By Invitation Only: Mercedes Service Clinic

Has it been a while since you’ve brought your Mercedes in for service? Then you just might already know about our invite-only service clinic, held both in spring and fall.

Invitations are sent to customers we haven’t seen in quite some time and would love to see again! The current fall clinic is this coming Saturday, October 16. If you’ve received an invitation, please note that the deadline to RSVP is tomorrow, Wednesday, October 13. Space is limited, and your spot is only guaranteed with a scheduled appointment.

Participants will receive 10% off of any repairs that are identified and scheduled for service during the clinic. You’ll receive a complete complimentary vehicle inspection, car wash, and dent estimate (if needed). You’ll also get a free gift, free refreshments and snacks, and be entered in a raffle to win even more prizes.

Who said bringing your car in for service couldn’t be fun? Call 414-290-1702 to RSVP!

Live at the Lakefront TONIGHT, August 4!!

Have you attended a Live at the Lakefront performance yet this summer? If not, tonight is another great opportunity to hear some fun music and check out some sleek cars.

The concert goes from 5:30pm-9:00pm at the outdoor theater at Discovery World. Tonight’s band is Los Ciegos del Barrio. They are a Latin band based out of New York, blending meringue, reggaeton, bachata, salsa, cumbia, and rock. Even more amazing is the fact that each of the musicians is legally blind, and their name even plays on that, translating to “The Blind Boys of the Neighborhood.”

Concours will be providing a handful of BMWs tonight as the featured franchise, and Bartolotta’s will provide food, beer, and wine for purchase. As always, though, you are welcome to bring your own (food, beer, wine, BMW, etc.)!

Preview the music you’ll dance to tonight at http://www.losciegosdelbarrio.com/

When you get home, feel free to post your pictures and video on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/concoursmotors!

We’ll see you there!

The Race Is On!

From July 15-18, you would’ve found Concours stationed happily at Road America in Elkhart Lake. This time, it was for the Kohler International Challenge, an annual event featuring vintage motor sports car races. It’s noted as Road America’s signature event, “a blend of art-on-wheels and great competition between everything from cult favorites to priceless limited production models,” as the brochure states.

Bill Wuesthoff mentions that there were around 450 entries this year, making for lots of good participation and good racing. Two of the featured events were the sports car Concours d’Elegance on Friday and the race car Concours d’Elegance on Saturday.

Our dealership provided a display of many new and Certified Pre-owned Porsche cars for the public to see. Also, the new 2010 Saab 9-3 convertible was there—Saab is officially back with new corporate ownership in place. “This gave additional exposure for these exciting products to a group of very discerning motor sports fans,” Bill says.

On hand to help man the display and communicate with interested parties was our own Chuck Kadonsky from our sales team. He was on deck most of the weekend, and he was joined by Chris Wuesthoff (Karl Wuesthoff’s son), Jerry Zimmerman and Michael Scaffidi (sales managers), and Jeff Sorenson (Porsche and Saab Service Manager).

Traffic flow was good all weekend long. If you were a part of that traffic, we’d love to hear about your experience and perhaps see your pictures and videos! You can view more of our pictures and video on our facebook page, www.facebook.com/concoursmotors.

Live at the Lakefront

Milwaukee is buzzing with lots of outdoor activities and entertainment this summer. If you’re looking for some fun without spending a lot of money, check out the Live at the Lakefront concert series on Wednesdays throughout the summer!

Concours is a proud sponsor of the event that runs from July 7-September 1. You’ll find it at the Rotary Amphitheater at Discovery World. And no need to worry about inclement weather; the show goes on rain or shine. If it’s raining, the Promenade inside Discovery World will be the setting for the evening.

Shows are from 5:30pm-9pm, and Bartolotta’s provides food and beverage service, everything from steak sandwiches to grilled brats and hamburgers, and of course, beer and wine. However, you’re welcome to bring your own food and beverages, too! As for the music, Live at the Lakefront offers multiple genres. You’ll hear reggae, jazz, Afro-Cuban, bluegrass, salsa, rock, etc. Check out http://www.liveatthelakefront.com/ for specific concert dates and to see who’s playing!

Visit our Facebook page to see photos and even some video from the concerts so far this month! http://www.facebook.com/newsue#!/album.php?aid=200375&id=82042764123

Mazda Friends and Family Pricing!

Hello, friends! We invite you to read the following exciting memo from Tom Kossow in our sales department:

Concours is proud to announce Friends and Family pricing on all new Mazdas! As loyal Concours customers, you are ALL friends and can benefit from this great savings program. If you wish to take advantage, just contact any of our sales professionals and get the best deal in town on your next Mazda.

All pricing is based on supplier prices, and don’t forget your trade-in is worth more today! With strong used car values, now is the time to make your best deal. Check out our inventory online at www.concoursmotors.com. Offer ends 7/31/10.

As of 7/13/10, we have the following inventory available on our lot:

Mazda 3: 29
Mazda 5: 5
Mazda 6: 7
Mazda Tribute: 1
Mazda Speed 3: 3
Mazda Miata: 4
Mazda CX-7: 9
Mazda CX-9: 13

Stop in or call us at 414-290-1400 today!

Stars Among Us

The stars just keep rising here at Concours, in all different forms, from rock stars to service stars! Mercedes-Benz is currently in the middle of holding their Stars of Service Championships, and two of our own have advanced to higher levels!

Todd Dekker, Mercedes Service Advisor, and Dave White, Mercedes Technician, have both advanced in the competition.

