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By Nancy Brumback, Contributing Writer
Marlborough—For 25 years, Wayside Ford has been putting Metrowest drivers behind the wheel of a new car.
Claude Levesque started Wayside Ford in 1991 and has owned the business ever since.
“We’re a small dealer, not a big franchise. And we are interested in taking care of the local community,” Levesque said. “We know our customers. We’ve been doing business with some of them for over 20 years. We offer convenience and good, local service.”
Wayside’s size does not mean it is not competitive on price and variety.
“People think large dealers get cars for a better price, but every Ford dealer in the U.S. pays exactly the same price for its cars.” And, he noted, with today’s technology, “we can provide any vehicle you want in the color and equipped as you want in a few days. Just because you don’t see it on our lot doesn’t mean we can’t get it.”
Levesque acknowledged the internet has made major changes in the way many customers buy cars today.
“Historically, automobile manufacturers wanted a dealership in every town, but the internet changed everything.
“People no longer walk into the dealership to get information and prices. They can do a search and find a car that meets their parameters online.”
Wayside Ford’s own website, www.waysideford.com, offers a CarFinder feature that lets a buyer send the make, model, model year, mileage, price range and other detailed information to the dealership, which can usually locate the car in a short time and send details, including photos, to that buyer.
The website also allows buyers to view all the details and prices on both new and used vehicles in Wayside’s current inventory.
“We sell cars to buyers from all over the country now,” Levesque said. “We send people photos and Carfax reports, and it’s not unusual for people to travel long distances to come and pick up a specific car.”
Ford’s most popular line remains its F Series pickup trucks, he said. “A lot of people aren’t just buying them for work, but as an alternative to an SUV. The pickup interiors can be as fancy as a luxury car.”
Also popular are small SUVs, such as the Escape, Edge and Explorer, with four-wheel drive for New England’s winter weather. “Smaller cars are more popular when gas prices go up, but not now.”
While Wayside Ford carries several hybrid and all-electric models, Levesque said they appeal to a smaller segment of the market. The dealership is a registered charging station for drivers of electric cars. He does think natural gas-powered cars might become an option in the future, noting they are already fairly widely used as fleet vehicles operating out of a garage with a natural gas filling station and for long-haul trucks which can refuel at designated truck stops.
Levesque is more skeptical of autonomous or self-driving cars, at least in the near future. “One problem is the ‘self-driving’ name. People will still have to pay attention when they are behind the wheel.”
Wayside Ford features a full service and parts department. It sells only Ford-branded service policies, which are valid at Ford and other Ford Motor brand dealers across the country.
The dealer offers financing through Ford Motor’s credit department as well as through local credit unions and banks. “We will work with people to help them find the best deal,” Levesque said. All of the vehicle registration and title transfer work is done at the dealership.
Wayside Ford is located at 428 Maple St. (Route 85) in Marlborough. The dealership is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit the website, www.waysideford.com, or call 508-460-8400.
