Greg Barton, general manager of Aransas Autoplex in Aransas Pass, with one of his top selling vehicles: the good ol’ Texas Truck! Photo by Carrie Robertson Meyer/Third Coast Photo
Trucks once had a reputation as rattle-traps used only for farming and hauling. While still known for their toughness, trucks are now the road-trip rigs of choice, offering comfort, style and reliability. The longer the road trip, the more reason to buy a truck from Aransas Autoplex, the only Chevrolet, Buick and GMC dealer in the Coastal Bend to offer a lifetime powertrain warranty on new General Motors vehicles.
“Because we’re in South Texas, we have a lot of people who travel the state and rack up the miles,” said Aransas Autoplex General Manager Greg Barton. “After one or two years, they’ll be out of the factory warranty — but they’re covered by our lifetime powertrain warranty program.”
Every new car and truck sold at Aransas Autoplex is backed by the warranty, which covers items originally covered by the factory powertrain warranty for as long as the original owner owns the vehicle. To qualify for coverage, the owner must follow the factory’s recommended maintenance routine — a smart plan to preserve the life of any new vehicle.
“If the engine fails 25 years from now, we’ve got your back,” said Barton, who noted that modern engines and transmissions are so reliable when maintained that it’s now practical to offer an additional measure of peace of mind at the dealership level. “We sell new cars across the state because of the lifetime warranty, which is not only good just at this dealership, it’s good nationwide.”
Aransas Pass, best known for its annual Shrimporee seafood celebration, lies 20 minutes north of Corpus Christi by bridge or ferry. Aransas Autoplex employees commute from the remote coastal towns of Taft, Rockport and Ingleside to serve customers from across the state and country.
“In this day and age, with mobile applications and the Internet, we sell cars all over,” Barton said. “You never really know where your customer base is going to grow.”
Aransas Autoplex responded to growing regional and national sales by leveraging its ability to locate specific vehicles to satisfy customers’ requests. If a local customer finds their dream Corvette in the perfect color several states away, the dealer’s private transport company will pick it up and ship it back without upping the mileage.
“We’re entrenched in these communities,” Barton said. “People know we’ll always provide them with a good selection. If we don’t have something, we’ll find it.”
Though the vehicle locator service lends itself to sports and specialty cars, Barton said he’s seen strong interest in locating specific Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe models, which are built in Texas. He expects the all-new 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups to be a popular request over the next year or two.
“Hey, we’re South Texans,” Barton said. “Trucks will always be front and center.”
Find Aransas Autoplex online at aransasautoplex.com, by phone at (888) 259-1235 or use your wheels to drive to 2352 W. Wheeler in Aransas Pass.
