Don’t you just love when great things happen to great people? Such is the case for our favorite car guy, Alvin Heggs, of Heggs Auto Group. Did you notice…not Superstition Springs Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram…but now Heggs Auto Group. Why? Because our beloved Big Al is going big. Expansion is under foot with new dealerships popping up all round the East Valley.
Who is this Big Al guy, a reader asks. This could take all day.
My car had a million miles on it and was headed quickly for car heaven. A friend pointed me in Big Al’s direction. My husband had been dead less than a year. I was near tears telling this total stranger that I had never bought a car by myself. That total stranger, Big Al, never made me feel foolish. Instead he said, “You have nothing to worry about. We’re gonna send you out of here today with a safe, new car that you can afford and we’ll help you take care of it.”
True to his word, I have a great car, free oil changes (a perk for anyone who buys there) a lifetime warranty–as in forever, and a friend for life. Yes, after I buy a car from the guy, we become friends. No kidding.
I find out this former basketball player, hence the “Big Al,” is a major player in the philanthropy world, though he keeps it quiet. I don’t but he does. He provides scholarships to kids, builds playgrounds and can be counted on to help in any way possible.
He asks about my charity passions. I tell him of my fave, Happily Ever After League. Every year since, he helps with their annual fundraiser and even gave them a great deal on the van for “HEAL on Wheels” and provides free maintenance to the nonprofit. Just ‘cuz I told him it was my favorite.
A reporter recently asked him if it was true that he started out as a salesman.
“Oh, yes. I was a salesman. I had the money, but I didn’t have the knowledge. Money without knowledge means you’ll be quickly separated from it. I had no knowledge of the industry to go buy a dealership. That’s where most athletes err and get caught up. They retire at 35 or whatever, go buy a dealership with cash and no knowledge or experience, and fail. I started on the ground, so I know how to treat each and every one of my employees, because I know their struggles. I know how it is to be out there in that 110 degree heat. I know how to go out with them on Tuesday and put five dollars on a bucket of chicken for lunch that we all share, to build those relationships of affinity and support. I know dealerships, the business, and the people who make them successful, from front to back. I take nothing for granted.”
Then he adds, “Never forget where you come from. Money is just a tool to use in helping someone else. If you help other people get what they want, you will always get what you want.”
That’s why you buy a car from this guy. And that’s why huge congrats go out to my dear friend on his business expansion and continued success.
When you call, tell him The Duchess sent you. He’ll make it worth your while.
The Duchess Diaries 