By ALENA HIGGINS
RONNIE Surch has always held a soft spot for the Aussie battler.
First time buyers and pensioners were the Warwick car dealer’s main focus from day one, and despite expanding significantly in the last year, he says nothing has changed.
Mr Surch started Budget Quality Cars from the ground up eight years ago with a yard containing just two second hand cars, having purchased the land at 53 Kenilworth Street seven years earlier.
Working full-time as a bob cat operator during the day, Mr Surch would dash off to meet customers after hours and turn over stock.
At the same time he started paying off the land and poured any left over cash back into the business.
These days he has an average of 80 vehicles in his yard for sale every week, employs seven local staff, and has never been busier.
He says his winning formula is simple: high turnover and low profit margins.
“It helps keep the cars coming and also helps the customers, too,” he said.
“We have a niche, we help the battler and it’s the support of local people that have helped me get to where I am today.“
Nine months ago, Mr Surch brought another business called Auto Parts Warwick to complement the dealership.
Auto Parts Warwick supplies new car parts and accessories for the vehicles on sale, plus sells direct to the public.
To cap off an impressive year, just last week the businessman officially opened another site he purchased at the corner of Wood and Wallace streets which allows him to expand his range and exposure.
“People ask me how I sell so many cars, and I tell them ‘it’s because we keep our overheads down and do everything in-house’,” Mr Surch said.
“We have a qualified mechanic on site and get our parts wholesale, and we pass on the savings.
“I also work a lot of hours,” he laughed.
While the quality of vehicles he now offers has improved “10-fold”, the prices, like Mr Surch himself, have remained well grounded.
“We’re sticking to the formula,” he said.
“Why change something that’s working?“