The first round for both began with a series of online tests, involving everything from product knowledge to customer service knowledge to company history trivia. This round actually took place in March of 2009, but the competition was unfortunately cancelled, so the results carried over to April of 2010 for the second round of online tests.

Both Todd and Dave advanced to regionals, beating out thousands of others across the country. Dave mentioned that there were around 1600 techs that participated in the online testing! Todd was one of 24 service advisors to advance.

In June, they participated in the regional competition. Todd’s test involved a mock service write-up, everything from greeting the customer to diagnosing the problem and creating a repair order. There was also a technical aspect in which he had to demonstrate product/part knowledge.

Dave’s test involved 4 different timed stations. A vehicle was bugged in each one, and he had 5 minutes each to determine the problem and demonstrate knowledge of basic procedures, as well as proper protection of the vehicle and himself.

The next step is nationals, and Dave has already been informed that he is one of only 32 techs to advance! Todd will hear the service advisor results sometime this week, and he could be one of only 8 service advisors to go to the next level.

The ultimate prize is a trip to Germany for only 2 advisors and 5 techs to compete against 16 other countries and battle it out to be named the best in the world!

Be sure to congratulate them and wish them luck next time you see them! We’re proud to see Todd and Dave succeeding in this competition and to be able to say they’re part of the Concours team.

What A (Car) Show-off...

Ladies and Gentlemen, It’s the first day of summer, and it’s also car show season! Perhaps you’ve even been to a few already. Tonight (June 21) is particularly special for us. Over at Brew City Grill in Mequon, it’s Saab/Volvo/Spyker/Koenigsegg night!

Join them from 6pm-10pm to experience the enthusiasm. Concours will be providing some Saab merchandise from our accessories department, and Brew City will provide beer and food specials!

Interested in seeing car shows all summer long? Looking for your favorite franchise? Check out this link: http://www.wiscollectorcar.com/car-shows/car-show-calendar.html

There you’ll find the calendar listing local car shows across the area and even into Illinois. Many provide food specials and even dj’s to add to the atmosphere. Let us know your favorites and share your experiences on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/concoursmotors.

A Look Into the Future!

It’s time to take a look ahead…into the FUTURE!

We’re prepping here at Concours for all of the new additions and revamps coming from each of the franchises we represent, and if you’ve heard the news, we hope you’re excited for the future as well! Here are the latest updates for our store:

• BMW is bringing out a new 5-series 2-wheel drive this month and an all-wheel-drive in the fall. We should also be getting new Hybrid X-6 and Hybrid 7-series vehicles soon, and we expect anytime to receive the refreshed X-5 and refreshed 3 coupe and convertible! Look for a new X-3 next year.
• Mazda will be bringing out the Mazda2 late this summer. A gas version will be available first, and for all you diesel drivers, expect a version you’ll love to arrive a little later.
• The Mercedes E cab is available now! We also have an E-550 here for showing—we won’t be getting very many of these, so we encourage you to stop in soon! We’ve also been told that the R class will be refreshed and the CLS revamped, so be on the lookout for those. If you’ve heard that the SLS is already out, you’re right; we just unfortunately do not have any available yet.
• Regarding Porsche, the Panamara has been quite a popular vehicle! Expect a version with a V-6 to arrive in a few weeks! Pricing will be in the mid 70s, with mid 80s pricing including a few extra options. We’ll also see a new Cayenne at the end of the month, followed with a hybrid later in the year and a diesel next year. (Check out the blog on our GM Jim Clark’s trip to Germany to see and experience the new Cayenne first-hand earlier this year!) Porsche will also be releasing the GT2 RS, a 620-hp 911, costing around $245,000. They are also releasing a Speedster 911 for around $204,000 late this year. As you might expect, the GT2 RS and Speedster 911 will be in limited production, so speak up early, as it will be difficult to get our hands on them! In Spring 2011, look for a GTS Carrerra coupe starting around $103,000 (convertible will start at $112,900) as well as a Cayman Derivative starting at $65,000.
• What a ride Saab has had recently! Thankfully, the franchise will get to live on, with a new 9-3X wagon already available. We will see a 9-5 around July (with a 9-5 wagon expected next spring), the 9-4 SUV late this year or early next year, and an all-new 9-3 coming in 2012. Within the next 2 years, we should see the Saab line completely revamped!
• Volkswagen will be bringing out the new Jetta this September and the new Touareg later this year. They’ve also opened a new plant in Tennessee that will release the new, compact NCS next year and the new mid-size NMS next spring. And the New Beetle? Look for that in 2012! Want to get a first-hand look at the NCS that NOBODY has been able to see yet? Tune in tomorrow morning to “Live! With Regis and Kelly” to see the official reveal.

Have any questions? Interested in test-driving and/or purchasing any of the vehicles? Give us a call! You can reach our main store at 414-290-1400 and our BMW store at 414-290-4200.

Check out the New E-Class!

Have you heard about the all-new 2011 Mercedes-Benz E350? It was unveiled at a special showing of Sex and the City 2. The event was sponsored by Concours and held at the iPic Theatre in Bayshore Town Center. The Mercedes shown at the premiere was a replica of the one that Carrie drove in the movie.

Two of the people in attendance were our marketing rep, Katie Heup and one of our Mercedes salespeople, Dierk Schulz. An after-party was held at MOCT (pronounced “most”) in the 5th ward, and the place was decorated in a Moroccan theme in keeping with the movie location! There were also Mercedes-Benz and Chanel-themed door prizes.

Dierk tells me that the 2011 E350 is an all-new 4-seater convertible. There had been a version available in the mid-1980s, and now it has officially been brought back! It’s intended as a successor to the CLK.

