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Car sales boom

Local car dealerships report increase in customers, fewer trade-ins in tornado aftermath

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM SODDERS - Local car dealerships report a high number of post-tornado customers looking to replace totaled cars. Fallen trees and flying debris were responsible for damaged tires and wheels, body damage and broken windshields, as in this case on Bromley Street.

With everything from tree limbs to chunks of houses flying in every direction during the July 19 tornado, it’s no surprise many Marshalltown residents recently found themselves in need of a new vehicle.

Local dealers have seen an uptick in car sales as a result, but the post-storm car buying phenomenon is not without its drawbacks.

“It’s been absolutely crazy,” said Dave Wright Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram General Manager Mark Klewer. “Right now, we have as many cars delivered by the end of the day (Wednesday) as we normally do in a whole month … a lot of people are coming in with their insurance checks.”

He estimated out of every 10 cars they’ve sold in the past three weeks, eight of them have been to tornado victims.

That story is repeated all over town.

“We’ve definitely had a big increase in traffic, people wanting to buy new or used,” said Clemons Chevrolet Sales Manager Michael Clemons. “(In) the first two weeks, some people got their (insurance) checks right away, but I would say the majority of them were working with their insurance company and it took time for them to mail a check.”

Dealers said many customers are trying to get a vehicle as soon as they can.

“I show them what we have and they drive them and normally end up buying,” said sales manager Mikayla Knaack of Luethje Auto Sales. “The first couple weeks of it, we were seeing probably five to 10 people a day.”

She said the business usually sees closer to three or so people per day.

While the increase in business could be seen as a benefit for local dealers, the number of totaled cars in Marshalltown has been a serious drawback.

“Mostly, unfortunately, they’ve been totaled cars, so we haven’t gotten a lot of trade-ins,” said Jensen Ford Lincoln owner Kendall Jensen. “I’m glad we can help them out, but I’d rather it’d not happened, and business goes on as usual.”

Klewer said the lack of trade-ins from customers buying cars has made it necessary to contact auto auctioneers and companies to replenish inventory.

“Their trades are going to be worth a little bit more money than normal just because of the fact that it’s supply and demand, and we’re not taking in a lot of them,” he said. Klewer said the situation may cause increased used car prices, and that Marshalltown dealerships in general are all dealing with the lack of trade-ins.

“We need as much as we can get,” Clemons said of trade-ins.

While the disaster on July 19 has driven an influx of people through their doors, dealers said the increase has come under bad circumstances.

“It is extra business, but it’s terrible for all the damages and everything like that,” Knaack said.

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Contact Adam Sodders at

(641) 753-6611 or asodders@timesrepublican.com

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