DEARBORN, Mich. (Feb. 3, 2011) — Ford Motor Co. held the grand opening this week for its 600th Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center, located at Elk Grove Ford in Elk Grove, Calif.
“I'm excited about the sales and service opportunities of our new Quick Lane facility,” said Matt Wood, dealer principal at Elk Grove Ford, which is located in the Sacramento area. “As customers keep their vehicles longer, routine maintenance becomes even more critical to ensuring the long-term durability and quality of the vehicle. Our factory-trained technicians are looking forward to servicing these customers at our new Quick Lane store.”
Quick Lane—a standalone Ford operation usually located at the auto maker's dealerships—offers routine vehicle maintenance including oil and filter changes and light repair services such as brake repairs and tire replacements on all vehicle makes and models. The outlets handle at least 11 tire brands including Goodyear, Michelin and Continental, and offer “the guaranteed best price on all tires sold,” according to Ford.
As the car maker recently has expanded the Quick Lane chain, the company has launched what it's calling a “voluntary brand freshening initiative” to assist Quick Lane operators update their facilities' interior and exterior “to maximize the sales and service experience for customers.”
Frederiek Toney, president of Ford's customer service division globally, said the company is “very pleased with our strong growth of Quick Lane and want to continue our momentum by delivering branding elements that will help keep our Quick Lane facilities looking fresh and inviting to consumers.”
The Quick Lane business reached a couple of milestones in 2010, chalking up a record 1 million tires sold and record sales of more than $570 million for the year.
Dearborn-based Ford also said Quick Lane operators around the country experienced a 25-percent increase in routine maintenance services last year from vehicles other than Ford, Lincoln or Mercury products.