Here in our showroom, we do not currently have an E350 available to drive, but we have an E550. We’d love to show it to you!

Go, Speed Racer, Go!

Unusual doors keep opening here at Concours since starting the blog. Interesting stories from both past and present continue to pop up as we look for new and exciting topics. The most recent involves our owner, Karl Wuesthoff, and his latest racing adventure.

As you may already know, the Wuesthoffs have been very involved in the sport of racing for decades. Karl and Lee Wuesthoff both short course off-road for about 5-6 years (Lee continued for another 5 years on his own). They won many races and a number of class championships between the two of them. They also participated in Micky Thompson’s stadium racing series in the 80s, and raced the very last off-road race at Riverside in California, in which Lee finished 2nd in class 1 (unlimited buggies).

And just this past May, Karl participated in the first Vintage Baja 1000 down in Mexico! This event was coordinated by N.O.R.R.A., the same people who put on the original Baja 1000 as well as 4 or 5 subsequent events before SCORE took over. He had received a call from a long-time friend, off-road racer, and bank stock trader Chris Raffo from Chicago. Chris was looking for a driver to help pilot his SCORE class 3 1978 Chevy Blazer full race truck with full-time 4x4 and 550hp.

The race began in rally format in Mexicali near the US border. It involved long off-road stages up to 180 miles each and connecting transit stages that were 20-40 miles each, and it lasted 3 days! The first stop was the Bay of L.A. on the Sea of Cortez, followed by Loreto, and ending in La Paz. The racers slept under the stars in the Bay of L.A.; there were absolutely no hotels, but there was plenty of cold beer…

“The terrain was amazing,” Karl said, “from endless dry lake beds to 6 to 8-foot wide goat trails, up mountains with 1000-foot drops and no guard rail or real road, tricky rock crawling, deep sands, and tens of thousands of acres of dense Saguaro cactus forests!”

Karl was excited because the event was “a virtual who’s who of off-road racing.” Famous names included Parnelli Jones, Walker Evans, Rodd Hall, Bob Gorden (Robbie’s dad), Malcom Smith, and Bruce Meyers of Meyers Manx, the inventor of the dune buggy. (A little Concours trivia: Concours was a Manx dealer for a couple of years!)

Karl was able to swap stories and rub shoulders with many of the other participants, all of whom were total enthusiasts. “The comaraderie was awesome,” he said. Everyone helped everyone else, even teaming up to fix a flat for Parnelli when his jack broke. There was also a volunteer support crew of 6 people and 3 trucks to help keep vehicles fueled and to fix or “MacGyver” broken equipment.

In the end, Karl and Chris came in 25th overall out of over 100 entrants and won their class! So be sure to stop and say congratulations if you see Karl!

If you have any racing stories of your own, we’d love to hear them! Feel free to comment on the blog or visit our Facebook page!

R-O-C-K at Concours Motors, USA!

I propose a bet—you had no idea there was a rockstar in our midst here at Concours. (And for those of you that know who’s writing this, I’m not referring to myself!) That rockstar is Dan Kolasinski, our own Mercedes Service Manager and former bass player. Had it not been for the Beatles, most of us probably wouldn’t know Dan personally today.

Okay, so that’s a little over-dramatic, but truth be told, Dan’s band made it pretty darn far…

Back in the late 60s, Dan was in a band called Music Monster with his drummer friend, Brian Pierottie. The band was pretty popular on the south side of Milwaukee; they were basically the go-to band for all of the CYO dances at local schools.

In 1967, they entered a Battle of the Bands contest. They didn’t win, but they managed to come in 5th out of roughly 80 bands! Two days after the contest, they got a call from Eddie Matthies, Sr. He owned a couple of bars and restaurants in town…and he was a producer to boot. He liked what he saw at the battle and wanted Dan and Brian to audition for a band he was creating. He was looking for the best of the best, and the intention was to cut a record and go national.

Dan and Brian made the cut, along with Jim Gorton on rhythm guitar, Dan Delker on lead guitar, and Eddie Matthies, Jr. on the Hammond B3 organ, complete with a Leslie. Most of the guys were in their late teens, while Eddie was only 13! To round off the sound, all of them sang, creating 5-part harmonies on EVERY song. The group was officially called The New Look.

Eddie Matthies, Sr. had established a deal to record in Nashville, so he bought a Greyhound bus with “The New Look” written on the side to take the band and an entire crew down there, as well as brand new, top-of-the-line equipment (speakers, amps, etc.). In the spring of ’68, they recorded an album over their Easter break from school!

They recorded two songs specifically to be sold on 45s. The “A” side was called “East of the Dawn (In the Year of Our Love),” and the “B” side was “What Did You Take Me For?” Both songs were written by professional songwriters, namely Dan Folger and Kathy Childress.

Just before the record was officially released that spring, they opened for The Rascals in Milwaukee. There were 3 opening bands, and The New Look was to be the last one, and their new single was hyped up at the gig. It turns out, too, that The Rascals were running late. They didn’t show up for the rain-soaked practice, and the show was to start around 7pm. As 6pm approached, they were nowhere in sight, and Dan’s band wondered if they might have to play more songs than planned!

But of course, The Rascals showed up, and Felix Cavaliere (keyboards) ran up to Dan, saying he heard he had some really good speakers, and could he use them? Dan said yes on the condition that Felix give him an autograph.

