Kamloops Smith Chevrolet co-owners Michael Schreiner, left, and Anthony Muzzillo have been in business together for 28 years after buying the dealership from their two dads who owned it for 20 years prior.

(STACY PAVLOV / iNFOnews.ca)

Shopping for a car can for many, can cause anxiety levels to rise, making it difficult to even step foot onto a car lot. But there comes a time when we will all have to buy a car.
      But browsing a car lot for a new or previously owned vehicle shouldn’t make us want to run for cover when we see the sales person approaching, says Kamloops Smith Chevrolet co-owner Anthony Muzzillo.
     “If someone’s had a bad experience, they may come in tainted by that. It’s often because the customer has felt rushed in the past with a purchase. Sometimes you can tell right away. It’s our job to find out what a buyer’s need is and what we can do to make a past bad experience painless and positive,” says Muzzillo. “We make sure we take enough time and care.”
     Muzzillo says that people’s time is in short supply, so talking to the customer and getting a clear picture of their needs and budget is vital.
     Buyers today tend to be much more informed than they used to be, thanks to them doing research before coming into the dealership. The more information a buyer has, the easier the process will be. For example, if a customer is trading in a vehicle, knowing the amount owned on it is helpful.
     “People aren’t shopping a lot of dealerships anymore because they come in already having a good idea of what they want and where to go.  If we don’t have it on the lot, we can get it. We’ll go anywhere,” says Muzzillo.
     Having a clear idea of budget, factoring in insurance costs, purchasing with the overall purchase price in mind, giving consideration to new and used vehicles and test driving a few vehicles, along with research will go a long way in working effectively and comfortably with the dealership.
     Smith Chevrolet has an online inventory of everything on their six-acre lot. All pre-owned vehicles go through the process to determine if they have been in an accident and the amount of damage sustained. As well, they are thoroughly mechanically checked over by the dealership’s technicians.
More than Cars and Trucks
    Smith Chevrolet offers more than new and used vehicles. The service and parts department, body shop, car wash and fleet inventory round out the service at Smith.
      “We are a Business Elite dealer meaning we have a fleet manager who sells to all the major fleets. We have inventory that we carry specific to many businesses.  These include electricians, plumbers, construction companies and everything in between. This has been a big part of our many years in Kamloops as we have the expertise to get the job done with the right vehicle in mind,” says Muzzillo, who along with partner Michael Schreiner has owned the dealership for 28 years after their two fathers were partners for 20 years.
     Smith Chevrolet has been serving Kamloops and surrounding areas since 1938 when Syd Smith first opened the downtown Kamloops lot. The Smith family ran the business until 1969 when Muzzillo and Schreiner’s fathers bought it. After several years in its original location, they moved to their current location.
     Involvement is the community is important to Muzzillo and Smith Chevrolet. They continue to support local events, and Muzzillo was even very involved in working with community leaders in helping create university status for Thompson River University.
          The 63 Smith Chevrolet employees, one of which just retired after 50 years, are experts in their respective fields.
     Keeping the environment at top of mind, Smith Chevrolet is equipped with a system that heats the shops with used oil from vehicles, and the body shop technicians use a vacuum system on the paint sanders to cut down on dust.
     Providing this full service, community minded, comfortable, at-home service is something Smith Chevrolet prides itself on. They do not want anyone feeling uncomfortable when it comes time to purchasing a vehicle. “We try to make the whole experience stress free,” says Muzzillo.
     To check out the inventory, or find out more, visit www.smithgm.com

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