Noble Auto Group purchased by Gregg Young Automotive Group

Longtime Newton car dealership, Noble Auto Group, was sold to a Midwestern dealer a little more than a month ago and is expected to undergo an expansion which could create 20 or 30 jobs for the in-town business before the end of the year.

Now converted to a Gregg Young Automotive Group dealership, one of only three in Iowa, the Newton facilities have been slowly transitioning the company’s branding and service packages since the sale closed with Noble Auto Group President Dimaggio “Nick” Nichols March 6.

Brian Magee, general manager of Gregg Young AutomotiveCenter, said all the franchises, parts, tools, fixtures and facilities were included in the sale. Currently, the West 20th Street South car dealership and auto repair shop offers a selection of Ford, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles.

Noble Auto Group was initially located in the old Kmart building, which now houses engineering consulting company Underwriters Laboratories, before moving to the large lot just off exit 164 of Interstate 80.

According to the Gregg Young Automotive Group website, the brand owns four locations in Nebraska: one in Omaha, two in Plattsmouth and one in Grand Island. Iowa store locations in Norwalk, Indianola and Newton further extend the company’s reach. Vehicle selections from all Gregg Young stores are available to customers.

“So, in other words, if there’s a new vehicle or a used vehicle that’s at any one of our locations, then we can bring that to you,” Magee said. “We work the deal, come to an agreement and we’ll bring the vehicle in for them.”

Technician staff at the Gregg Young Automotive Center Newton location are General Motors-, Chrysler- and Ford-certified. Magee said the business’ intention is to double its technicians and build a shop expansion near the back of the Chevrolet building, increasing the amount of hoists from 11 to 19 when completed.

“In the service department, we need more room and we need more staff,” Magee said. “So that will be added here real soon within the next few months, because right now we’re at full capacity.”

Magee anticipates six more technician spots will be open once the shop expansion work finishes, as will other positions in sales and reception. Today, Gregg Young Automotive Center employs 46 people at the Newton business. Magee said number could increase to about 65 or 75 people.

He added Gregg Young Automotive Group follows through with its slogan, “We go the extra mile for you,” in its dedication to quality customer service, such as lifetime car washes.

To get the Gregg Young Automotive Center “up and rolling” by the time the sale closed, the company agreed to opt into a special allocation from all the manufacturers to increase inventory, Magee said. A large majority of the vehicle stock is new cars, but about 100 or so are used.

Magee said the goal for May is to sell 100 units. Afterward that goal will steadily grow until, by the end of the year, Gregg Young Automotive Center in Newton sells about 200 units a month in total retail sales. Early numbers pointed the company potentially meeting that goal when given enough resources.

“We started out selling 78 the first three weeks in March (since the sale) and we did it with virtually no resources available the first week to 10 days,” Magee said. “Our systems weren’t set up. It was like selling cars when I started 37 years ago. It was kind of cool. We had a lot of fun and sold a lot of cars.”

Community support, he added, has been “fantastic.”

Nick Williams, general sales manager, previously worked for Noble Auto Group from 2008 to 2016. Recruited by Gregg Young Automotive Group to serve the Newton location again, Williams said the transition has been hectic trying to figure out the new systems and processes and implementing “the things that needed to change.”

He added, “The group has been very flexible with us as far as giving us the reigns to run the store how we see fit and make the calls without having to say, ‘I have to talk to so-and so.’ We can kind of run it as our own.”

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com