After a long day of car searching that led us from the valley of Dayton to the sprawling titan…read moreColumbus, it was needless to say we were tired. I was about two weeks back from the Far East, living as a teacher in Japan, coming back to Old Glory without anything more than the money I earned and family waiting back home.
When we arrived at Landen Motors, I was out of options to find a decent car for an honest price. Tired of trying to barter at big dealerships with ulterior motives to make money off me when I had none to begin with. Exhausted of dealing with small dealerships with promises to clean the car out and detail it after I laid money on the table.
We pulled into the driveway of Landen Motors and found the staff cleaning out cars and wiping down windows. Taking a look around the lot, all the cars were treated with the same dignity.
We were greeted with respect and a clean office, something one would be accustom to at the big dealerships. It's small, and comes off as something we've all seem before. But there's something else here that makes it stand out, the clean walls, carefully decorated tables, and the tidiness of someone who has their heart in their small business.
We immediately found the car we were interested in, and to greater surprise, the interior had been extensively manicured. Clean dashboard, overhead, and carpets with little more than the average wear N' tear one might expect of a car eight years of age. And aside from an honest drop of bird dropping on the windshield, you might say the car was pristine.
We drove the car, and it drove well. No clanks, no wobbles, no screeches, no wails. So, after a more focused inspection, we came back to do business. The part we all dread, fear, and approach with tenseness, and I had good reason to fear it.
Coming back home, I didn't have much, but I knew I needed a dependable car to get me to a new job across town, and a used car was my ONLY option. And that can be scary.
Rana at Landen Motors changed that. She proved not only to be understanding of our situation, but also came as an educator of an industry built on squeezing money from people. She knew her cars intimately, has them each driven, and replaces all parts on them so that they're running as if they just came off the assembly line.
It is no exaggeration. This is what all small dealers SHOULD do.
She took a look at our options, and we found a deal that worked for both parties.
Rana has been working in the field for decades. She understands the market, and has no fear of doing honest business with you. She cares about her cars and her customers. If you NEED a good car that's just going to run, make the drive. Go there.
A business like this isn't easy to find. Like an oasis in the center of a scheming and treacherous desert, you'll know you've found something worth your time. Give it a try.
We almost didn't.
Thanks, Landen Motors.
