Choosing the car dealership that’s right for you sounds easy — until the time comes to steer yourself toward one lot or another. Sure, you know the names of a few places. There’s that one woman from work you know who bought a car from that one dealership in Tacoma, and your brother-in-law got a great trade-in allowance over at this other lot in Auburn, but what does all that mean for you?
All the options can seem a little overwhelming. If customer satisfaction is any indication, however, there’s one dealership in Washington with an unmatched track record of keeping drivers like you happy and coming back. Month after month and year after year, Sunset Chevrolet in Sumner has consistently earned the most rave reviews from Washington car buyers.
Sunset sold the highest volume of Chevys last year, the year before and nearly every year before that since the gas-station-turned-auto-dealership opened its doors in 1920. Taking care of customers has been part of Sunset Chevrolet’s business model for almost 100 years. A legacy of consistent customer service from one generation to the next has helped Sunset Chevrolet grow and thrive, even when the economy struggled.
“You’re not the number one Chevrolet dealership in the state year after year because Sumner is the car-buying capitol of the world,” Mike Conley of Sunset Chevrolet quips. “You accomplish that by earning the business of families, their friends and neighbors who have all been trusting you for generations. We have one of the highest — and some months the single highest — service retention of any other Chevrolet dealership in the country. We believe that our relationship with our customers starts when they buy the vehicle. When you buy a car, truck or RV from Sunset, whether it’s Sunset Trucks or Sunset RV or Sunset Chevrolet, your relationship with our company is really just beginning.”
With the recent opening of a brand new location in Puyallup, Sunset Chevrolet is now poised to accommodate the consistent growth it’s seen in the past decade. Enter Sunset Trucks, which began serving customers in nearby Puyallup in 2015.
Sunset has carried their customer-focused business philosophy and a great selection of their inventory to the new pre-owned truck dealership in Puyallup. “Under Sita Mitchell’s vision and direction, we took an old, outdated building that was sort of a Puyallup landmark that sat vacant for several years and remodeled it into something pretty special. It’s become one of the nicest, state-of-the-art auto dealerships in the United States.”
The expansion is a comfortable transition since Puyallup has been a part of the market area that Sunset has been serving for years. Along with class-A customer service and affordable prices, Sunset will also be bringing along their secret weapons: “Warranty Protection for Life” and “Oil Changes for Life” for qualifying new or used vehicles. “We are continuing with our oil changes for life for all GM products two years old and newer, and we include Warranty Protection for Life on nearly all of our vehicles that are 15 model years old or newer and have less than 100,000 miles at the time of delivery. There are some restrictions, such as a handful of models or certain kinds of modifications to vehicles, but for the most part, just about every vehicle we sell comes with this limited power train warranty.”
When you visit Sunset Trucks, you’ll experience a sales floor that’s more like a camping lodge or a resort that you would see out in the mountains or the woods than a traditional auto dealership showroom setting. A working fireplace flickers, creating a warm atmosphere. The attentive staff makes a notable contribution to the dealership’s ambiance. Mike puts the Sunset difference eloquently:
“Unlike other dealerships that are selling cars to people from all over the country, we have a completely contrary business model. These are not just our customers, not just people who come to buy cars and do service in our service facility. The customers we serve are the same people that we see every day. We take part in the same activities — we shop in the same grocery stores, we attend the same churches, our kids attend the same high schools and we cheer on the same high school football teams. Our philosophy reflects that, and that’s why it’s important to Sunset that we give something back. If it benefits our community, you can bet that Sunset’s going to be involved, either by name or sometimes very quietly.”
Affordable prices, of course, play a big role in what keeps drivers returning to Sunset for upgrades and maintenance. Mike explains, however, that this dealership doesn’t rely on gimmicks or sales to entice buyers. Instead, the sales team aims to offer the best overall value by offsetting the cost of oil changes and guaranteeing their used vehicles.
“We’re not anxious to be known for having the cheapest price,” Mike explains, “because that would mean that we’re offering the cheapest product. We’re interested in providing the best value and lowest total cost for consumers over the lifetime of the vehicle.”
Ken and Annemarie from Puyallup are long-time customers of Sunset’s flagship location and can vouch personally that purchasing from Sunset has lowered the total cost of their auto purchase.
“I’ve purchased four vehicles from Sunset Chevrolet,” Ken says. “My first was a used 1991 Chevy Silverado. I was very happy with the purchase, and the service department helped me out by covering the labor for a torn boot on the 4×4 system by finding a recall on the brakes. I only had to pay about $19 for the rubber boot and they replaced all the recalled rotors and brakes. Most recently I bought a 2014 High Country and was very happy with the transaction and have continued to be happy with the service department and their lifetime oil change and powertrain warranty.”
People visit Sunset Trucks for a truck buying experience that’s as unique as the facility. If you’re searching for a nicer, newer or even late model truck, you can definitely add Sunset Trucks to your list of dealerships to shop.
As Sunset Owner Phil Mitchell says on the radio, “You’ve got to get in here.” And after visiting a Sunset dealership, you’ll quickly see why Sunset has been doing business here since 1920. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Mike says with Sunset’s expansive inventory, Sunset can locate the vehicle you seek.
For more information about Sunset Chevrolet or Sunset Trucks, you can visit Sunset online at sunsetchevrolet.com or sunsetrucks.com.
Sponsored
