Taylor BMW of Augusta in Evans
Taylor BMW is part of Taylor Auto Group, a respected group of dealerships created by Ann Taylor in North Augusta, SC, nearly 25 years ago. Mrs. Taylor purchased the Augusta, Georgia, BMW franchise in 1992 and has carefully nurtured its growth over the past 18 years. The dealership recently relocated from its facility on Washington Rd. in Augusta to a sprawling new campus on Washington Rd. in Evans.
Taylor BMW is a premier full-service center offering a suite of BMW services -- New vehicle sales, Pre-Owned sales, Finance, Service, and Parts. We pride ourselves on our customer service and strive to deliver the best customer satisfaction, in a highly professional manner. Our customer-focused business policies have made us one of the top 10 BMW dealers in the nation and winner of the BMW President's Award. We give you plenty of reasons to do business with us and look forward to building a lifetime relationship with you as our customer.
The Taylor family understands the importance of an automotive purchase and that the choices can sometimes be confusing. We will provide you the assistance and information you need to choose a vehicle to fit your personality andneeds. Customer satisfaction is our primary goal at Taylor BMW.
After you have selected your dream vehicle, you can rest assured we will do everything possible to make your purchasing experience a pleasant one. Our Finance Department can help you select between several Car Finance and Car Lease options. Our Service Department will be there for you after your initial transaction to assist you with the maintenance and care of your new vehicle. We also have an auto body repair shop and an auto spa to keep your vehicle looking new for years to come.
The Taylor Auto Group Story
From the very first time she peered into a television camera, cocked her head and said: 'And hey, we're in North Augusta,' Ann Taylor has made her mark on the automobile industry in Augusta, Georgia.
It started here more than 25 years ago when she purchased an under-performing Toyota franchise in North Augusta, S.C., but her rise to success in the industry actually started soon after she graduated from high school.
Taylor, a Georgia native and self-professed 'country girl,' began her business career at the old C&S Bank in Atlanta, but resigned her position there when she was passed over for a management position because she was too young -- even though she had filled the vacant position for three months.
"Back in those days, the only occupations open to women outside the home were nurse, teacher and secretary. So that's how I got started," she recalls, "as a secretary for a dealership in Atlanta."
She joined the staff of a Volkswagen dealership as secretary to the general manager. When that dealership was sold a few months later, the new owner told Taylor he didn't need a secretary, but he asked her to stay with him and learn the car business. And she spent the next 17 years doing exactly that.
While working in the accounting office, she began sitting in on sales meetings and attending all the training sessions she could. In just a few years, she became office manager and eventually business manager for three Toyota franchises, a Pontiac dealership and a Volkswagen store.
When her mentor died in 1977, she mortgaged her home and purchased 35 percent of one of the Toyota dealerships with a new partner. She also signed an agreement that would allow her to buy out his interest at some point in the future. Under her leadership as general manager she and her partner acquired a Suzuki franchise and opened a car leasing company.
"My husband told me I was crazy, but I became the GM of the dealership in Toyota's early hey-day," she said.
Under Taylor's aggressive leadership, the dealership boomed, but the partnership sputtered. Her life changed dramatically in 1983 when her partner abruptly cancelled the buy-sell agreement. Even though she owned part of the dealership, she decided it was time to move on. She purchased the Toyota dealership in North Augusta from the Timmerman family in July 1983 and moved to Augusta with her youngest son, Rick, a recent college graduate, leaving her husband and oldest son David in Atlanta.
"It was a tough sacrifice, but it was one I had to make at that time," she says.
Over the next three years, her North Augusta store grew and prospered while her old dealership in Atlanta declined. In 1986 her partner agreed to sell the Atlanta dealership and she collected her 35 percent investment and paid off her backers here. With her Toyota franchise running smoothly and winning an unprecedented string of President's Awards, Taylor turned over management of the Toyota store to her son Rick and turned her attention to growth and expansion.
She purchased the Augusta BMW and Hyundai franchises in 1992 and was awarded the Infiniti franchise in March of 1993. Her son David joined the family business in 1993 and is operations manager at Taylor Auto Group on Washington Road. The Taylor family sold the Toyota franchise in North Augusta to focus their efforts on BMW. Infiniti and Hyundai in Augusta.
Taylor's customer-focused business policies have made her one of the top 10 BMW dealers in the nation and winner of the BMW President's Award. She also earned the Toyota President's Award for nine years running and has claimed the Nissan Motors Circle of Excellence Award twice. These awards are heavily weighted to customer satisfaction ratings as well as profitability, service and certifications.
