Chambers Continues to Storm Forward With Expansion Plans

SUDBURY – Less than a year ago, Herb Chambers gathered with community and industry leaders as well as employees and friends to officially break ground on a new BMW dealership in Sudbury.

At the time, the economy had started its downward spiral, and many people questioned Chambers’ reasoning. Since then, there have been lots of happenings in the industry with General Motors entering and reemerging from bankruptcy, Chrysler closing thousands of dealerships, and even the government stepping in to help boost sales with the Cash for Clunkers program. But that groundbreaking in Sudbury was Chambers’ fifth of the year, and he hasn’t looked back since.

“We took a long term view when moving forward with our development plans, because our company is here for the long haul and expect to continue to grow our business,” said Herb Chambers. “We want to make sure that we differentiate ourselves from the competition by offering customers the most convenient and comfortable experience in our dealerships.”

On Thursday Sept. 17, Herb Chambers, New England’s largest automotive dealer, is opening the doors to the just completed Herb Chambers BMW of Sudbury. The 70,000 plus square-foot dealership is the third largest dealership of Chambers’ 45 locations, and features the latest in amenities designed to pamper customers.

The six-acre property, conveniently located off Route 20 at 68 Old County Road, offers customers a three lane drive in service reception area with valet attendants, a television lounge featuring plasma TV’s and a fireplace, children’s play area, sales lounges, a coffee bar and café, a seasonal outdoor patio, business center, and plenty of parking.

In June of 2007 Chambers purchased Foreign Motors West. The acquisition included Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Bentley, and Land Rover brands. At the time of the purchase, Chambers pledged to invest in growing the dealerships and committed to building a larger BMW facility at a new home in Sudbury. The dealership will replace Foreign Motors West BMW located on Route 27 in Natick, which will remain the home of Mercedes Benz of Natick where Chambers has plans for future renovations.

“This is very important for us, and we are very excited about expanding our presence in Sudbury with the addition of this luxury brand,” said Herb Chambers. Chambers also has a Land Rover Sudbury dealership located on Boston Post Road (Route 20).

The new dealership also features a 15-car two story showroom, a 6-car exterior display area featuring a sun-shaded canopy, 40 service bays, 6 reconditioning bays, and an automatic car wash. Because of the vast array of luxury brands, Chambers welcomes trade-ins. Creative financing is available and a huge selection of fine pre-owned vehicles.

The dealership was designed by Regent Associates Inc. of Westborough and constructed by Advantage Construction of Quincy.

In February Chambers opened brand new Porsche and Audi dealerships in Burlington, in March he opened a new truck service and collision center in Braintree, in April he opened a new Infiniti dealership on Route 9 in Westborough, and next month he will complete an expansion of his Mercedes Benz and Smart Center dealerships at Flagship Motorcars of Lynnfield.

“Our continued growth has been a result of the support of our expanding customer base, the dedication of our employees, and the cooperation by town officials in the communities that we operate in,” said Herb Chambers. “We are excited to continue to grow both our company and our customer base moving forward.”

About Herb Chambers Companies

Herb Chambers purchased his first car dealership in 1985 and has grown his company into the largest automobile dealership group in New England. Today, the Herb Chambers Companies are comprised of 45 automotive dealerships throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. For a complete list of dealership locations visit www.herbchambers.com.

Going on NOW at ALL Herb Chambers Dealer Locations!

Herb Chambers is an automotive dealership group based out of Somerville Massachusetts, we care about creating a positive car buying experience. For decades Herb Chambers has provided New England car buyers with high quality automobiles including those from BMW, Porsche, Ford, Lexus, MINI, Chrysler, Scion, Honda, and many more. As one of the most trusted brands in New England, Herb Chambers is a proud member of the Better Business Bureau. Featured in a number of area media publications like The Metro West Daily News, The Providence Journal and Boston.com, Herb Chambers is known to local buyers as the region’s premier automotive dealership group.

