Mohawk Honda is posting standout numbers for certified pre-owned sales—especially impressive given it operates in a market of just about 7,500 people.
The upstate New York dealership, located in the city of Schenectady, sells an average of more than 250 used cars each month, ranking seventh in the nation among Honda stores for certified pre-owned (CPO) sales volume.
“A lot of people think that when you get to this size and this volume, that you're just buying deals and you're selling cars to brokers and fleet companies,” Greg Johnson, general manager of Mohawk, told Daily Dealer Live hosts, Sam D’Arc and Uli De’ Martino. “No, like our grossers are above the district average, and we’re still selling all the cars.”
One key strategy: Focus on “the people and the process,” explained Johnson, whose store also sells about 280 new vehicles monthly.
“My biggest passion is customer experience and the customer journey and making it easy to transact with us here at Mohawk Honda,” he said. “Some of the biggest complaints you hear from customers is, ‘Hey, I already gave you that information. Why am I coming in the showroom and you’re asking for it again?’”
Mohawk Honda (where most leads originate through the dealership’s own website) works to eliminate pain points by streamlining every part of the buying process.
To reinforce that mindset, Johnson requires every manager to read Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara, then bring a fresh idea for improving the customer experience and journey to a 20-group discussion.
OUTSMART THE CAR MARKET IN 5 MINUTES A WEEK
No-BS insights, built for car dealers. Free, fast, and trusted by 55,000+ car dealers.
Investing in the cars: The dealership also commits heavily to reconditioning, spending more than $2,600 per vehicle. Each month, Mohawk acquires around 40 used cars at auction, 30 to 50 through Kelley Blue Book’s Instant Cash Offer (ICO) program, and the bulk through trade-ins.
“We don't cheap on anything when it comes to a certified car—but it pays itself forward,” said Johnson. “My policy, my comebacks are super low. And the reputation—people call here, they know the car’s gonna have new tires. It’s gonna have new brakes.”
What’s more: Johnson also emphasizes “personalized dynamic engagement” with off-site customers—often sending on-the-spot car videos to prospects.
He noted those leads close at double the rate compared to text, phone, or email outreach.
On the personnel side, Mohawk requires sales staff to complete weekly training sessions with a sales manager, floor manager, or finance manager to sharpen skills and reinforce processes.
Bottom line: Looking ahead, Mohawk Honda is exploring additional ways to increase volume, including incentivizing sales consultants to generate their own leads—with a goal of surpassing 700 new and used vehicle sales a month.
“We’re at the top, in the district—but there’s so much more juice to squeeze,” Johnson said.
A quick word from our partner
Are you struggling sifting through inventory that’s just not right for your lot?
OPENLANE brings dealers like you exclusive inventory, simple transactions and better outcomes — all with lower fees.
OPENLANE can fill out your lot with thousands of quality, late-model vehicles your customers are looking for.
OPENLANE features:
Exclusive access to over 70% of all off-lease vehicles in the US
Luxury or high-mileage, source trades from dealers nationwide
AI-enhanced condition reports with photos, OBD scans, engine recordings, and more
The industry’s leading buyer protection with our Buyback Guarantee
New to OPENLANE? Sign up now and receive a $2,500 buy and sell fee credit.
