Secrets to Building the Largest Honda Store in the U.S.

Welcome to another episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast.

Today’s guest is Rita Case, president and CEO of the Rick Case Auto Group and the 2024 TIME Dealer of the Year. Rita began her career in automotive at an early age. Following in her parents' footsteps, Rita started working at their Honda dealership after college, determined to be successful in car sales.

She met Rick in 1977, and together, they built the Rick Case Auto Group. After Rick’s passing in 2020, Rita is now in charge of the group’s 12 stores in Florida and Georgia, including the number one Honda dealership in the nation for volume.

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(2:04) - The Case Duo & Rita’s car background

(6:36) - Do you recommend working with your spouse?

(9:57) - How have you reinvented your operations and marketing?

(15:17) - What drives your philanthropic nature?

(18:15) - Why did you choose these southern markets?

(22:03) - How does your Ft. Lauderdale Honda store operate?

(31:31) - What’s a day like for GMs at your dealerships?

(33:27) - How are the GMs compensated?

(37:24) - How are you driving recruitment of talent?

(39:00) - Are there any regional trends you’re riding when it comes to affordability?

(46:44) - How are you viewing your used car business?

(47:53) - What’s exciting to you these days?

(49:28) - What’s your outlook for the industry?

1. How Rick and Rita Case built one of the nation’s top-performing dealership groups.

One of the biggest keys to success for Rick and Rita’s business relationship was to lean into their skills that complemented one another. Rita was heavily involved in the office, parts and service, human resources and more of the structural operations. Rick honed in on strategies that would ensure the group sold more than anyone else, like marketing and OEM relations. “We both wanted to be the best we could be at what we were doing,” she says. 

2. Born into the car business.

Based out of Santa Rosa, CA, Rita’s father was one of the first Honda motorcycle dealers in the U.S. market in 1959. Then, in 1968, when Honda decided to introduce cars to Americans, they gave motorcycle dealers first dibs. That’s how Rita’s dad became the first-ever Honda dealer in the country. Rita started selling cars for the family business in high school. After earning her college degree, she came back to the business and was instrumental in forming Honda’s first 20-group, where she met Rick.

3. What it was like working as a husband and wife team.

Rita says she didn’t want to stay on the sidelines while the business grew, she wanted to win. So did Rick, and together, their passion propelled them forward. “I supported him, he supported me, but that wasn't how we really operated. We both had different goals and different directions and different passions, but they just came together to make one dealership operation. So I really think it has to do with the two people and what they're trying to get out of their careers and the relationship,” Rita explains.

4. Regrouping after Rick’s passing.

Rita says she was fortunate to have many long-term employees in the corporate office that assisted her with the transition. She explains that operationally, things didn’t change much. The group didn’t hire more corporate employees either. Regarding OEM relations, Rita had to step into that leadership role. She also had to take charge of all of the general managers. “We continued to do what we knew how to do,” she said. 

5. Finding the competitive advantage

On the marketing side, what sets the Rick Case Auto Group apart is its family ties. For decades, Rick and Rita appeared together in TV and radio spots. After his passing, Rita’s children started appearing in the commercials and became a crucial part of the brand moving forward. The group’s philanthropic work has also cemented Rick Case as a community-oriented organization. Recently, the Rick Case group built 76 homes – the largest workforce housing project in Broward County history. “I think the combination of our community support and that we’re a family-operated and owned car dealership group is the edge that’s going to keep us as this consolidation continues at a fairly rapid pace in South Florida,” Rita comments. A quick look at the Rick Case website shows just how many charitable initiatives the group is a part of.

6. How to run a number one volume Honda store.

Originally, the store opened in a brand new market in South Florida that was still finding its footing. Homes were being built, but there were no public services.A car wash is also In order to drive traffic to the store, the group takes a unique approach. There is an eight-pump gas station that sells gasoline to customers at cost. There is also a car wash open to customers and even a barber shop. What’s more, the store gave office space to the Broward County Clerk of Courts and even had a wedding chapel on site to perform ceremonies. And get this–the showroom is even a registered voting site–making the store a complete destination instead of just a dealership.

7. Marketing prowess.

Rick Case Auto Group was one of the first Hyundai dealers to pioneer doubling the 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty to 20 years and 200,000 miles. She says it doesn’t cost much for her store to do. It’s more of a marketing strategy, she says. Hyundai was really struggling to generate sales in the mid-90s, but this advertising play worked big time. Rita also introduced a new 90-minute guarantee for the car buying process or else the first payment is on the store. Granted, customers have to fill out paperwork online beforehand, but if they do that, Rick Case guarantees buyers will be in and out the door in 90 minutes or less with their new car.

8. What it's like to be a general manager at Rick Case Auto Group.

Rita says Rick Case is a fantastic place to work, and she’s confident her general managers would agree. Even something as simple as proudly wearing the Rick Case shirt can boost morale, says Case. Employees can also get free copies of Rick and Rita’s book, “Our Customers, Our Friends,” which tackles everything from customer service and community support to the Cases' journey of building their brand. But in Rita’s opinion, being a successful GM at Rick Case means having excellent people skills. 

9. Rita is cautiously optimistic about vehicle affordability.

Car affordability is a major concern nationally, but Rita Case, based in Florida, hasn't seen a big impact yet. “We have inventory now, of course, everyone has inventories, availability of inventory, but it isn't stockpiling up. The brands that we have, are brands that still have a loyal customer base,” says Rita. “ They benefit from strong leasing penetration (70-80% in South Florida) and a customer base with disposable income. However, the group is aware of the coming "leasing cliff" with fewer lease returns and is looking at alternative sources for used cars,  including potential trade-ins from lease buyouts and pent-up demand from those who postponed car purchases. 

10. The biggest challenge for Rick Case Auto Group.

Rita pinpoints service department bottlenecks as the biggest hurdle for Rick Case. A shortage of technicians and parts delays repairs, while free oil changes offered by some car companies create a frustrating backlog. These promotions bring in a wave of customers, overwhelming service advisors and bays, making it harder for everyone to get their vehicles serviced quickly.