That summer, The New Look played with the Box Tops down in Nashville, and they also played at the very first Summerfest in 1968. At that time, Summerfest was held just north of the War Memorial. The band opened for Andy Kim that year (of “Rock Me Gently” and “Sugar Sugar” fame), and even played as his back-up band!

The New Look’s record made the Top 5 here in Milwaukee and Nashville that June and was starting to climb the charts in the Boston area, where it made the Top 10 that August.

And then the Beatles released “Hey Jude.” Of course, there was no way they would beat them out—if they had, we definitely wouldn’t know Dan at Concours! Shortly afterward, the band slowly broke up. The lead guitarist, Dan Delker, fell in with that underground Led Zeppelin crowd, and no longer wanted to do “bubblegum” Top 40 radio hits. They replaced him with a guitarist named Keith who could play and sing like Jimi Hendrix! But when Brian, the drummer, started to go with the underground crowd, too, Keith went with him.

I’ve personally heard “East of the Dawn (In the Year of Our Love)” and I have to say it’s incredible to hear—not just the song itself, but the quality of the sound and the amazing harmonies. If Dan ever lets you, I recommend taking a listen!

Dan Kolasinski, 1960s rockstar. Who knew?

Coming Soon: The New 2011 Porsche Cayenne!

Over the weekend of May 7-9, our GM Jim Clark attended a Porsche event in Leipzig, Germany. It was a quick but exciting, event-filled trip, during which the 2011 Porsche Cayenne was revealed!

Jim left for Germany at 4:30pm on Thursday, May 6, and arrived at 2pm on Friday via Dusseldorf. He reached his hotel room to find one of the weirdest goodie bags ever created; it was filled with a coat, shirt, stocking hat, scarf, LED light to mount on your head, Wellington rubber boots, and a letter instructing the attendees to wear each of those items that night. (Wonder if Jim got any pictures…!)

Well, it wasn’t long before they figured out what this was all for—they ended up on a scavenger hunt while walking through a cow pasture. Thank you, Porsche, for thinking ahead and providing boots. The hunt directed everyone to the far end of the local racetrack as they migrated across a field following a Porsche to the Point, or as they call it, the “diamond.” Everyone gathered in bleacher seats as the main presentation finally began!

“The new Cayenne looks even sexier than before,” says Jim, “with re-sculpted body lines that make the vehicle look smaller even though it is larger.” For the first time, it is offered in a pretty yellow. After the initial presentation, the attendees were allowed a look inside. The interior console is new and the features more closely resemble the new Panamera.

Day One ended with dinner and speeches from the current CEO Michael Macht as well as the current leader of Marketing and Sales, Bernhard Maier. They all returned to their hotel rooms at 2am, but Porsche had arranged for a 6:30am wake-up call! The attendees would have breakfast and be on a bus by 7:30.

Porsche directed a little test on Day 2 “to make sure we were paying attention,” Jim mentioned—a tech session competition between 15 groups. The reward for completing the session (which of course included everyone!) was a factory tour where they saw the new 2011 Cayennes and Panameras being assembled, the same vehicles that we will be receiving in about 3 months!

After that, it was time to drive and experience the new cars first-hand. Everyone was paired up and given new Cayennes to drive—on the Autobahn! “It is amazing how nice this sport utility rides at 220km/hr,” Jim says. For those of you playing along at home, that’s 136mph without risking a speeding ticket.

Lunch that day was followed by yet another driving excursion back on the racetrack. This time they drove Cayenne Turbos on a track that includes corners from tracks all over the world. Jim claims he was adept at all but one tight s-turn called the Mobil S. (So he says, but I suppose we’ll take his word for it. He is the GM, after all…) Jim’s partner, though, was able to handle the Mobil S. “He put the whole truck into a side slide, all the time knowing this truck could handle it,” he says.

The last adventure was off-track four-wheeling which included a side hill drive at 30-degrees and “hill-climb testing the new hill assist feature on an 80-degree grade climb.”

The night was capped off with a reception, dinner, and entertainment. Jim was able to visit with other Porsche enthusiasts from other dealerships across the world, including the USA, Canada, Australia, and Japan.

And he says the food was phenomenal, by the way.

Finally, it was time to start the long journey home. The trip was made even longer by a 2½-hour delay in Dusseldorf due to the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano that is still erupting. A flight eventually took Jim and the other passengers north of Iceland and into Greenland. “The sky was clear and the view of the ice flows and snow in Greenland was spectacular.”

It may have been a fast trip into a different time zone, but the experiences and the vehicle were well worth it! Just 3 months and you’ll be able to get your own hands on it. Keep in touch with us for the ultimate reveal of the 2011 Porsche Cayennes here at Concours!

Jaws: The Saga Continues, or Concours' Believe It Or Not!

Just when you think you know someone, you find out he used to run a shark-hunting business—and he lost his hand BEFORE he ever hunted his first shark, and now he works for Concours!

That man is our own Michael Scaffidi. He’s taught me that if you ask the right questions of someone, you’ll discover the hidden stories that you would never expect to hear. When we asked our employees to answer some bio questions to be posted on the new Concours website, http://www.concoursmotors.com/, Michael mentioned in a quick blurb that the only time he wasn’t in Milwaukee was during his brief stint in the Florida keys running a shark-hunting business in the 70s! Fortunately, he was willing to take some time to tell me the story, and he’s allowing me to share it on our blog!

Back in his early days, Michael was pretty big into sports and had been off to spring training in LaCrosse, WI. When he returned, his dad got him a job working at Continental Can, just down the road from where Concours is now. Continental Can made beer cans, and Michael worked the line. On his 3rd day on the job, a large piece of sheet metal crashed on top of him, leaving scars and cutting off his hand! I almost didn’t believe him—Michael has two hands and they’re both real, but he explained that it took 2 years and 7 operations to reattach his hand.

