Independent VW/Audi shop moves into former dealership location

With Lakes Region Volkswagen/Audi no longer operating in Gilford — the VW dealership was bought by AutoServ in Tilton and the Audi dealership moved to Texas — local owners of the German-designed vehicles were left with one fewer option when it came to places to purchase and service their autos.

Stepping into the void is a new business venture which will open on May 3 and which has more than a few connections to the now-gone dealership.

One of those connections is the location: at 1428 Lakeshore Road, the independent service shop will be contained within walls that were constructed in the mid-1960s to house Kip and Joe's, the Volkswagen dealership initially started in Holderness and which later moved up Lake Shore Road a mile or so.

When the dealership was located at the 1428 Lakeshore Road property, it was owned by the husband-and-wife team of Skip and Charlene King, who also sold Mazda and Audi vehicles. The Kings continue to own the property and use it for their business, Kar Kraft, which specializes in high-end used sports cars.

When Skip heard about "Buzz" Boisselle, a former technician at Lakes Region VW/Audi who had set out on his own, he reached out to him just about the time when word was getting out about AutoServ's deal to buy the Gilford VW dealership and move it to Tilton. The result of that first conversation is German Motorsports, a service outfit which will be located on the Kings' property within the same walls that once held the service department for Kip and Joe's.

"I really never planned it, it just kind of happened," said Boisselle. "It just happened to fall together at the right time." The "right time" in this instance is when a long-standing neighborhood dealership and service department disappeared, leaving some customers of the dealership suddenly looking for a place to take their vehicles for services.

The Kings, sensing an opportunity, have made a parallel move in the same direction. By the time the service business is open, the Kings will have added a selection of late-model Volkswagens and Audis, mostly vehicles returned after the expiration of a lease, so-called program cars.

"I think we're going to complement each other," said Boisselle, adding that the adjacent service business will help the Kings sell cars, which will help keep the technicians busy. On the other end, the Kings will benefit by having more foot traffic pass through the showroom as service customers wait for their cars.

Skip King said his current inventory sells in the $20,000 to $40,000 range. Although many people will stop to view the eye candy, such as the all-original 1970 Mustang Boss 302 currently in his showroom, he said nearly all of their sales are through the Internet and shipped around the world.

Adding the brands will allow him to tempt buyers in the $10,000 to $20,000 range with used Volkswagens, while the Audis will be priced in the $15,000 to $30,000 range. "There's tremendous owner loyalty for these cars — they want to stay with the product," said King. He's planning to be able to use the qualified service business as a selling point for the cars. Then, when customers come in for service, they'll head over to the showroom to see his specialty cars, where they'll find an assortment of choices to replace their current vehicle.

"We'll become a destination," said King. "We're selling products and building a future customer base for them as well."

German Motorsports will feature five lifts and four technicians to start with. Boisselle will be joined in the garage by John Burrows, a refugee from Lakes Region VW/Audi and who brings 34 years of dealership experience. Rob Garden has six years of VW experience from a dealership elsewhere in New England and Rusty Harmon, who's been turning wrenches for 25 years, will be the domestic/Asian specialist of the bunch.

The main focus of their business will be repairs and preventative maintenance, said Boisselle. However, the business will include a detailing/reconditioning bay and the technicians won't be averse to installing aftermarket upgrades for customers who are so inclined.

"We have the latest in technology, some of the best guys in the field," said Boisselle. "We look forward to servicing your automobile."