Randy Griffith
rgriffith@tribdem.com
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The move from Scalp Level took a little longer than expected, but Thomas Team Honda’s manager said the new Stonycreek Township location is exceeding expectations.
“This is a great spot,” General Manager William Ingram said at the dealership at 1920 Bedford St. “It is a hub of commercial activity. Traffic has been great – even better than we expected.”
The partnership of Thomas Automotive Family and Team Motor Sales opened July 1 in the former Team Chevrolet location.
The partnership, announced late last year, preserved most jobs when the former Chevrolet dealership was shut by General Motors.
Although the move from Thomas Honda in Scalp Level was planned to take place by February, rebranding the four-year-old Chevrolet building as a Honda showplace took longer than anticipated.
“It was well worth the wait,” Ingram said. “We are pretty pleased.”
The Honda logo and wave dominate the building’s front, which includes a sheltered outdoor display and presentation area. Customers dropping off cars for service can use the covered service drive that protects them from the weather.
Indoor features include an expanded service waiting area and a product information center with wireless Internet.
A 21-station service garage triples the capacity of the Scalp Level shop and illustrates the continuing convenience for former Team Chevrolet customers.
On most days, Ingram said, about half of the cars in service are not Honda products. Most are Chevrolets brought in by Team customers who remain loyal to the mechanics who continued providing service work at the location. Although warranty work must be done at another Team or Thomas location, the Bedford Street technicians can do out-of-warranty work on any model.
Opening the new location during summer clearance sales is bringing more interest, Ingram said, listing promotions that continue through Labor Day. A grand opening celebration is in the works.
