One Bartlesville Auto Dealer Ready for a Fight

The Real U.S. Auto Industry Story

by a Real U.S. Auto Dealer in Bartlesville, Oklahoma

The gloves are off! We have listened patiently as the media and politicians spin their story of the automotive industry. We have watched sadly this week as a fellow auto dealer representing one of America’s great brands was forced to close his business here in Bartlesville. Now it is time to take charge of our future.

My grandfather and his brothers worked in a Ford dealership in Tonkawa, Oklahoma, as teenagers in the early 1920s. He became a Ford dealer in 1929 at the age of 21 in Braman, Oklahoma. While he accomplished many things in his life for which we are proud, he often said that all he “ever wanted to be was a good Ford dealer.” This business is a family legacy deeply rooted in Oklahoma and the “American dream.”

The auto business is the quintessential American business. From the beginning, the freedom of movement and transportation provided by the automobile resonated with Americans. For all practical purposes, Americans invented the automobile.

The independent dealer distribution system was founded on the principals of individual entrepreneurship and free enterprise. Auto dealers reflect the fabric of America, from the smallest towns to the largest cities. We are an active part of virtually every community.

We are not perfect. Manufacturers and the dealers who represent them have made plenty of mistakes. However, a lot of good things have occurred over the years. From the Model A to the Prius, we have been at the forefront of American life for generations.

A Real Bartlesville, Oklahoma Car Dealership

As the 3rd generation of the Doenges family now running this dealership in Bartlesville, I can honestly tell you that I am surrounded by people of high integrity, who honestly care about our customers and the community we live and work in. I trust them and believe that you can too.

All 66 of us strive for complete customer satisfaction. We recognize that you have many choices and that we have to earn your business by maintaining your complete confidence in us and your vehicle.

As for our manufacturers, we are proud to represent Ford Motor Company and Toyota Motor Sales. They are good partners and each makes a full range of superior products. We speak from experience.

We have been through good times and bad times with them. My grandfather became the Ford dealer in Bartlesville in April 1941. He acquired the Toyota franchise in December 1968 – we are the oldest Toyota dealer in the state of Oklahoma.

Ford and Toyota: Real Auto Manufacturers

Ford continues to distance itself from GM and Chrysler by not taking government money. Ford CEO Alan Mulally, who turned Boeing around, came to Ford over two years ago and started focusing on restructuring Ford.

He also secured a $23 billion line of credit from private banks before the credit freeze. Ford has made huge strides in the quality and fuel efficiency of its vehicles and wants customers to understand that Ford has its own story and is tackling the difficult economy in its own way.

After 26 years as the bestselling vehicle in the country, F-Series is America’s favorite truck. With Ford, Lincoln and Mercury you “drive quality, drive green, drive safety and drive smart.”

Toyota now sells more automobiles than any other company in the world. They have invested heavily in manufacturing facilities in the United States where they employee Americans to build cars in America for Americans.

The great Toyota Tundra truck is made in San Antonio, Texas. We sell the best selling car in America – Camry – and the best selling car in the world – Corolla. Toyota is the leader in quality and value.

Doenges Toyota Ford Lincoln Mercury and Bartlesville: Real Community

At Doenges Toyota Ford Lincoln Mercury, we are very proud to be part of the Bartlesville community. We support dozens of community organizations every year –

• Bartlesville United Way
• Price Tower
• Mutual Girls Club
• OK Mozart
• YMCA
• Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts of Bartlesville
• Bartlesville Schools and Churches
• Bartlesville Youth Scholarships
• 4-H to FFA
• Elder Care
• Lone Star Conference Basketball Tournament
• Woolaroc Road Race and many, many more

We were even recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the longest running corporate sponsor of a sports team in the world for our sponsorship of the Doenges Ford Indians American Legion amateur baseball team since 1941.

We also invest continually in our people, processes and facilities. We spend over $85,000 per year on training for our employees to better serve our customers. In the last eight years, we have opened a new $1 million plus Body Shop and the Quick Lane franchise tire and maintenance facility.

Real Technology in the New Car Marketplace

We just launched a new vehicle shopping tool on our website that for the first time allows consumers to complete the car buying process from start to finish on the website without talking to us – from research, to vehicle selection, to pricing, to trade value, to financing all on your computer. In fact, we are among the first 50 dealers and the first Toyota dealer in the nation to embrace this process.

As I write this, our service team is spending two days reworking our vehicle inspection processes so that we are able to provide you a truly world class vehicle inspection every time your vehicle is in our possession.

The Real Pride of Operating an Automobile Dealership

There is a reason we’ve been voted Bartlesville’s Best Auto Dealer the last four years in the Examiner-Enterprise Best of Bartlesville Readers’ Choice Awards. We know we don’t have the largest inventory – but we’ll go out of our way to get exactly what you want.

As my uncle Bob has told me, “Brad, it’s better to cry for them than to cry with them.” The point is, we buy these new vehicles from the manufacturers before we sell them to you and they won’t negotiate. Too much inventory adds to a dealer’s cost and raises your prices.

We work hard to insure our customers get the most competitive and fair prices available on everything we do. We do offer the best products and services, and the confidence that we are going to be there to take care of your transportation needs in the future.

You can’t turn around these days without hearing about the problems we all face. I want you to know that at Doenges Toyota Ford Lincoln Mercury we’ve decided to come out fighting. We think that our future and the future of our country depend on hard work, the willingness to sacrifice and a commitment to each other as co-workers, community members and Americans.

We are inviting you give us a look. We think you will be impressed with the strides we have made. We are asking you to give us a look because no other dealership does more or cares more about you and your family.

Most importantly, we want to say thank you to all of our loyal customers. We can’t do it without you!

Brad Doenges, A 3rd Generation Dealer, Bartlesville Oklahoma.

For more information please contact Brad Doenges of Doenges Ford Lincoln Mercury Toyota in Bartlesville Oklahoma at (918) 333-0900.

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