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Fred Gorges
Fred M. Gorges, Following in his father’s footsteps, Fred is the fourth generation of running the Gorges family automotive business in Wichita. Fred began in the dealership as a lot attendant, throughout high school he worked part time in the parts, service and sales departments. Eventually, he left Wichita for Lawrence and attended the University of Kansas for two and a half years. Fred then went to Dallas and attended Northwood University, a small business college to study automotive marketing. He returned to Wichita in 1999 and spent four years learning the wholesale side of the business. Fred Gorges currently manages Gorges & Company Volvo located at K-96 and Webb Road. You can reach them by phone (316) 630-0689 or on the Internet at www.gorges.com. You can email Fred at fgorges@hotmail.com.
Cars, Trucks, Vans & Automotive
2006-07-01 09:12:00
New car buying tips for today
ANSWER: Surprisingly or not, they’re not that much different. Test drive all kinds of different vehicles.  I think the best way to truly get a feel for what you will be happy and comfortable with, is to experience the vehicle first hand.  I always encourage customers to drive a vehicle out to dinner or even overnight.  This gives the customer the opportunity to really find out if it is the right vehicle for them.Establish a relationship with your sales representative.  Customers will always have a more pleasant buying experience if they are open and forward with their sales person about what they are trying to accomplish.   Most sales representatives are trained to treat our customers as guests.  I always use the analogy of staying in a nice hotel or eating at a fancy restaurant.  The level of service is what makes all the difference.  Our goal is to help fulfill the needs of our customers, and develop life long relationships.Question: Is it in my better interest to lease a new car or buy a new car, what are the benefits of leasing over purchasing a car?ANSWER: In my opinion, leasing is always the best way to go.  When you lease a vehicle, you are only paying for the depreciation of that vehicle.  When you purchase a vehicle, you are paying for 100 percent of the vehicle and are responsible for the depreciation when you decide to sell or trade it.  Leasing leaves all options open for the customer.  The customer knows what percentage of the vehicle they are paying for, how much they will be able to purchase the car for at the end of the lease, and can either re-lease the same vehicle at the end of the lease, or turn it back in and lease something different.  When you purchase a vehicle, you are exposed to a great deal of financial liability.  After purchasing a vehicle it ties up a lump sum of money that a lease does not.  With a lease you can keep your money working for you in other investment opportunities.  Purchasing also exposes you to the ever-fluctuating automotive market.  A lease discloses a residual value (value at lease end) before you even sign an agreement.  The list goes on and on…like my Dad taught me, you lease things that depreciate and purchase things that appreciate.  Cars will always depreciate, so leasing is my recommendation.  Question: It used to be that you could buy a new car or truck for around $15,000…now they’re in the upper 20s and 30s.  Where will it stop?  Won’t people eventually get into a situation where they will owe as much on financing and re-financing their vehicles as they do on their home?ANSWER: Actually consumers can still buy new cars and trucks within the $15,000 to $20,000 price range, but they will be limited on the amenities they can get within that price range.  I think people buy cars and trucks for different reasons than they used to.  Cars and trucks have increased in price over the years, but so has the demand for luxury.  People used to buy trucks to haul and tow things, and they needed an all-terrain or economy vehicle.  Those cars and trucks were base models with few amenities.  Today, there are more trucks and SUV’s in town than on the farm.  Parents are hauling kids around instead of farmers hauling bales of hay.  Families want more luxury when looking for a new car or truck, and those luxurious amenities drive the price up as much as changes in the economy or product.  In short, I believe the rising cost of vehicles is due to a combination of things.  You can still buy vehicles for very competitive prices although they might not have TVs, DVD players or satellite radios that so many of us have become accustomed to seeing in new cars and trucks.
 
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