Whether you are looking to buy a new vehicle from Herb Chambers, or, just looking to have quality collision repair or service performed — we hope that you find what you need here on our web site. If not, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can better assist you.

Herb Chambers serves the greater metropolitan areas of Boston Massachusetts and Providence Rhode Island. Dealerships in the Herb Chambers Companies include Audi, Bentley, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chevy, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jeep, Land Rover, Lexus, Maybach, Mercedes, Mercedes Benz, Mini, Pontiac, Porsche, Rolls Royce, Saab, Saturn, Scion, Smart, Toyota, Vespa and preowned vehicles.

Herb Chambers Official Website: CLICK HERE

By Liz Opsitnik  CLICK HERE for Auto Loan Daily

One way consumers can save money on auto maintenance costs is by comparison shopping and calling several dealerships and independent shops, according to a new analysis in Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto issue.

“Consumers are feeling the pinch these days, but with a little detective work, they can save hundreds, while still taking proper care of their vehicles,” said Rik Paul, automotive editor at Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto Issue will be on newsstands from March 3 to May 4 and online at www.ConsumerReports.org.

5 Auto Service Rip-Offs

1. Flushing the engine or transmission. Those are common ways for dealers to pad their maintenance bills. Automakers recommend against flushing the engine.

2. Automatically charging for “severe” maintenance. Some shops assume you need the car’s severe-use maintenance service, which typically involves changing filters and fluids more frequently than the regular service schedule recommends. See your owner’s manual for details; most drivers need to follow only the normal schedule.

3. Frequently replacing different parts. A mechanic who keeps charging you to replace different parts to solve the same problem is probably having trouble diagnosing your car. Even if the mistake is an honest one, you shouldn’t have to pay for it. Ask the mechanic to refund the cost of the first repair, which probably wasn’t necessary. Otherwise, replace the mechanic.

4. Replacing the same part over and over again. That might indicate shoddy workmanship or a poor-quality part; neither should cost you extra. The Internet makes it easy to see whether a model is prone to certain problems. Search for your model in forums. Check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Web site (www.nhtsa.dot.gov) for automaker service bulletins and consumer complaints. Also, check www.ConsumerReports.org and click on Cars, then Car Forums, then John’s Tool Box.

5. Insisting that only dealerships can perform maintenance. Legally, you can have maintenance performed at any mechanic without affecting your warranty. Just keep thorough records in case of a warranty claim. The only services that need to be performed at dealerships are warranty repairs, recalls, or post-warranty work that you want the manufacturer to pay for.

Source: Consumer Reports

For the ultimate in hands-on design, a new company in Wareham now invites you to create your own car

More Local Motors Wareham Coverage on:  The Boston Financial Guide:  CLICK HERE

The concept of Local Motors goes back a few years, to when Rogers was pursuing his MBA at Harvard Business School, after spending six years in the Marine Corps, which included time in Iraq. Rogers and his Harvard classmate Jeffrey Robert Jones started brainstorming about launching a new kind of car company in 2006. The following year, they had developed a business plan and cofounded Local Motors. When Jones decided to go back to school for his doctorate, Rogers pressed forward, building Local Motors into a viable enterprise.

Local Motors raised about $4 million from 30 different investors, opened its Wareham headquarters in September 2007, and launched its website (www.local-motors.com) in March 2008.

Since then, more than 1,600 car enthusiasts and designers – from 118 different countries – have joined the Local Motors online community. They’ve submitted more than 21,000 designs and left countless comments and invaluable feedback.

Production of the first Local Motors vehicle is already underway. The Rally Fighter is a “performance, off-road, desert-racing rally coupe” that was designed by Sangho Kim, a student studying transportation design at Art Center College of Design in California.

The first model is scheduled to be finished this spring. It will be priced at about $50,000. The Rally Fighter, said Rogers, “is speaking to everybody who lives in Vegas, Phoenix, LA, San Diego, who go to Baja to race the Baja 1000, who do the Vegas Torino Challenge, or who just go out on the weekends with their kids.”

