Grand Prix Motorsports – Littleton, CO – Feb. 13, 2006
CONTACT
Grand Prix Motorsports
3105 W. County Line Rd.
Littleton, Colo. 80129
(800) 992-3372
www.grandprixmotorsports.com
OWNERS
Bill and Laurie Comegys.
BUSINESS PROFILE
The current owners, husband and wife Bill and Laurie Comegys, bought the suburban Denver dealership 12 years ago, although Grand Prix Motorsports has been around since 1988. A new, 40,000 square-foot building houses Yamaha, Suzuki, Polaris, Kawasaki, Eton and Victory motorcycles, ATVs, watercraft and snowmobiles. Sport bikes and cruisers tend to be top sellers at the dealership, with ATVs close behind.
The new building has a customer lounge with a pool table and big screen television. Grand Prix Motorsports employs 50-55 people in the busy summer season, with an emphasis on service.
GREATEST CONCERN
There’s a lot of them, owner Bill Comegys said. “(Manufacturers) have cut their allocations this year and that’s a huge issue that I’m dealing with right now,” citing Yamaha specifically.
Having a properly trained staff that can entice customers is another concern. Comegys also is involved with the powersports dealers association in Colorado, trying to keep areas open for riding, dealing with franchise issues and keeping an eye on powersports legislation in the state.
WHAT’S HOT?
“Any of the sport bikes,” Comegys said. “The (Yamaha) Road Star is always hot.”
The dealership’s daily half-priced, mount-them-while-you-wait Dunlop tires deal makes the brand a big seller. And, as it’s winter, Gerbing’s Heated Clothing has been popular with customers.
CUSTOMER-BUYING TRENDS
“Currently, Yamaha tends to be the top-selling franchise,” Comegys said. “It tends to change over the years, but Yamaha has been consistently at the top for the last few years.”
And on the demographics of his dealership, Comegys said, “There’s different age groups for each product, but it seems to be younger, 30- to 45-year-olds. Through a survey we found most of the guys who come in (heard of us on) the younger, newer (music-playing radio stations).”
PARTS AND SERVICE
Service plays a central role at Grand Prix Motorsports. The dealership employs 12 service technicians during the busy season. Ten percent of the dealership’s revenue comes from service and 20 percent of revenue is from parts. The dealership has a guaranteed, 48-hour turnaround for scheduled maintenance, otherwise it’s free. It also offers pre-paid maintenance plans and free extended warranties.
PROMOTIONAL HOME RUNS
“We did a ‘Make Us an Offer Sale’ until midnight and it was crazy, but a lot of fun,” Comegys said.
“We had to run them out at midnight. Giving them that extra shopping time was the novelty. I think (some customers) wanted to see if anyone would show up. We sold about 50 bikes in two days.”
WORDS OF ADVICE
It’s all about the customer for Comegys. If they’re being served well and are enjoying themselves, then products can speak for themselves. “Just be honest and true to the people you’re serving and your business will be successful,” Comegys said.
If you would like to share your dealership’s story, please contact Powersports Business editor Neil Pascale at npascale@ehlertpublishing.com.
