New Owner, Same Luxury Service at Lauck Motors

publication date: Jul 14, 2008

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author/source: Tim Altork / STAFF

By Tim Altork / STAFF

Sammy Duckett (left) and Ron Cowan have made Lauck Motors the place to go in Roswell for service on a luxury car.

Lauck Motors has always been something of a visionary in its industry. It opened as a repair shop exclusively for Mercedes vehicles at a time when Roswell was not the land of the well-to-do that it is today.

Even as the shop changed hands twice over the next 36 years, the ability to stay ahead of the curve and give its customers cutting edge service has remained a hallmark of the Roswell stalwart.

They’ve expanded their realm of service to BMW, Lexus and Infiniti and they’ve defined themselves as THE luxury repair shop for a luxury clientele. And they do it at a price that won’t make you miss the dealer one bit.

Not that they’re cheap, mind you.

“We’re not going to be a bargain shop,” says co-owner Ron Cowan. “We provide too high a level of service. If you’re a beer drinker looking for champagne service that might not be a customer that we retain.”

But if you’re looking for a one-stop shop that will fix – or replace – your luxury car and do it with a firm handshake and a smile, then look no further than the unassuming little shop on Oak Street.

Lauck opened its doors in 1972 and began servicing Mercedes cars. Cowan bought the business in 1995 at which point it had added Volvo and BMW to its repair roster.

Cowan dropped Volvo and added Lexus and Infiniti. Cowan has since sold his controlling stake in the company to Sammy Duckett so he could focus on his car buying service. But while the car roster and ownership has fluctuated, the underlying devotion to service has not.

“The focus is definitely on customer service and value,” Cowan said. “We’re looking over the long haul and not the short term as far as customer retention.”

To that end, they have a number of programs geared toward the service that luxury owners expect. Lauck has a referral program in which customers that refer a new client get 10 percent off their next repair, as does the client that was referred. Once you get in the door, Lauck has a ton of ways of keeping you there.

After every visit they wash and vacuum your car, a direct result of the customer suggestion cards that they allow each client to fill out after each visit.

“That was a result of one of our survey cards,” Cowan said. “We had a lot of people say, ‘You guys do a great job. Gee, it’d be nice if the car was washed and vacuumed.”

They’ll give your car a thorough examination each time you come in to let you know of any future repairs that may not be imminent, but are certainly looming. For example, if they see a minor oil seep somewhere they’ll make a note of it, let you know and check it out each subsequent time you come in.

“We’re not trying to get every dime that comes in the door. If it’s not money that needs to be spent now, it’s like that old saying. Serve no wine before it’s time,” Cowan said. “We’ll keep an eye on it. We’ll look at it. And that way it’s in the back of your head, so when we say, ‘Hey, that thing’s turned into a gusher,’ you’re prepared and you already know what it’s going to cost.”

They can give you estimates that are accurate almost down to the penny, so that there’s no sticker shock when you get the bill.

“We don’t do any repairs until we’ve provided them with an estimate,” Cowan said. “That way there’s no surprises. Any repairs that we quote you will be parts, labor and tax. It’s going to be really, really close.”

And perhaps most importantly, if you bring your car in before 1 p.m. you’ll have it back by the end of the day. They have a parts inventory that’s larger than most shops their size. That cuts out the delay that other shops may encounter when trying to turn cars around quickly.

And the job will be done right. Lauck’s three full-time technicians have a combined 100 years of experience working on luxury cars, so there are very few things that will catch them by surprise.

Lauck is also preparing to add a service where they can install a hands-free cell phone device in your car, in anticipation of legislation that is sweeping the country that outlaws the use of hand-held devices while driving.

It’s just one more indication of how Lauck has remained on the cutting edge for 36 years and appears equipped to do so for another 36 at least.