Chevrolet has put into motion a program to help increase the resale value of its cars in the country. The introduction of the ‘Chevrolet Certified Used Car’ initiative follows the move to test the program in Thailand.
“We’ve actually used Thailand as the test-bed for something that’s called ‘Chevy Certified Used Car’ and we now have more than 30 outlets that operate that distinct line of business,” said Martin Apfel, President of General Motors, South East Asia (GM SEA).
“What the program does is that it allows dealers to take in used cars, any brands but largely Chevrolet, and then to sell on the car after it has gone through our battery of checks. This in turn has helped to lift the resale value of the vehicles because it gives people the confidence that there will be a buyer for their car when they want to sell it and the dealer is interested in taking it in, because for him it’s good business and we’ve got the data for that. We’re even looking at expanding the business to 60 outlets by the end of the year,” he added.
They are currently in the process of identifying appropriate outlets to act as the pilot for the program here.
“There will be around 10 outlets in Malaysia by the end of this year. We know it works but we need to pace it as it’s a special facility and therefore requires a bit of work, as we need to train the staff. You don’t want to be the used-car salesman from around the corner as there is a specific service and a specific guarantee we give on the car that is sold out of the program. That, in turn, will give customers more confidence in the resale value,” explained Apfel.
GM SEA will continue to test a number of other methods for Chevy customers in the country in an effort to keep ownership costs low and predictable. One of the main ones will focus on maintenance which will see Naza Quest, the sole and exclusive distributor for Chevy in Malaysia, extended assistance to keep spare part price affordable.