Not surprisingly, Michael was in a bit of a funk afterward. He found it difficult to go back to school, and he couldn’t be involved in sports. So he and some friends took a 3-week vacation down to the Florida Keys, setting up in a campground. They went fishing, and ended up catching sharks!

He returned home and tried to go back to college, but 3 weeks vacation wasn’t enough to help. So with $97, a backpack, a sleeping bag, and a tent, Michael hitchhiked back down to the Florida Keys. He got a job cleaning a bar floor, saved up some money, and in 2 months’ time, bought a pick-up truck and a boat and started his shark-hunting business.

He would shark-hunt on his own, but he would also take clients out. He would meet them in the bars in the evenings, and ask if they wanted to have one of the best experiences of their lives. Then he’d take them out fishing and hunting the next day.

Michael would catch up to 500-lb sharks—hammerheads, nurse sharks, and bull sharks, and this business was actually quite profitable. He would sell the meat for $0.20/lb to local crab and lobster fishermen to use as bait in their businesses, and he would get the jaws clean and sell them to tourists for $50-75 bucks as he walked through the local campgrounds.

Catching sharks is quite an ordeal, as he explained. There’s no simple rod and reel involved. Instead, a cable that is around 100 feet long is stretched across the ocean floor and anchored on each side either by a coral reef or 6 cinder blocks. Steel chains with hooks are attached along the cable itself. Someone would have to dive down, unclip the line, and let it come to the surface so it could be baited. Then that person would dive down again and reattach it. You set it up in the morning, go fishing for fish, then return at the end of the day to see if you’ve caught any sharks.

If you have, someone must dive down and unclip the cable. At this point, the shark has been unable to swim for a long time and has become lethargic, so the danger isn’t as great. But Michael says as the cable rises, you’ll see a large black cloud coming up from under the surface and you start “freaking out!”

Once the shark is caught, it’s pulled onto the boat. Michael’s boat was 17 feet long, and many sharks would be lying with their heads and tails hanging off either edge! The boat could also be 4 inches from sinking due to the weight of the shark, the people, and the equipment!

With such excitement and all the profit, what would make Michael give up his business? A real-life scene out of Jaws, that’s what…

On what turned out to be his last fishing day, only he and a friend had gone out on the boat to hunt. Michael swam down to unclip the cable and see if they had caught anything. The water that day was particularly murky, and it was difficult to find the cable. They figured it was due to the current.

When Michael surfaced, he was a significant distance from the boat and the buoy that should have marked the cable on a better day. He looked up to see his friend standing up in the boat, waving frantically for Michael to swim back. It turns out that the water was murky because there was a 15-20 foot hammerhead caught on the line, still swimming, dragging the cinder blocks around behind it! And now, it was coming for Michael.

He swam as fast as he could toward the boat, but when he got there, he was too exhausted to pull himself in, and his friend couldn’t risk losing sight of the shark. So Michael just hung there and waited.

Well, you know how it ends because obviously Michael is alive to tell the story today! His friend got the shark, and Michael said that was it! He returned to working at the bar for a little bit, and finally he came home to Milwaukee, and now he’s part of the team at Concours—a rather calm living compared to shark hunting. Apparently, we’ll have to wait and see if there will ever be a sequel…

Concours Mythbusters!

You know that at Concours, we offer our customers 6 different franchises to choose from—BMW, Mazda, Mercedes, Porsche, Saab, and Volkswagen. With such a variety of imports, it’s natural to expect that our pricing would be higher across the board for all franchises—but it’s not true! So it’s time for a little Concours Mythbusters!

Myth: You’ll pay a premium price for every car on our lot because we’re a high-line dealer.
Truth: We pride ourselves on our competitive pricing. Of course, like any dealer, we set out to make a profit on all sales, but each brand is different and has its own distinct customer base. The individual markets determine their own pricing, and that establishes our pricing, meaning that we remain competitive in all brands. Find a Mercedes at one price somewhere else and you’ll find the same or a very similar price here. Find a Mazda at one price somewhere else, and you’ll also find the same or a very similar price here. So what makes us different then? That’s where our service level can speak volumes. We hold ourselves to high standards that come at very affordable prices, which makes your buying experience with us a unique one.

Myth: If you want high-quality service, you must purchase a recognized luxury vehicle.
Truth: A rose is a rose is a rose. We want to make sure you’re happy and satisfied when you walk out the door and drive off of our lot. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you drive, or how much you spend. We’ll take care of you and we’ll get the job done right—just look at our high CSI scores! You know that our motto is “Where Service Makes the Difference,” and that doesn’t just mean maintenance. From your first step into the dealership, we set out to create a quality car-buying experience for you!

The ultimate truth is that we are an imports dealer. In fact, we’re one of the oldest in the state, having been around for 55 years, and that’s a definite benefit for you. It means that whether you’re buying a $15,000 car from us or a $100,000 car, you can trust in our time-tested experience in the business.

We provide franchises that we believe in and that will appeal to a wide range of different customers with different personalities and different needs! It doesn’t matter if you’re interested in a new car, a pre-owned car, or a certified pre-owned car. Whatever you’re looking for, we offer a great selection, and we’ve got it at the right price. Just remember that we’ll throw in the quality service and personal attention that you’ve always expected from us, and more, all for free.

Dealing With the Dealer

Has anyone seen a light at the end of the recession tunnel? No? Well, if you find it, could you kindly direct the rest of us toward it? It would be very helpful.

