Making every customer rethink the automotive buying experience.
In the car-buying industry there are dealerships and then there are experiences. These experiences are more than just purchasing a vehicle, they’re a lasting memory that starts a four-wheeled adventure where dreams come true. A sense of achievement, accomplishment, and joy all accompany this car buying experience when you finally buy the vehicle that you’ve wanted.
Starwood Motors located in Dallas, Texas, is a dream factory for customers. With their goal being to “Surprise the hell out of every customer,” it’s easy to see why it has become a destination for many. Whether it’s buying a new vehicle from their massive 200+ vehicle inventory, customizing your car, cosigning, or using the service center, Starwood Motors gives customers a lasting experience that makes owning a vehicle fun and memorable.
Davis Speight, is one of the leaders of the dedicated and friendly staff at Starwood Motors. As a leader of a team-oriented staff, his goal is to ensure every customer’s dreams come true and provide the utmost in quality of service. Since the start of his career, Speight has been able to learn the nuances of how a successful automotive retailer operates and grow strong relationships that have translated into the memorable consumer experience found at Starwood Motors.
Speight, the General Manager at Starwood Motors and passionate automotive enthusiast, was kind enough to answer a few questions that we had about him and Starwood Motors.
How did you get your start in the automotive industry?
I’ve always had a passion for cars. Loved them ever since I can remember. At the time, I was 21 years old and I walked into a Honda store to ask if they were hiring. It seemed to be a natural fit, after all I owned a Honda at the time. Anyhow, they hired me on the spot. I sold Hondas for a little over a year, then transitioned to Jeep where I became the Fleet manger selling on average 38 units per month. Then went to a Porsche store that I sold at for nearly 10 years. This is where I met and developed great relationships with some fantastic people. You could call them clients but I call them friends. Now I am the GM of Starwood Motors. It’s a dream job for sure.
What current and classic vehicle designs are your personal favorites?
I’m a Porsche guy. Love them; always have. Absolutely love the styling, the timeless body lines, the handling, the sound. Basically, they are perfection. My favorite Porsche is a 993 C4S. I must admit though, now that I’m out of the Porsche world, somewhat, I have really grown to enjoy Ferraris. It feels like your truly apart of the road when behind the wheel of one of these machines then combine that with the engine singing in your ears. LOVE IT! One of my favorite Ferraris was a F50 that I sold a few years ago to a private collector out of CA. What a car! Now for my everyday car, I am a big fan of the full size Range Rovers. Sit up high, smooth ride, big comfy seats, what else could you ask for from a daily driver? Now I would be remiss if I didn’t add that sometimes you just don’t feel like driving a big honing SUV everywhere and when that happens, I always go for a Starwood Custom Wrangler. Easy and so much fun to drive.
Where are some of your favorite places to drive and/or go off-roading?
My favorite and most memorable drive of all time was this past summer. I loaded up the family and took a trip up the famous PCH highway for nearly two weeks. We hit all of the hotspots, landmarks, stopped whenever we felt like and just had the best family time ever. I never will forget it. Now for off-roading, several years ago, we loaded up and went up to the sand dunes in Little Sahara, OK. So much fun. That’s where we filmed the FMJ in the middle of the night jumping Sand Dunes several feet in the air.
Tell us a little about Starwood Motors and what makes them different from your traditional automotive dealership?
It’s a special experience that can be hard to put into words. I would like to ask you this question: When was the last time you had fun buying a new car? …you probably didn’t. At Starwood, that is exactly what we try to focus on but it’s a different approach. We won’t hound you when you’re here or blast you with calls, we understand that you know who we are, where we are and trust that if we continue to operate just as we have over the last 6 plus years, then our clients know they can trust us and know they will be treated honestly and fairly. At the end of the day, you want to feel you made a smart decision. At Starwood, you can know it because I would never sell something that I wouldn’t own personally.
What inspires your vehicle projects/builds?
It can be anything. Seriously. I once saw a motorcycle seat that a famous leather / metal fabricator built and that alone inspired the interior of our RUF-NEK build, and it was a rusty Chevrolet truck at SEMA that inspired the patina’d Kevlar finish of the aforementioned, or I’ll think of interesting names such as Full Metal Jacket or Goldfinger that have inspired builds as well.
Sometimes ideas just come to me and then it’s off from there.
Explain the process of designing a custom build.
Once I have an idea or general feel for how I want the build to look, I start combing thru the internet for the latest products available. I also work close with several of our vendors to help design products that are fabricated just for us. For me, it’s not about following the trend, it’s about setting the trend.
In your opinion, what is one thing that can completely transform the appearance of a vehicle?
Clean it. I can’t tell you how often I see a beautiful car that is just filthy. Get out and wash your car, people.
What is your typical customer base for the custom vehicles at Starwood Motors?
Average age is 25-60. Generally male but you would be surprised at how many woman drive our Jeeps. They love them. Like I said, our Jeeps are easy and so much fun to drive. Everyone can relate to it. You’ve either had one in the past, had a great memory from one or you want one for the very first time. They are the ultimate SUV!
Where do you see Starwood Motors in ten years?
We’ll just keep doing what we do and as the demand grows, we’ll grow to meet the demand. I can tell you this, it’s been one hell of a ride and it’s just getting started.
What are some exciting things that we can expect from Starwood Motors in the future?
More custom vehicles. We are known for our Jeeps but have started building and stocking custom Ford trucks. We also hope to open a new Custom Showroom and Service Center in the near future.
We’d like to personally thank Davis Speight for taking the time to answer our questions!
Be sure to check out Starwood Motors at 4641 Nall Rd, Dallas, TX 75244, and make sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+!
Starwood Motors Gallery
