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There's always a robust market for new cars in Belize - even if new means "brand new second hand." And the reason there's such a plentiful supply is because of that place called Texas - about 1,500 miles from Belize - where car auctions are commonplace and salvage title vehicles are readily available.
But, salvage doesn't mean they are total write-offs - at least not in Belize - where an American write off can easily be a Belizean luxury ride - driven by those at the highest echelons of society.
Just ask Amado Badillo, he's got the green light into corporate banking for his dealership - and this Saturday - he's putting it on display at a used and new car auto show in the Atlantic Bank parking lot. Jules Vasquez took a drive with him today:
The new and pre-owned vehicles fair is an unusual marriage of new and used car dealers, sharing one lot and appealing to the same customers. Amado Badillo is one of the lead organizers.
Amado Badillo, Prestige Auto
"It's definitely excitement since this is the first one we were doing since COVID. Our the last show was 2019, and we've been itching to do it again. You know, we've been constantly harassing the bank, harassing the bank but, you know, they have their own things that they need to make sure are in place before they're ready to do it. So this year, when they said, let's go, I mean, I was ready, let's go. "
He made his pitch to sell us on the attraction of salvaged title vehicles in this crisp, fully loaded 2022 Toyota Highlander.
Amado Badillo, Prestige Auto
"This version is a limited edition. All wheel drive comes with third row seating, 3.5 liter, six cylinder engine. So very fuel efficient. Gives you just about 25 miles per gallon. That's very good for for this size SUV. Normally you get or 17 miles per gallon on an SUV, as has the 12.3 inch JBL infotainment system. So that basically I mean, it's like you have an iPod in front of you there, something like this sells for brand new at the dealer. You'd probably sell for like $200,000. This one for the yes due to pay this one for the Atlantic Bank Auto show. Atlantic Bank, of course, is giving discounted rates for the auto show on Saturday at the Albert Street branch. And in line with that, we have discounted the price on this vehicle. It was listed at $155,000. First, it will be offered at $140,000 at the show."
"So you you know same day approval, which is a big thing. I mean, finance is one thing, but same day approval, you could literally walk in and if everything is in order, you could get approved and you could drive both with your vehicle. Atlantic Insurance will be there as well to insure your vehicle so you could drive out the same day."
So discounted prices and bank cooperation as well as a brand name new car dealer.
Amado Badillo, Prestige Auto
"We decided to give our friend Mr. Dave Vasquez at BEC little shout and he's bringing out a couple new options, the 2024 Kia Sportage, for example, these little, you know, beautiful vehicle offering it at a discounted price as well."
Jules Vasquez:
"But now, you have a legit bank. You have a legit dealership, like BEC side of you like you are. You have turned salvage title into good thing."
Amado Badillo, Prestige Auto
"You do market research before you open your business. The one thing that kept coming up is that to be a successful car dealer, you just have to be honest. You know, that's the one thing that kept coming up on so and so. That is what we have done from day one and as far as where if where we consider ourselves in the reforming of the image of car dealers, I think we we're the leaders."
But some new car dealers may question that
Jules Vasquez:
"Might not a new car buyer or somebody investing over $100,000 in a vehicle might be reluctant to say, man, I feel hard to buy a salvage title vehicle for six figures. What's your experience with that?"
Amado Badillo, Prestige Auto
"My experience has been quite the opposite of what you are suggesting. I can tell you, leaders of government in this country, leaders of the previous government, people who I assume I don't know for sure, but I assume can walk into the dealer and cut a check for a brand new vehicle. They have come to us on bought our vehicles for the same reason that I just explained to you that we try to operate at such a high level."
"You know, that, yes, we're selling salvage vehicles. But I mean, if we buy a vehicle, that just needs to replace a fender or a bumper and we could sell you that vehicle with very little miles on it for $50,000 or this this is a perfect example. I just told you one like this brand new is $200,000. We're selling one and perfect condition."
"We give you a year's warranty on this vehicle with 7000 miles. We'll do buy a brand new one for $200,000 or this one for $60,000 less. You know, it's that kind of thing. I mean, although it's a salvage vehicle in many instances that we sell, it's not what the word salvage suggests. You know, you still get a very high quality vehicle salvage seams to suggest mash, up air bugs deployed, all of that, furthest thing from what we do."
And Badillo says full disclosure, he sells each vehicle with a Carfax report.
Amado Badillo, Prestige Auto
"I'm readily available. I mean, willing, you know, to to offer to the auction pictures to show you what the vehicle looked like on the auction. And in addition to that, we advertise that we give a free Carfax on every vehicle, and that is what we do. So basically, if you're buying a vehicle from us, I want you to know exactly what you are getting because as you said, when you walk into the car a lot, everything look nice and pretty, you don't know what is what".
And while I might want to make a personal pitch for the smooth exhilaration on this Highlander, Badillo says on Saturday, each car will find its intended buyer
Jules Vasquez
"In the in the business you're in, you got to keep them moving."
Amado Badillo, Prestige Auto
"That's true. And that's why we welcome an opportunity like this, because, I mean, the bank giving financing, you know, attracts people and then the fact that we have reduced our prices again is another attractive aspect of the show. So, we expect it to to be crazy out there on Saturday."
The fair starts on Saturday at 9:00 at the Atlantic Bank Albert Street branch parking lot.
