| Stockton Nissan, the new landmark
By William West
Stockton Nissan has emerged from the Stockton Auto Center to inhabit a highly visible spot on Hammer Lane next to Wal-Mart. The move was the brainchild of owner Scott Sniffin, who bought the dealership in 2005. The automotive veteran intended to relocate from the very beginning and the recently opened facility is the culmination of a long process.
“We broke ground in June of 2007,” Mr. Sniffin said. “It took almost exactly one year to complete the building project. The store sits on seven-and-a-half acres and has almost a full acre under one roof.
The automotive market is challenged by severe upswings in gas prices and a downturn in the housing related sectors of the economy, but Stockton Nissan shows growth in a year-over-year comparison of June sales. As of the time this article went to press, June 2008 is 35% to 40% over June 2007’s volume.
“We’ve only been in the new facility for about two weeks,” Mr. Sniffin said. “That is a very good sign.”
The mix of product has changed somewhat. In June of 2007, the new versus used ratio was 59 percent to 41 percent. This June the ratio is 53 percent to 47 percent. This reflects the trend that consumers are less confident in the overall economy and are trying to stretch their dollars by buying more used vehicles.
“New truck volume, as you might expect with gas prices, is down,” Sniffin said. “Used truck sales are pretty steady. This shows that customers still see a value in trucks but at a different price level.”
“The smaller vehicle business is pretty solid,” he said. “People are focused more on what they need rather than what want.”
Mr. Sniffin started in the automobile business when he was 19 years old. He worked in Redondo Beach for a time before he returned to his hometown of Fresno. There he worked at one dealership for 16 years, which is very unusual for the car business. He began as a salesperson and held almost every sales and finance position as he learned the business. From the beginning he intended to own his own store.
“I had the entrepreneurial mind-set from an early age,” Mr. Sniffin said.
Two themes became readily apparent in a sit down interview with the youthful owner and general manager. He carefully considered each question and when answering gave thoughtful and original responses. In addition to his careful and candid manner, he also revealed a deep core of dedication to service. A much-claimed attribute, the genuine commitment to service is rare. Mr. Sniffin compared his goals for service to that of the Nordstrom’s model, a place where he worked at one time.
An example is the way a service customer at Stockton Nissan receives his vehicle under the wide shady drive-through adjacent to the showroom, the car dripping from a recent wash, the paper floor mats removed by an employee. That is a Nordstrom attitude that Mr. Sniffin fosters in his crew.
Stockton Nissan currently employs 65 people. They handle everything in-house, from human resources and payroll to accounts receivable. Where many businesses outsource some of those functions, Mr. Sniffin wants to have better control because he can give better service.
He exudes the same strong drive for quality products. He is so confident that his used vehicle inventory is of the highest quality that he gives a lifetime buy-back guarantee if a major system problem was missed.
“We are selective when we go to used car auctions,” Mr. Sniffin said. “There is a greater risk when you don’t know who you are buying from so we try to know the car history or the organization’s history. In addition to our own rigorous inspection process we give the purchaser a lifetime buy-back guarantee at no charge. If we miss something major, we’ll buy it back and you’ll get a hundred percent of your money back.”
“We are that confident and particular in the cars we sell,” he said.
The new service shop in the dealership is a vital part of the business. Mr. Sniffin noted that people desire to increase the lifespan of their current vehicle and so they are perhaps taking a little bit better care of their car.
“It’s not unusual for us to see cars running great well over a hundred thousand miles,” he said. “With proper care we expect to see that in our Nissans.”
Mr. Sniffin believes that trend toward keeping cars longer goes along with an increase in his used car business. People are trying to stretch dollars a little further.
“What we won’t compromise while being price competitive in the used car business in the quality of the car we sell,” he said.
When asked how he felt about Stockton after three years, he was typically analytical and cordial.
“First, I have to say that I am the ‘new guy’ in town and have great respect for Stockton and the people that built it,” Mr. Sniffin said. “That said, I do have a few comments.”
“I’m born and raised in Central California so that aspect is very comfortable for me,” he said. “There is a nice difference from Fresno’s climate, with the refreshing Delta breeze. But, I am a little surprised that Stockton is so much different. Stockton feels like Fresno 10 years ago. I see a lot of positive things going on. I see it going past that small town mentality, which is really great.”
“Fresno was underrated for many years. I see the same thing here in Stockton,” Mr. Sniffin said. “Obviously, I made huge investments in Stockton. And moved my family here. That says more than anything about what I think of Stockton. But I think we can still make more improvements.”
“I think if there was one single thing that we could do that would improve our perception is the graffiti,” he said.
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