The Local Motors community voted the “Boston Bullet” as the top design for Boston. It would seat three passengers and have two electric motors and a transparent roof and fenders. It was designed by Mihai Panaitescu, a Romanian design student studying in Italy. He won $2,000 and bragging rights on the Local Motors site and stands to earn an additional $10,000 if and when the first Bullet is built.

The Bullet and the cars that follow should have more affordable price tags than the Rally Fighter, Rogers said.

Local Motors has 10 employees, and in the next five to 10 years, Rogers hopes to have 25 microfactories up and running. It’s an ambitious plan, but the aspiring auto maker has won the support of many and has an impressive team of advisors that includes Karim R. Lakhani, an assistant professor at Harvard Business School.

“I was impressed by [Jay's] ambition and his vision, and over time I was impressed with his ability to deliver and reach all the milestones he’s set for himself,” said Lakhani.

Lakhani said community-based development has long been used to create open-source software and is now being incorporated by Web 2.0 businesses such as Threadless.com, a company that makes T-shirts based on designs that are submitted and rated by the public. With Local Motors, Rogers is taking that strategy of community-based development to another level, according to Lakhani.

“There’s a wide distribution of talent and knowledge all over the world. Jay’s tapping into that.”

Emily Sweeney can be reached at esweeney@globe.com.

Kelley Blue Book News

July 1, 2009

Kbb.com names most-researched new-vehicles in first-half ‘09

Redesigned Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Fusion, Volkswagen Jetta, Lexus RX350 in Top 20

Kelley Blue Book said the Honda Accord was the most-researched new-vehicles for the first half of 2009. kbb.com is one of the most trafficked automotive research sites with more than 12 million visits per month, so which specific vehicles consumers are checking out on the site has become a leading indicator of sales patterns for manufacturers, Kelley says. Kbb.com’s top 20 Most-Researched New Vehicles for First-Half of 2009 had Japanese models taking the first nine spots followed by Ford Mustang and No. 10.1. Honda Accord

2. Honda Civic

3. Toyota Camry

4. Honda CR-V

5. Toyota Corolla

6. Toyota Highlander

7. Nissan Altima

8. Toyota RAV4

9. Toyota Prius

10. Ford Mustang

11. Honda Pilot

12. MAZDA3

13. Honda Odyssey

14. Ford Fusion

15. Ford Escape

16. Chevrolet Camaro

17. Volkswagen Jetta

18. Toyota Sienna

19. Chevrolet Malibu

20. Lexus RX350

Import manufacturers Honda and Toyota frequently dominate the kbb.com most-researched lists, and while they still have a major turnout for the first-half of 2009 (securing 11 of the top 20 spots), this list demonstrates that a few newly redesigned models have captured the attention of consumers.

When compared year-over-year to the most-researched new-vehicles for the first half of 2008, four models are all-new to this year’s top 20 list: Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Fusion, Volkswagen Jetta and Lexus RX350.

Chevrolet’s buzzworthy Camaro made the most impressive jump onto this year’s list, from number 427 in June 2008 to number 16 in June 2009. Primary drivers of increased Camaro research include hefty movie promotions with the “Transformers” films and significant advertising executed in the past year.

The Ford Fusion jumped 43 positions from number 57 in June 2008 to number 14 in June 2009 due to the introduction and heavy promotion of Ford’s 2010 Fusion and Fusion Hybrid models.

Volkswagen’s Jetta climbed from number 32 in June 2008 to number 17 in June 2009; increased interest arose from the introduction of the Jetta’s TDI diesel variation.

The Lexus RX350 jumped from number 29 in June 2008 to number 20 in June 2009, as Lexus introduced and promoted its redesigned 2010 model heavily in recent months.