In the meantime, it’s no surprise that we’ve all had to rethink some of our priorities in order to budget our money better over the last few years, and it hasn’t always been easy. So when your car starts to slip below status quo or just needs some routine maintenance, you may have considered using an independent repair shop as opposed to your local dealership. Bob Murphy, our Fixed Operations Director, spoke with me about why it’s really better for you to continue to deal with the dealer. And just for fun, we’ll use Concours as the example!

First, we have factory-trained technicians. Not only do our techs enjoy working on cars, “they specialize in your brand,” Bob says. They don’t work on anything else, and they have a high level of knowledge about your brand. This means they know the best way to tackle any problems your car is experiencing and get them fixed correctly and efficiently.

Moreover, our technicians use only factory-approved special tools for the job, and you can be assured that only genuine, factory-approved replacement parts will be used to repair your vehicle.

As a dealer, Bob adds that we have access to all of the latest, up-to-date information from the manufacturer concerning your car. For example, when you bring in your car and we notice any manufacturer recalls or open campaigns, we’ll notify you and fix it at no charge.

To add further, if you want to keep your warranty in place, you need to bring your car to the dealer. In most cases, if a part has been replaced elsewhere, the warranty becomes void. And why wouldn’t you use your warranty anyway? It means that you won’t have to pay for anything that it covers!

Here at Concours, we can also provide you with a rental or loaner vehicle when available! We also work to bring you competitive pricing, so in the end, your repair bill won’t be much different from an independent repair shop. And even if it is, look above again to see what that price includes—in the long run, you’ll save yourself money, time, and stress by taking your car to a specialized, reputable dealership that will fix your car right!

Our friendly service advisors are always eager to meet new faces and greet familiar friends. Please call the numbers below to make your appointment, or schedule conveniently online by clicking here www.concoursmotors.com/ou/milwaukee-splash/console.do?page=s_service_app! (Hint: you can also visit www.concoursmotors.com and click on your vehicle brand to schedule! A service advisor will call you to confirm.)

BMW Service: 414-290-4300
Mazda Service: 414-290-1701
Mercedes Service: 414-290-1702
Porsche Service: 414-290-1703
Saab Service: 414-290-1704
Volkswagen Service: 414-290-1705

How Well Do You Know Concours?

Do you know your Concours trivia? Did you know we’ve been in business since 1955? Or that the original location was on 3710 N. Oakland Ave? What about the fact that we had the Chevrolet franchise from 1976-1978? Did you know one of the original technicians (and later, General Service Manager) was named Ziggy Zapp? Here’s a brief summary of our history—let’s get more acquainted, shall we?

According to Bill Wuesthoff, our current owner along with sons Karl and Lee and family, Concours opened in January 1955 as a joint effort between 5 partners, including his father, Herb Wuesthoff, Sr. At the time, imported cars were becoming more popular, and they each saw a need for a dealership specializing in imports; hence, Concours was created to fill that need!

Volkswagen was the first franchise to be brought in along with Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Jaguar, and Lancia. How was Volkswagen chosen? For those of you playing at home, Volkswagen means “people’s car.” It was for this reason that VW was an original franchise—to be a “bread-and-butter” car for the dealership, a popular car that the people would consistently have an interest in and a desire for, a fun car that would also meet people’s basic transportation needs.

In 1960, we relocated to 1935 W. Silver Spring, and in 1966, we made one last move to our current location at 1400 W. Silver Spring. Over time, Bill Wuesthoff and Herb Wuesthoff, Jr. bought out each of the original owners, who took some of the franchises with them as they left. And about 25 years ago, Bill bought out Herb! In 1998, we separated the body shop and created BodyWorks by Concours, and in 2006, our BMW franchise moved to its own building at 5990 N. Green Bay.

Through all of the changes and additions, integrity, service, and progress have remained the basic principles in our business. The moment you enter through the doors of any of our locations, you are a part of the Concours family and always a high priority. You tell us what you’re looking for or what you need, and we will do everything we can to get it done. We have always believed that that’s what separates us from the rest—our service to our customers. We’re the place “where service makes the difference.”

Enter shameless plug: If you agree, please vote for Concours and BodyWorks by Concours on WISN’s A-List Contest!

Click here to vote for Concours as Best Dealership: http://wisn.cityvoter.com/concours-motors/biz/540325?utm_source=wisn-cityvoter.com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=share-contest

Click here to vote for BodyWorks by Concours as Best Body Shop: http://wisn.cityvoter.com/body-works-by-concours/biz/547683

Make Concours #1 on WISN's A-List!

Do you think we’re A-List quality? That’s what we strive for, and we only reach that quality because of our customers. We’re here for you because that’s our motto—“service makes the difference.” Whether you’re working with a salesperson on buying a car, asking our parts department for advice, or bringing your car in for regular maintenance, we intend to give you only the best service.

Well, WISN is running their A-List contest right now on their website to determine the best businesses in multiple categories! Concours is nominated for Best Dealership, and BodyWorks by Concours is nominated for Best Body Shop. We need your votes to reach the top! Currently, Concours is in 2nd place, and BodyWorks is holding steady at number 1!

You can vote online at http://wisn.cityvoter.com/contests/spring-fever/4767. The contest ends May 5 at 10:59:59pm Eastern time. The businesses with the highest number of votes in each category will be declared the winners and top businesses in the area!

