Saab Story

The dealership’s building is nicknamed “The Iceblock,” because the square-patterned windows and silver facade resemble large blocks of ice. The look is Scandinavian — simple and striking.

But it can also be plain and cold. So Moreno warmed up the place by alternating white floor tiles with copper-colored red oak. Wherever there is a place for a customer to sit, the tile floor changes to either wood or carpet, creating clearly defined spaces.

“We want to have both the facility and the sales process mesh together,” Moreno says. “We want people to feel at home.”

At Moreno’s Saab dealership, the car featured in the latest advertisement stands prominently to the left of the reception desk. For May, it’s the new Saab 9-4X, a sporty crossover SUV. “If they’re looking for a car that’s advertised,” Moreno says, “they need to see that it’s available immediately.”

Other dealerships try to hide their advertised car because its discounted price generates the least profit. But openness is a must for getting past a one-time transaction, Moreno argues.

“The Internet makes so much information available,” Moreno says. “If a business isn’t heading toward transparency, they will fail dramatically.”

The four selling booths are intimate, with semicircular desks and a backdrop that creates some privacy without closing the customer in. Moreno wants customers to feel relaxed, as if they are being consulted with, not spoken to. “Rather than sell them a car, we’re going to assist them in buying a car,” Moreno says.

It’s impossible to completely remove the negotiation process from car-buying, Moreno says, but his goal is to minimize it and take the customer step by step through how they arrive at the final price. “Our goal is to sell people cars for a long period of time,” Moreno says.