Upside Down Auto Industry

Oct 18, 2022 11:45 AM

Rich Willis, Willis Automotive @DMGCC

Meeting location at Des Moines Golf and Country Club (thank you for hosting us!)

Address (click for driving directions):
Des Moines Golf & Country Club
1600 Jordan Creek Pkwy
West Des Moines, IA 50266

Get an insight from someone in the know! Rich Willis will address what is the outlook for the auto industry in 2023? Is the auto industry in trouble? Will car sales go down in 2023? Will, the car shortage be better in 2023? What’s happening in the used vehicle inventory? Where have all the computer chips gone? What’s the future of autonomous cars? What’s the future of the electric vehicles? Electric vehicle - the cars are faster and quicker than gas powered vehicles, but a key factor to slower adoption is primarily due to lack of available batteries and charging technology. The average price paid for a new vehicle in the United States in September was $48,000.

Rich, Chairman of The Board at Willis Automotive began his career at Betts Cadillac in 1972 while finishing his course work at Simpson College. Now Rich and his two sons Jason and Matt own and operate 9 premium dealerships among other automotive operations in the central Iowa area. The premium auto dealerships include brands: Cadillac, Lexus, Jaguar, Volvo, Infiniti and Mini Cooper. Willis was also a dealer for Hummer until it went out of business. Manufacturers are now strong arming dealers and want facility upgrades every 10 years or less. Every store at Willis has been upgraded.

Willis Automotive has “a passion to provide the ultimate customer experience”.

The dealership employees live their core values and are active in the community including the Civic Center, United Way and over 100 other non-profits in the central Iowa area.

95% of visitors to the dealerships today have been on the internet to look at vehicles and 35% of cars are sold annually through the Willis internet department. Recently Willis has added a pre-owned operation in Waukee which will have capacity for up to 100 vehicles to be on display and also owns Big O Tires.