So please vote for us and tell your friends; spread the word that you think Concours is A-list quality, providing top-notch service to all of our customers across the board! And please post on our walls on Facebook and tell us what you like about our dealership!

www.facebook.com/ConcoursMotors

www.facebook.com/BodyworksbyConcours

Vote for us on WISN's A-List!

Drive for Babies

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! Coming on October 15, 2010, you’ll have the opportunity to drive on the Road America track in Elkhart Lake, all for a good cause--Drive for Babies! The entry fees are donations toward the March of Dimes – Wisconsin Chapter.

Maybe you’ve heard of the March of Dimes, but you’re not exactly sure what it is. According to the Wisconsin chapter’s website, their mission is to “improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.” They do so through “research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies’ lives.” You can do your part easily and have a blast driving on the Road America track in return!

The Drive for Babies is non-competition based. Rather, you’ll drive the 4-mile track at “moderate speeds,” following instructors with racing experience. You’ll learn driving skills for both the racing track and regular streets and become a better overall driver. And there’s no need to be nervous if you have little to no racing experience; all participants are placed into groups based on current skill levels, and each group will have 4 of their own 20-minute on-track sessions.

Entry fee for participants is $250, and guests can accompany for $50 (but guests will not be allowed to ride in the cars). You’ll enjoy free breakfast and lunch, as well as an awards dinner at the end of the day at Siebkins.

What does Concours have to do with this? We’ve been a sponsor of the Drive for Babies for 5 years—in fact, that Karl Wuesthoff is part of the expert group of drivers each year. This year, breakfast is on us. There are varying levels of sponsorship, all including a free driver ticket. For detailed information on how to become a sponsor, please visit their website: http://www.marchofdimes.com/wisconsin/43231_63100.asp. The contact person is Cymbria Jung, and she can be reached at 414-203-3121, or 800-669-9255. You can also view their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DriveforBabies

Concours will also provide a pre-tech inspection session one week before the event, so be sure to check back for specific details as we get closer. This is a free and optional service. It is unrelated to the required tech inspection that will happen at the track, but it will offer you the opportunity to catch any potential problems and have time to get them fixed before the event.

Hope to see you there!

Is the snow gone? Is it safe? The weather is slowly starting to turn around, and hopefully Mother Nature will play nice and not throw in any more random snow days like she did on the first day of spring. So as we stay positive and look forward to sunny days and warmer weather, it’s time to get your car detailed and ready to shine!

A professional detailing can make your car look like new and even make you feel refreshed yourself. Your car has inevitably picked up a lot of dirt, salt, and grime throughout the winter months, and it’s important to get it all removed to avoid any long-term damage. The salt especially can cause rust over time; it’s better to prevent it now than have to fight it later, after it has already started to ruin the finish.

Exterior detailing can also remove any minor scratches and environmental damage that is just beginning, and it will protect your car from further damage. On the interior, that coffee stain might finally disappear and your loose change will stop sticking to the bottom of your cup holder.
Concours offers two different packages for your vehicle, and our detailers will ensure that every last dirty spot is caught and cleaned. Here are the details on the detail packages!

“A” Service:

• Exterior hand wash and wax
• Interior vacuum
• Interior/Exterior window cleaning
• Exterior tire dressing

**Special pricing through April 30, 2010:

• BMW cars: $199 + tax
• MB, Mazda, Porsche, Saab, VW cars: $99 + tax
• MB, Mazda, Porsche, Saab, VW SUVs: $149 + tax

“B” Service:

• Exterior hand wash
• Interior vacuum
• Interior/Exterior window cleaning
• Clean interior dash and trim
• Clean wheel wells and door jambs
• Upholstery spot cleaning
• Shampoo carpeted floor mats
• Exterior tire dressing
• Exterior buff, polish, and wax

**Special pricing through April 30, 2010:

• MB, Mazda, Porsche, Saab, VW cars: $199 + tax
• MB, Mazda, Porsche, Saab, VW SUVs: $249 + tax

Make an appointment with your service advisor today—your friends will think you bought a new car!

How Green Is Your Car?

Have you gone green? Maybe you buy green household cleaners, got rid of paper statements and pay your bills online, use a refillable water bottle instead of buying bottled, switched to energy-efficient light bulbs, etc. But what about your car? Is there even anything you can do to make your car green? You might be surprised at how easy it is.

Cars are usually branded as evil in the fight to protect our environment, but it’s safe to say we probably won’t see a sudden widespread return of the horse-and-buggy. So what can we do? Mazda published an article called “Driving Greener” in their Spring 2010 edition of Zoom Zoom, listing some easy tips on how to do so. A simple online search can bring up even more results, including a site called www.greenercars.com. For your convenience, we’ve collected some of those tips right here! You might notice a pattern: going green can save you some green!

• Keep up with required maintenance such as oil and filter changes, and keep your tires properly inflated and rotated on a regular basis. Keeping your car running at peak performance not only increases your fuel economy, but it will save your pocketbook and the environment.
• Slow down! The faster you drive, the more “aerodynamic drag” increases, according to Zoom Zoom. This means your car must work harder to maintain speed, and you’ll end up wasting gas and money. The average car is designed to be the most efficient around 65mph—the simple act of avoiding a speeding ticket will also reduce your impact on the environment!
• Combine your trips. You’ll save yourself some time, and you’ll prevent your car from having to warm all the way up more than once.
• In the warmer months, roll the windows down instead of blasting the air conditioning. You’ll use less fuel and reduce your emissions, and your engine won’t leak the chemicals used for air conditioning into the ground. Be sure to park in the shade whenever possible and use a windshield shade as well.
• Clean out your car! If you have a lot of items weighing you down, your car will have to work harder and use more gas.
• Avoid stop-and-go driving as much as possible. Take the freeway instead of regular streets, and avoid rush hour if you can.
• Are you close to your destination? Take a walk or ride your bike! Give your car a rest and get some exercise and fresh air.
  