The MINI Cooper saw the largest decline in new-vehicle research in the past year, falling 18 positions from number 19 in June 2008 to number 37 in June 2009. Interest in the MINI was uncommonly high in June 2008 due to extremely elevated gas prices at the time; now that fuel prices have returned to more ‘normal’ levels in June 2009, new-car shoppers are not researching compact and sub-compact models like the Cooper nearly as often.

“While mainstays Toyota and Honda continue to take the majority of the most-researched spots, the interesting newcomers to this year’s list demonstrate the vast power of marketing, advertising and product placement in generating interest among in-market new-car shoppers,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. “Increased interest in sexy new vehicles like the Camaro, new fuel-efficient variations such as the Fusion Hybrid and Jetta TDI, and redesigned popular models like the RX350, indicates that consumers are paying attention to what’s new in the automotive marketplace and expanding their options as they research their next new car.”

With July right around the corner,  New Car Networks has been putting together some dynamic plans for growth with an even greater concentration on localized niche’ searches.

Recently, with our Parent company Media Crush LLC we have conducted some informal focus group studies to help determine some of the new sites we will publish.  Media Crush:  has created an enterprise of clustered sites spanning a wide array of interest groups.  They utilize this enterprise for many services among  them are cross demographic media publications to engage an enjoyable and lengthy visiting cycle.  This engaging methodology is inviting and niche’d enough to develop a substantive opt in email database so New Car Networks can deliver what the end users are seeking.  As always we encourage your participation and input.

Media Crush is currently seeking writers and video bloggers!  Please submit samples to  bob@mediacrushllc.com .

This is a unique opportunity to get involved with a dynamic and growth oriented company.

New Car Networks Is Growing Again!

New Car Networks continues to roll out and launch its network of informative automotive properties; this time  showcasing  Best Scion Dealers;  Herb Chambers – New England’s Number One Car Dealer!  Herb Chambers Company once again triumphs in the category of Scion Dealers!  Scion is without a doubt one of the most market segment savvy automobile manufacturers!

With amazing commitment to their core customer base and a continued reach for more youth market share Scion continues to grow and rack up awards.

CLICK HERE to visit Best Scion Dealers!

Thank you for visiting New Car Networks!

The Promise of Spring Kept; 2009
Just a few months ago; I mentioned in this column that we at Herb Chambers, were approaching the New Year at “full-speed” proceeding with several exciting new construction and facilities renovation projects. Well, here we are in early 2009 and we are proud to announce two new facilities up and running! They are Herb Chambers Porsche of Burlington & Audi Burlington — a brand new 40,000 square foot dealership built to house some of the world’s finest luxury sports and performance cars and Herb Chambers Ford Truck center, an all new 70,000 sq. ft. truck service and collision center with a state of the art body shop.

These two facilities are simply amazing; one designed to showcase some of the world’s most exciting and advanced automobiles; while the other is designed to provide the best possible care and repair of both cars and trucks that have been involved in collisions.

If you’re a sports car or luxury vehicle aficionado there’s no better place to experience and test drive some of the world’s most practical yet spirited sports & luxury automobiles, than Herb Chambers Porsche of Burlington & Audi Burlington. Our goal here was clean elegance and to showcase high performance machines like nowhere else. The architectural “mirror glass” façade and sleek show room interior complete a perfect sun-lit showcase to introduce the new automotive sports/luxury masterpieces of our age. These vehicles though exotic– are really well mannered everyday drivers in every sense of the word. If you can imagine yourself (even for a moment) driving one these rolling sculptures; you owe it to yourself to visit our newest showrooms in Burlington. If you currently own a Porsche or Audi, we invite you to visit our new facility and experience service of the highest level. Where you purchased your vehicle makes no difference, we would like to take care of it for you. You will be impressed!

If your car or truck has had an unfortunate “tangle” with another vehicle or just needs some sprucing up; we’d like to draw your attention to Herb Chambers newest Ford Truck center and complete Collision Facility servicing all makes & models of cars, trucks & SUV’s.

