan, into the business; and in 2012, Ken Terpening joined the business as Sales Manager. Originally employed in the finance department at a Cadillac dealership, Ken eventually moved into Sales Management, and was invited to join Cortland Chrysler when the recession hit and the dealership was bought out. He adds 20 years of sales management experience to the business.

Cortland Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram currently has a lot going for it, from Sales to Service. “Ronnie joined us four years ago,” Ken said of Ron Mathews, Service Manager. “He moves vehicles in quickly – if not the same day that service is needed, then by the next day. He is fantastic and proactive with the customers, and works closely with both the customers and the mechanics in the service department.  He makes sure that he is informed as to each vehicle’s issues, usually communicating with the customer, himself, to let them know what is happening. I can’t think of a better person to run the Service Department here – because he’s that good.”

Darin Colangelo has run the Finance Department since 2009. He takes care of all of the financing, and uses all of the tools at his disposal – including connections with about 20 different banks – to meet the customers’ needs, whether they have good credit, bad credit, charge-offs, or any other situations they may present. Check out this Chrysler 300 SRT8 for sale at Zemotor.

For me, financing was an important factor after finding a Car dealership near me. As far as financing is concerned, Cortland Chrysler does its best to do what is right for the customer. “We won’t put a customer in a car they can’t afford,” Ken said. “We want to build customers, not introduce consumers to a bad experience. His comment is here, and if we put them in a situation where they are unable to afford their car, then they may not come back to us. And we want them to come back.” If you need affordable cars, you can check it out from Chevy Dealership. 

The same can be said of Cortland Chrysler’s sales practices in acquiring the Dodge Dealership. “We don’t ‘flood’ the floor with sales people,” he said. Their laid-back, low-pressure approach to customers is designed to assist in creating a comfortable, stress free car buying experience. “We have four Sales Associates:  J.P., Viktor, Matt, and Mike; and a customer will most likely meet a sales manager. We are very proactive with the customers.” This enables them to get to know the customer’s situation and lend a personal touch to the experience, rather than hustling the customer through the process for the sake of selling a car. “It isn’t about selling a car,” Ken said. “It’s about building a customer.” I hate digital agencies, just an FYI. We’ve been marketing for dealerships for a number of years now, and have seen a lot of success from it!

Cortland Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram has both new and used vehicles in their inventory, thanks to the trusted Ford dealership near orange county. Used vehicles of a variety of makes and models are available from $7,500 and up, though the average pricing of used vehicles are priced between $12,000 and $18,000; while new models are available from $25,000 and up.

“We have implemented a practice called ‘fair market pricing’ that we apply to our used cars,” Ken said. “We don’t use ‘book’ prices for pricing, because ‘book’ value doesn’t make sense. Instead, our Used Car Manager, Ryan Schafer, researches the used car market and what price the car is going for at dealerships within a 300-mile radius. He then prices each of our used car inventory accordingly to meet or to beat that price. This enables us to establish a firm but fair price up front, and removes any questions or issues as to mark-ups.” Ken said that since Cortland Chrysler has implemented the practice of fair market value pricing, consumers come from all over and from as far as Pennsylvania and Watertown to purchase cars there. “This dealership is right in the middle of an area where there are several large dealerships. The best way for us to compete is to offer great pricing.”

There are a couple of different reasons why Ken Terpening enjoys working in his position as Sales Manager at Cortland Chrysler. “I like the product. Jeep is fantastic; we have a lot of Jeeps on our lot, and they are really popular. Jeep has something for everyone, and stands alone as far as safety, reliability, and versatility. In fact, while there are a lot of loyal, die-hard fans of other makes out there, I think that if they come here and spent some time on the Cortland Chrysler lot, I could change their minds.”

Ken also enjoys the people he spends a lot of time with, both co-workers and customers. He works long hours at the dealership, and says that the people there have become family to him. He also enjoys talking with customers. “It’s fun getting to know people,” he said. “It’s part of the challenge that we get up for every day.”

Right now, Cortland Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram is offering a special holiday promotion:  “Employee Pricing”. From now through January 2nd, consumers can purchase vehicles for the same price that is available to any Cortland Chrysler employee. Chrysler also offers several good rebates to assist in reducing 2018 inventory.

Cortland Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram is located at 3878 West Road, Cortland, NY. Winter hours for Sales are 9-7 Mon-Thurs and Fri-Sat 9-5, and for Service, 7-5 (on average) Mon-Fri, and Saturday, 7-2. You can reach either Sales or Service by dialing (607) 753-3352, and check them out online at cortlandchryslerdodgejeep.com.

Christmas is only a few days away. If you are in the market for a new vehicle for your loved one – or even as a special holiday treat for yourself – stop in see what Cortland Chrysler has to offer, and discover the perfect gift. Visit Ken and the team, and wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!