20 vehicles, but who’s counting!
That’s the number of vehicles purchased by Keith and Dorothy Abbott at America’s Car-Mart where they’ve been loyal customers since 1992.
If you do the math, that’s 20 vehicles in 28 years!
Indeed, we continue to be blessed with wonderful customers. We appreciate their business and we’re even more delighted to call them family. And, we love to share their stories. Here is Keith and Dorothy’s Car-Mart story.
When Keith moved to Conway Ark. in the early 1990s, he was looking for a job. He didn’t know anyone in Conway other than his sister. He landed a job and went to work. And, he needed a newer, reliable vehicle.
He didn’t know anything about Car-Mart, so he checked it out and found a vehicle he wanted to buy. “Car-Mart didn’t know me, but they gave me a chance. They took my down payment. And, I have been with Car-Mart ever since,” says Keith. “I don’t remember the first car I bought, but I’m sure Car-Mart does.”
In fact, Car-Mart does know that first car. It was a 1983 Oldsmobile Cutlass purchased at Car-Mart of Conway. Today, Keith shops local – at Car-Mart of Morrilton, Ark.
Every two years or so, Keith and Dorothy purchase a new vehicle at Car-Mart and give the old vehicle to one of their eight children. In the early years with Car-Mart, the Abbott’s bought vans until their kids were grown and gone. They’ve recommended numerous people to buy at Car-Mart, and their son is also part of the Car-Mart family with the purchase of two vehicles.
A Family Affair
Doing business with Car-Mart is like doing business with family, according to Keith.
“You get to know each other, you get to trust each other,” he says. “You develop a feeling of trust. I can go to Car-Mart with a problem and they’ll talk to me.”
“When I go to Car-Mart today, Dennis [the General Manager (GM)] calls me by my name. He respects me, and I respect him back,” Keith continues.
When Keith visits Car-Mart, it’s break time for Dennis Hurley, GM at Car-Mart of Morrilton. “It’s like a coffee shop. I’ll sit down and have a coke with Dennis, and we’ll talk about life and work,” says Keith.
A Resounding ‘Yes’ for Car-Mart
“We recommend Car-Mart to others and Car-Mart will help them because the manager knows who we are,” says Keith. “It makes me proud that we go to Car-Mart.”
Car-Mart works with the Abbotts’ ‘one way or another,’ says Keith. “Car-Mart is easy to work with. They’ll work with you. If you have a problem, they’re there to help you,” says Keith. “They make you feel at home. I don’t feel like an outsider.”
Additionally, for the few times when Keith couldn’t make a vehicle payment, Car-Mart sat down and figured something out for him. If Keith should experience an issue with one of his vehicles, Car-Mart helps to resolve the problem. “A few times when I didn’t have the money [for the repair work], they let me pay it off in a few months. They worked with me because they understand who I am,” says Keith.
“Of course, we’ll take care of Keith and Dorothy. We care about them,” says Dennis, when the Abbott’s house burned down in December 2019, he told them to take care of their house and offered some help, but the Abbotts had everything under control.
Keith also likes making his payments at Car-Mart. “You don’t have to deal with a third person. It’s common sense,” says Keith.
In fact, Car-Mart has gone above and beyond to help Keith and Dorothy on several occasions, according to Keith. He remembers when his Voyager ‘threw a rod’ while he was driving on the Interstate. Keith called Leon Walthall, the Car-Mart GM at the time, who picked up the vehicle even though it was 100 miles away from his store. Keith then bought another vehicle while the Voyager was being repaired.
It was this situation that propelled Car-Mart to create its service protection plans.
“I can go on and on for things Car-Mart didn’t have to do but did it for us,” says Keith. “Car-Mart’s mission is to do all it can to keep its customers on the road.”
“Stick with Car-Mart,” Keith advises. “Once you develop a relationship with Car-Mart, they’ll work with you.”
An F-150 for Keith
Most recently, Keith needed a new vehicle when his son wrecked his car, a Dodge Dakota – bought and paid for. Keith called Dennis telling him he needed a pick-up, specifically an F-150. Dennis replied, ‘come get one.’
In fact, Dennis drove a red truck to Keith’s house and Keith had that vehicle within a few hours. And, that’s how Keith obtained his F-150. “Keith is a golden customer, so Keith got an F-150,” smiles Dennis.
Another time, his wife had an accident in her PT Cruiser, but it was covered under the company’s Payment Protection Plan. Keith called Dennis who ‘somehow obtained another PT Cruiser.’ Dennis also removed the old wrecked car out of their yard. “I’m a big believer in service contracts,” says Keith.
A Platinum Customer
Keith currently drives that F-150 and Dorothy drives a white 2009 Saturn Outlook “It’s the fanciest car we’ve ever had. I like the back-up camera,” laughs Keith.
“I go to Car-Mart because I don’t have to beg and convince them I’m good for it. They know who I am. This is Mr. Abbott,” Keith says.
“We strive to earn the repeat business of our customers, and the Abbotts are the epitome of Car-Mart doing that. They return that by being great customers and diligently making their payments,” Dennis says. “They come in every Saturday to make their payment. It’s like clockwork. They pay like gold.”
“The Abbotts’ are great people. They’re more than customers to us. They’re family,” continues Dennis. “It’s an amazing relationship.”
Come in today and see why Keith and Dorothy continue to be repeat customers at Car-Mart. “Go to Car-Mart in Morrilton and buy a car. Mention my name. Look on the wall – I’m the only one that’s platinum,” says Keith.
If you’re interested in buying a quality, used vehicle from Car-Mart, check out your local Car-Mart. We’d love to have you as part of our Car-Mart family.
