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A West Salem auto dealer is doing its part to provide one expensive toy for big people throughout the Coulee Region.
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Premier Auto Sales manager Josh Anderson poses with the Lomborghini they have on their lots for sale for a mere $159,900. Dick Riniker Photo |
For the past few months, Premier Auto Sales has displayed a Lamborghini sports car at its West Salem lot.
“To us, it’s the same thing as the toys we have for the kids here. Except it’s a toy for the parents to take a look at or have their picture taken,” said sales manager Josh Anderson.
Since it arrived on the lot, the silver, 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo E-Gear with just under 6,000 miles has drawn plenty of attention but few interested buyers.
Almost daily, passersby swing into the lot to look at the high-performance vehicle, and some have been fortunate enough to get a ride, Anderson said.
“We’ve had two or three people out with one of the managers driving the car a few times,” Anderson said. “It’s neat for people to be able to say they’ve ridden in a Lamborghini.”
Listed at just under $160,000, the Premier staff is extremely careful who gets behind the wheel.
Before even considering whether to allow someone the chance to test drive, Anderson said, the staff makes sure it’s someone with the resources and a real interest in purchasing the prized machine.
“From an insurance standpoint, we try to make sure if they want to physically drive it they’re able to afford it and are interested in buying it,” Anderson said.
Before an interested buyer lays their money down, one thing to consider is the cost of insuring such a vehicle.
La Crosse insurance agent Pete Freisinger said coverage is affordable for collectors who will drive limited miles, but for those who plan to use the vehicle, they would have to pay hefty premiums, with deductibles of $5,000 or more. That is, he added, if they can get coverage at all.
“A lot of companies are a little gun-shy about insuring something that wouldn’t have a readily available source of parts because making repairs would be so costly,” Freisinger said.
This is not the first time the dealership has had a high-end vehicle on its lot.
Last year it had another Lamborghini and a Ferrari for sale. In both case, the vehicles were sold over the Internet — one to a buyer in Phoenix and another in California, Anderson said.
Although Anderson admits the car may may not be sold locally, he said that hasn’t cooled interest.
“We have about 10 to 15 people a day come in to look. They’re usually coming by on Hwy. 16, they see the Lamborghini and swing in,” he said. “For a lot of people it may be their only chance to ever see a car like this in person.”
