Nov.15 New Wilmington Motors, New Wilmington, Pa. – Stop #1
When the Dodge Challenger launched back in 2008, there was no doubt that a star had been reborn. The car has been an overwhelming success and continues to dazzle fans everywhere with its commanding road presence and exceptional power.
But where would this great car be without equally great representatives to interface with our consumers?
There is one man who rose to the occasion to become the premier ambassador to the Challenger Nation. And that man is none other than Bob Frederick.
Bob is certainly no stranger to the Red Letter Dodge blog. You may recognize him here as the former Dealer Contributor from when the Challenger first launched.
A graduate of Northwood University with a degree in Business Management and Automotive Marketing, Bob was raised on a steady diet of Mopars courtesy of his parents, Nancy and Bob, Sr.
“My Mopar upbringing gave me the bug very early on,” Bob said. “My mom had a Sublime 1970 Challenger T/A and my dad was always bringing new cars home. My dad was widely known for having the coolest Mopars around.”
Bob started managing the family dealership in 1991 and has been building a loyal following ever since. So when the 2008 Challenger came to market, Bob asserted himself as the go-to guy for all things Challenger.
Bob went as far to start his own Challenger Army known appropriately as The Frederick Scat Pack. “I formed the group to differentiate myself from every other dealer out there,” he said. “Now, I’ve got this loyal following and I just can’t let them down.”
The following is so loyal, in fact, that members drove great lengths to meet with us earlier this week at New Wilmington Motors in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, just 60 miles north of Pittsburgh. Challenger owners traveled from as far away as Holland, Michigan and Long Island, New York. The dedication runs that deep.
Every single person who has dealt with Bob has nothing but rave reviews to describe his efforts. Michael Haislet of Holland, Michigan, gladly traveled nearly 400 miles to New Wilmington Motors and had this to say…
“Bob is the most honest, straightforward, trustworthy, and down-to-earth salesman we’ve ever dealt with. When build status updates become available on our cars, he notifies us. And when the cars roll in on the truck, Bob snaps pictures and sends them along. It’s unbelievable customer service.
“Many customers buy cars from Bob without ever even meeting him in person,” Michael continued. “He’s that good! And, hell, he’s even traveled across this country to deliver cars to some of his customers.
“Dodge should build a Frederick Edition of the Challenger. I’d buy it in a heartbeat,” Michael added.
The Frederick Scat Pack members who showed up for Monday’s event brought a little token of appreciation to commemorate Bob’s dedication. He was presented with a Mopar book that was signed by many members of the club. Inside, a special note read, “This book is dedicated to Bob Frederick, Jr., a man whose passion for Mopar Muscle is only exceeded by his passion for customer satisfaction!!” It was a heartfelt gesture from his fans.
Rest assured, however, that Bob is not alone in this commitment to the cause. He has teamed up with long-time colleague and owner of New Wilmington Motors, Jeff Huey. Working in the car business now for 20 years, Jeff has turned this pint-sized, 77-year-old dealership into quite an operation.
“A little dealership like ours provides a very personal experience for consumers,” Jeff said. “We’re able to pay a lot of attention to everyone. When customers walk in the door, they become our #1 priority.
“Cars come off the truck and either go directly into our showroom or into storage,” he continued. “They are never exposed to the elements while in our control. Beyond that, we take extreme care prepping each and every vehicle. Bob and I clean the cars as if they were our own. We pull every sticker off the car, collect all the paperwork, organize everything beautifully and present it to the customer upon vehicle delivery.”
When Bob and Jeff sat down with us, they both emphasized how important online forums have become to them. Jeff said, “We’re small, so we don’t have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on advertising. But the forums have given us that reach. Most of our business comes by word of mouth, and that’s how we’ve built such a solid reputation.”
With a staff of only eight, led by the dynamic duo of Bob and Jeff, it’s obvious that New Wilmington Motors is destined to do great things for Chrysler.
Dodge is thankful to everyone who participated in this event. It was great to see all the Challengers in one spot, as well as all the loyal fans who brought them out to support the Hemi Highway Tour. It’s obvious that all current and future members of the Frederick Scat Pack are in good hands. This is a first-class operation that left us more than impressed.
SRT ENGINEER TEAM