We went all out here as this enormous facility has absolutely everything needed to make your damaged vehicle as good as new including the newest state of the art paint booth facilities to make your vehicle really shine! In addition, it’s really cavernous (70,000 sq. ft!!!) … with more space to simultaneously repair more vehicles indoor than anyone else!!! The latest in clean air equipment is used to provide the best environment for our craftsmen. This is all in addition to our other 3 world class body shops & collision centers in Danvers, Providence AND Ashland.

True to our word, these facilities are already humming with activity and serving Herb Chambers customers from all over New England. Stay tuned and we will keep you posted on several other projects nearing completion…talk with you again soon!

Sincerely,
Herb

Please visit these other Herb Chambers Related Websites!

Herb Chambers Videos – CLICK HERE.

Herb Chambers Hybrids – CLICK HERE.

Herb Chambers Reviews – CLICK HERE.

Herb Chambers Collision Center Braintree, MA

Herb Chambers Opens a New Collision Center in Braintree, MA.

The Herb Chambers Companies are growing!

A new collision center and truck repair garage opened recently on Lundquist Drive in Braintree, it represents the Herb Chambers Companies fourth and biggest service center.

The former Braintree warehouse now contains 44 body shop repair bays and 16 repair spots for commercial trucks and buses. There are plans to hire twenty more technicians for the center which opened last month.

The collision center that was operating on Washington Street is now closed.  In recent years, a number of local Ford Dealerships closed their doors which lead to a steady increase in repair business for Herb Chambers.

The Lundquist Drive Building is 78,400 square feet and was purchased two years ago by the Herb Chambers Companies for three million dollars. An estimated five million was spent in converting the space into a state of the art collision center and truck repair shop.

This collision facility is far from ordinary; it provides a more modern environment than most body shops.  Windows for natural light, vacuum hoses area attached to the tools that sand vehicles to allow for scrubbing dust particles out of the air.

Every aspect of the operation is equipped with the most up to date computerized diagnostic equipment to help technicians straighten frames or match paint to cars’ original colors.  Office space is available for insurance appraisers to use to fill out reports.

The Herb Chambers new collision center will also be used to expand a growing heavy truck repair business. Over a half a million dollars was spent to elevate the roof of the building to accommodate box trucks and buses. The truck repair facility replaces the one on Wood Road, which has a lease that expires in May.

Maximizing the use of the space; part of the building will be used to store new vehicles such as Ford Mustangs with accessories that are frequent targets of thieves when parked outside at a dealership.

The Herb Chambers Companies is expanding in 2009!  In addition to the Somerville-based auto groups 43 dealerships in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  New dealerships in Westboro and Sudbury are scheduled to open in the next few months.  In February, an all new dealership has opened for Audi Burlington, A Herb Chambers Company and Porsche of Burlington, A Herb Chambers Company located on 62 Cambridge St., Route 3A, Burlington, Massachusetts.

The Herb Chambers Collision center in Braintree is hiring experienced craftsmen to fill painters and metal technicians for the body shop and diesel-certified mechanics for the truck repair shop.

Congratulations to the Herb Chambers Company for demonstrating a continued passion to the industry!

Please visit these other Herb Chambers Related Websites!

Herb Chambers Videos – CLICK HERE.

Herb Chambers Hybrids – CLICK HERE.

Herb Chambers Reviews – CLICK HERE.

Improvements and New Dealership Construction!