Can you think of other tips? Let us know! The more we share and spread the word, the greener we can get!

The Toyota Recall

In January of this year, Toyota initiated a recall of 2.3 million vehicles due to a problem in which the gas pedal can become stuck, causing the vehicle to accelerate out of control. This number doesn’t even include the cars recalled due to a separate issue in which the floor mat can become stuck on the gas pedal itself.

No doubt this has caused many of us to wonder about the true safety of our own cars, even if not affected by the recall. I spoke with Dan Kolasinski, Mercedes Service Manager, about this in regard to the cars we have at Concours.

Many newer cars are made with technology called drive by wire, a feature that many news stories bring up when referring to Toyota’s recall. Drive by wire essentially means that the driver is no longer in direct control of the throttle when depressing the gas pedal because that linkage doesn’t exist. Instead, a sensor sends a signal to the computer and indicates how much gas to give based on the position of the driver’s foot. All of the cars we represent here (Mercedes, Mazda, Porsche, Saab, Volkswagen, and BMW) have available drive by wire technology (please check with your service representative for specific years and models).

Toyota has drive by wire, too, but drive by wire is not the problem. Toyota’s affected vehicles lacked a feature in which the brake will automatically override the accelerator in any situation. You’ll find that the brake does override the accelerator in most German-made cars, and that includes Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, and Volkswagen models.

According to Dan Kolasinski, Mercedes was the leader in providing this feature beginning in 1989. By 1992, every Mercedes model had it. They were also the first to provide safety features such as anti-lock brakes and airbags.

Of course, Mercedes has a plethora of other safety features, as do all of the vehicles at Concours. (Volkswagen, for example, provides many standard safety features comparable to those of premium car brands, as noted by Steve Halverson, Volkswagen Service Manager.) It is always our goal that you feel safe and comfortable in your vehicle. If you have any questions, or simply would like more information on your specific vehicle, please feel free to contact your sales or service representative here at Concours.

For information on how to handle a car that is accelerating out of control, please visit http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8980024.

The Future of Concours Saab

Saab has been on quite a roller-coaster ride lately, leaving many of us wondering what the future holds. Whether you are a current Saab owner, a prospective Saab owner, or simply curious, below is a copy of the letter being sent to all of our current Saab customers. We hope it answers any questions you may have.


Dear Valued Saab Customer,

Recently there has been some confusion regarding the relationship Concours Motors will have with Saab vehicles since General Motors has sold the brand to Spyker Cars. The sale was concluded on February 28, and this transition has many customers wondering what the future holds for them and their vehicles.

Concours Motors will remain a full-service Saab dealership, continuing to sell and service Saab vehicles as we have in the past. While the corporate structure of Saab may be changing, things will stay the same for our customers. If you are looking to purchase a new Saab, Concours currently offers a limited inventory of vehicles to suit your needs, including 9-3 sedans and convertibles. We will soon be placing an order for the newly remodeled 9-5 which will be arriving this summer.

Current Saab owners wishing to maintain their vehicles can be assured that service and spare parts will continue to be available, and that warranties will continue to be honored.

If you have any questions about your Saab during the upcoming transition, feel free to contact our sales department at (414) 290-1400 or service department at (414) 290-1704.
We look forward to continuing our strong relationship you and your Saab!

Sincerely,


Your Concours Saab Team

How to Lengthen the Life of Your Tires

Ah, winter in Wisconsin. The snow collects, the snow melts, the temperature rises to a sunny and warm 35 degrees, and just when we think we’re in the clear—whammo! We get hit with the sad realization that spring won’t actually arrive until maybe July around here. (March 20, the spring solstice, is simply a lie!)

So, being that it is still winter, how has your car been handling in the snow? If you’ve been noticing some extra slipping and sliding, your tires may be too worn. And if you notice yourself buying new tires more often than you think you should, it’s time to evaluate how you take care of your current ones.

The easiest way to lengthen the life of your tires is to have them regularly rotated. This is something my own father never fails to interrogate me about, so I’m passing the information on so he can ask you, too. Rotating your tires means that all four will wear down at roughly the same pace; not rotating your tires means that one or more (usually your front tires) will wear faster than the rest, and you’ll be buying just one or two new tires at irregular times, wasting your time and money.

Your tires may have specific guidelines on how often they should be rotated, but in general, you want to get it done every 5,000-10,000 miles. Make it easy and save yourself some time by requesting a rotation with your regular oil change (of course, if your car only needs an oil change once a year or every 12,000 miles, you’ll need to make an extra trip or two to your mechanic).

If you’re not already on a regular rotation schedule, when it’s time to buy new tires, look for a dealer that offers free rotations when you purchase a full set from them. For example, if you purchase a full set of 4 tires after Jan. 1, 2010 here at Concours, you’ll get free rotations for the life of the tires! It makes rotation a no-brainer, leaving you no excuses not to get it done and keeping you safe on the road all year long.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Concours Motors blog!

We'll be posting regularly with advice, information, interesting features, and more, so please check back often to see what's new!

You can also visit our Facebook pages and follow us on Twitter:

• Concours Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ConcoursMotors
• BodyWorks by Concours Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BodyworksbyConcours
• Concours on Twitter: http://twitter.com/concoursmotors

*Be sure to visit our new BodyWorks Facebook page for a special offer for the month of February!