AutoServ to be sold, rebranded as Nucar

TILTON — The Gaudet family, who helped turn Exit 20 into the new car destination for central New Hampshire, is leaving the auto sales business. They’ve announced a deal to sell the AutoServ group of dealerships to two men with their own deep roots in the business.

The AutoServ dealerships, which offer cars from eight different automakers, will be purchased by an ownership group including Dan Dagesse, who founded the Berlin City Auto Group, and Shawn Hanlon. Dagesse and Hanlon own a pre-owned dealership in Gorham, and Plymouth Ford. Dagesse, along with Don Noyes, also owns a Chevrolet dealership in Colebrook

When Dagesse and Hanlon take over the dealership from the Gaudets, it will be known as Nucar. The sale is expected to be made final on Dec. 1. Dagesse will serve as chairman of Nucar Automotive Group, Hanlon as CEO, while Dennis Gaudet will remain at the dealership as general manager.

The history of AutoServ goes back to 1989, to when Paul Gaudet Sr., along with his son, Dennis, left the auto sales business in Massachusetts to take over a sleepy Franklin Ford/Tilton Chrysler.

Under the Gaudets, that Ford and Chrysler store grew to the largest family-owned car dealership in the state, and the only place where shoppers can cross-shop among eight different brands in the same building.

The Gaudets have made a name for themselves outside of their own showroom. They’ve been active members of the National Automobile Association, have invested in other business interests and have contributed to community-bettering projects.

“Our philosophy is simple: AutoServ is successful because we are a part of a community, not just an address,” Gaudet Sr. said

Dagesse has been selling cars in New Hampshire for longer than even Gaudet Sr. He founded Berlin City, in Gorham, in the late 1970s, then sold it in 2006. He now owns, along with his son Christopher, nine Boch auto dealership franchises in Massachusetts. Two years ago, he joined partnerships to purchase the Chevrolet dealership in Colebrook and Plymouth Ford. Both enterprises have seen their volume increase substantially since they took over.

Nucar

Dagesse said he’s long been friends with the Gaudet family, and that buying the AutoServ group was one of the most pleasant purchase-and-sales experiences he’s had. And he’s had many.

Dagesse’s group is planning to close on two other dealerships in Massachusetts in January. When those deals are done, he will own nearly 20 dealerships, in Massachusetts, Delaware and New Hampshire, which will sell a combined $1.4 billion per year.

“I would like to see it grow to $5 or $6 billion in a year. I’ve got some work to do,” Dagesse said.

How will he do it? Volume, extended warranties and convenience.

Dagesse said he’s a “volume guy” when it comes to auto sales. Lower prices leads to more sales, which leads to more parts and service business, which brings more potential customers into the brand.

Since taking over the Plymouth store, they’ve gone from about a dozen new car sales a month to about 130, thanks in part to a 20-year, 200,000-mile warranty offered at no cost to the customer. That warranty will be a hallmark of all Nucar deals, Dagesse said.

Lastly, he said he’s going to borrow an innovation from Carvana, the fastest-growing dealership in the country, which offers customers the chance to buy a car online and have it delivered to their doorstep, all without having to step foot in a dealership.

“If you make it easy for people, they’ll do business with you,” Dagesse said.

Those shoppers will have lots of vehicles to choose from, as the new and used car inventories of all of the Nucar dealerships will be available for purchase through one website. If the car is delivered to their driveway, the buyer doesn’t care if it’s coming from just down the road or from Delaware.

Dagesse said the staffing levels at AutoServ won’t change when it becomes a Nucar in December.

“They’ve got a great organization, I think we could learn a lot from those people. They’re the kindest, nicest people I’ve ever dealt with,” Dagesse said.

Hanlon said he’s been working at AutoServ for two months to get to know the business.

“The staff is the secret here,” Hanlon said. “We’ll just take our economies of scale and move them in here. It’s an exciting time.”

HomeServ of the Lakes Region

Though they no longer own an auto dealership, the Gaudet family isn’t going away. Donna Hosmer, one of Paul Sr.’s children, said the family is reorganizing under the corporate name HomeServ of the Lakes Region. They’ll be setting up shop in a former bank building on Main Street in Tilton, where Hosmer said they’ll manage their other enterprises: Pak Solutions, a plastic packaging manufacturer in Lancaster; a wine-infused popsicle business, Pop Fusion, and commercial real estate ventures.

“We’re excited to focus on the other commercial centuries we’re invested in,” Hosmer said, noting that they won’t have to look far, as the Franklin-Tilton region is beginning to look like a draw for young adventurous types. “We’re going to continue to be heavily involved in Tilton. It’s nice that we’re down on Main Street.”