December 2008

BMW of Sudbury/Foreign Motors West BMW	A brand new 70,281 sq. ft. dealership featuring a 12 car two-story showroom, a 4 car exterior display canopy, a three-lane drive-in service reception area with 60 service bays, and a car wash situated on 6 acres. Opening Spring 2009.
Herb Chambers Infiniti of Westborough	A brand new 37,000 sq. ft. dealership featuring a suspense-building “art gallery” style layout to showcase new vehicles—complete with a coffee bar and customer lounge with plasma TVs. Opening Spring May 2009!
Porsche of Burlington/Audi Burlington	NOW OPEN! A brand new 40,000 sq. ft. dealership built to house some the world’s finest luxury sports and performance cars.
Herb Chambers Lexus	Recently completed…A brand new 110,000 sq/ft. super luxury showroom! A vast entrance canopy – 40 car showroom with 50-foot windows. Including 50 service bays, a customer lounge with complimentary coffee and food bar, Internet access, flat screen TVs, a fireplace and children’s play area.
Flagship Motorcars/smart center Lynnfield	A brand new 18,000 sq. ft addition to this dealership will include a 2,400 sq. ft. showroom for smart center Lynnfield. Complete Spring 2009.
Chambers Motorcars/smart center Boston	A significant renovation adding over 7,000 sq. ft to this dealership include customer sales, lounge & service areas. Complete next summer.
Herb Chambers Ford Truck Center	An all new 70,000 sq. ft. truck service center & state of the art body shop. Now Open in Braintree, MA.
Mercedes-Benz of Natick	A Complete 50,000 sq. ft. renovation of the entire Facility starting next spring.

Best Saab Dealers is a resource for consumers and Saab enthusiasts.  In the future we will continue to add video, reviews, photos, features and more…

We look to Saab to continue as an innovator in the  automotive industry.

Best Saab Dealers endorses Herb Chambers Saab of Boston as New England’s Best Saab dealership!  This is based on a series of criteria including;  overall performance in terms of sales etiquette, follow up, thorough service and an overriding commitment to excellence.

Please visit Best Saab Dealers – CLICK HERE

Visit New England’s Largest Car Dealership:  Herb Chambers Company – CLICK HERE.

Please Visit These Other Herb Chambers Sites:

Herb Chambers MPG – CLICK HERE

Herb Chambers Videos – CLICK HERE

Herb Chambers Hybrids – CLICK HERE

Herb Chambers Customer Service – CLICK HERE

Herb Chambers Company Sponsor of  Luxury Car Dealers Boston - CLICK HERE

Best Audi Dealers is proud to showcase Audi Burlington, A Herb Chambers Company as its Best of New England Audi Dealership!

Herb Chambers Company sells the most cars in New England and is recognized by Audi as an Award winning dealership!

More information on Audi Burlington:

Audi Burlington is conveniently located in Burlington Massachusetts, just minutes away from Boston, Salem and Andover.

Audi Burlington has the areas largest selection of Audi and certified preowned vehicles from cars and trucks to vans and SUVs.
Audi Vehicles

Audi Burlington is proud to be a Magna Award winner. They are the leader in customer service before and after the sale. They have built their reputation on honest pricing and employing only the best in brand specialists.

Visit them at www.herbchambers.com or visit their new and expanded location open which is open now!

At Audi Burlington, they are committed to providing the highest levels of customer service through  unsurpassed knowledge of  Audi vehicles they sell and service.

Their staff is Audi Certified, meaning they are able to answer any and all of your questions.Their mechanics are factory trained to maintain the latest Audi vehicles. The Parts Department is ready to assist the do-it-yourselfer and those who wish to add some custom touches to their Audi.

Come visit their  Brand New facility and check out their beautiful showrooms and meet their exceptional sales crew!

If you are looking to buy a new or used vehicle and need financing, Audi Burlington is the dealer for you.  Their finance team can assist you with securing affordable options on any new Audi A3, A4, A4 Avant, A4 Cabriolet, A6, A5, A6 Avant, A8, allRoad Quattro, Q7, R8, RS4, S4, S4 Avant, S4 Cabriolet, S5, S6, S8, TT Coupe or TT Roadster.

Visit their showroom today at:

Audi Burlington

93 Cambridge Street
Burlington, Massachusetts 01803

Audi-Porsche of Burlington  CALL  877-819-7025