CARIBOU, Maine — Griffeth Ford, Lincoln and Mitsubishi in Caribou is celebrating 15 years of business this year, fulfilling all of the county’s vehicle needs; the company also features a full-service department that’s as old as the business itself. The business was first established in 1912 as the W.L. Oak Company on Sweden Street in Caribou; the name later changed to the Caribou Motor Company in 1919, and moved to a Main Street location until 1989 when it came to its current Route 1 location.
Neal Griffeth came to co-own the company in 2006 with his then-partner Hampton (Hamp) Dawson. The two purchased their new business from the family of the late Rene Nicole, who owned the company from 1990 until 2004 when he died unexpectedly. Griffeth and Dawson co-owned the company for two years, until Griffeth bought out his partner in 2008. Griffeth also owns Acceptance Auto of Caribou, North Street Auto Sales and Griffeth Honda, both of Presque Isle.
While the automotive industry as a whole took a hit during the recession, Griffeth Ford continues to provide customers with means of transportation that suit both their lifestyles and economic means by not only offering a variety of new cars, but an extensive array of used vehicles as well.
Though the company has been selling more used cars as of late, that could change as the financial climate thaws.
“Obtaining car loans from the banks has been a problem for many of our customers over the past few years, even customers with excellent credit histories,” Griffeth said, but the good news is that the banking atmosphere seems to have adapted, which has allowed many more customers to drive away in their dream vehicles.
Wherever the banks may be in five years doesn’t change the fact that Griffeth sees Ford itself being much stronger in the next half-decade — Lincoln, too.
“Ford is going in the right direction,” Griffeth said, and his impression of the vehicles is well-warranted considering the advanced technology being introduced into all new Fords. One of Griffeth’s favorites is the 2011 Ford Edge, available in the spring at Griffeth Ford. The Edge has safety features that Griffeth said amaze him.
Other Ford models have even introduced Active Park Assist, a feature that allows a car to parallel park itself for the driver (thereby make visiting Downtown Presque Isle a whole lot easier).
Aside from being completely confident in the cars he sells, Griffeth is also confident in his employees’ abilities. Every month, he sends at least two of his 30 employees away for training to make sure that all of the information they know is as current as possible. Keeping his employees educated on the latest technologies in continuously changing industry is one thing that Griffeth feels gives his business an edge over the competition.
“I’d match our service department with anyone in the state,” Griffeth said confidently, and the price of that highly-competitive service can’t be beat at $60 an hour, versus $100 an hour for similarly educated technitians in southern Maine. “Our staff can do a lot more to a vehicle in a lot less time, and do it right the first time.”
Whether it’s due to the quality of the service department, variety of vehicles, excellent customer service or all of the above, the over 100-year tenure of Caribou’s Ford dealership continues to provide quality vehicles for the area’s drivers and will continue living up to its reputation.
Celebrating his fifteenth-year as owner, Griffeth positively reflects on the time that’s passed.
“It’s been good to me and I’m very fortunate,” he said. Griffeth lives in Caribou with his wife and three children.
