By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – The first USA-1 Auto Sales store has opened in Michigan and manager Chris Wiswell said he couldn't be more excited.
For the past 25 years, USA-1 has operated in Indiana, having stores in Elkhart, Mishawaka and South Bend, so Wiswell was excited to extend the business across the border.
"We didn't know anything about being a dealership in Michigan, but it was surprisingly a lot easier than we thought," Wiswell said.
He stated that last fall, the general manager was driving through Niles and saw that the building, located at 2406 S. 11th, was available.
"He told me to call on it and, in January, we opened for business. The location just seemed perfect, the price was right, it has a very high traffic count and it's close to South Bend, so we thought it would be a good fit for us," Wiswell said.
Wiswell was joined by a number of members from the Four Flags Area Chamber of Commerce for the opening, including Chamber President Ron Sather.
"It's the 16th grand opening of the year and we're glad we can celebrate it with you," Sather said to Wiswell.
Wiswell said his company is marketed to helping people with credit problems.
"Whether they filed for bankruptcy or are just trying to fix their credit score, we can help. We have our own in-house financing and a car loan is one of the best ways to go when trying to re-establish your credit," Wiswell said.
And you don't have to worry about driving away in a car you are unhappy with. Wiswell said they try to get the best used vehicles they can find.
"All of our cars are newer, ranging from 1999-2005s. The price varies anywhere from $7,000 to $14,000. We want people to feel good about themselves and know that, no matter how their credit is, they can still drive a nice vehicle," Wiswell said.
Wiswell also stated that their loans are short-term loans, meaning people can have their cars paid off in two to two and a half years, opposed to five or six year loans.
Wiswell said the company is hoping to be able to sell 15-20 cars a month at some point, and they would like to open more locations in Southwest Michigan.
USA-1 is opened Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.