Why Buy Local? At Pratt, It Means We Come to You
By Ian Pratt, President — Pratt Chevrolet GMC | Pratt Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram | Calais, Maine
There’s a phrase we’ve been saying at Pratt for a long time: the way buying a car or truck should be.
We put it on our ads. We say it on the radio. But it was never meant to be a tagline. It was meant to be a standard — a description of the experience every person who does business with us deserves, whether they live five minutes from our lot or five hours away.
That standard is why people drive from Fort Kent, from Kittery, from across Maine and beyond to buy from a dealership in Calais. It’s why we have zero aged inventory — not a low number, zero — because when you treat people the way buying a car should feel, they don’t wait around. They buy, and then they send their families.
This post is about what it actually means to buy local. Not in the abstract, feel-good sense. In the specific, dollar-for-dollar, what-happens-when-something-goes-wrong sense. If you’re weighing a purchase and trying to decide between a local partner and a large, anonymous operation somewhere down the highway, here is exactly what you’re choosing between.
“Local” Doesn’t Mean You Have to Come to Us. We’ll Come to You.
One of the biggest misconceptions about buying from a local dealership is that local means limited — that you have to be nearby to benefit from the relationship.
At Pratt, that’s simply not true.
We offer free statewide delivery. If you find the vehicle you want, we will bring it to you anywhere in Maine. You don’t have to rearrange your schedule, take half a day off work, or ask someone to follow you home. We’ll deliver the vehicle to your door, handle the paperwork, and make the process work around your life rather than the other way around.
Think about what that means in a state the size of Maine, with weather that can make a two-hour drive into a four-hour ordeal six months out of the year. The question “should I buy from the local dealer?” becomes a lot more interesting when the local dealer is willing to bring the vehicle to Presque Isle, to Bar Harbor, to wherever you are — at no charge.
That’s what the way buying a car or truck should be actually looks like. It’s not just a sale. It’s a service. And it starts before you ever set foot on our lot.
You Are Not a Transaction. You Are a Long-Term Partner.
Here’s the fundamental difference between buying from Pratt and buying from a large, volume-driven operation that has no stake in your community.
At a big-box dealer or an online platform, the relationship ends the moment the deal is signed. You become an account number. If something isn’t right — the financing, a feature you didn’t understand, a warranty question — you’re calling a 1-800 number and starting from zero with someone who has never heard your name.
At Pratt, you are our neighbor. That’s not a marketing line. It’s a structural reality that changes how every part of the relationship works.
We think about every customer interaction the way I think about what I call the Coffee Shop Test. Six months after you buy a vehicle from us, you walk into a local diner. Your salesperson sees you across the room. You’re not completely happy — maybe there was something in the paperwork you didn’t fully understand, or a question came up about your trade that wasn’t fully resolved. They aren’t on the clock. They’re with their family.
What happens next?
At a local dealership with real values, they come over. They sit down. They listen, and they make it right. Not because their manager is watching, but because they live here. Because you’re their neighbor. Because their reputation in this community is inseparable from how they treat you.
That accountability cannot be replicated by a large dealership that rotates salespeople through a high-volume floor. It can’t be automated into an app or a chatbot. It is the natural outcome of being genuinely embedded in the community you serve — and it is one of the most valuable things you are buying when you choose to buy local.
The Service Department Might Be the Most Important Decision You Make
Most people focus entirely on the purchase. The price. The monthly payment. The color. The features. All of that matters. But here’s the truth that changes the calculation: the most important day of vehicle ownership is not the day you buy it. It’s the day something goes wrong.
And something always goes wrong eventually. A warning light at 40,000 miles. A recall notice. Worn rotors. A sensor that needs replacing. It doesn’t matter what brand you buy or how carefully you maintain it — every vehicle eventually needs a service department that knows what it’s doing, has the right parts, and treats you with the same respect you got when you were writing the check.
Pratt is Maine’s number one rated service department, recognized by AAA. We didn’t earn that rating by accident and we don’t maintain it by cutting corners. We built a service operation that runs on the same principle as our sales floor: you are a partner, not a transaction, and you will be treated accordingly every time you walk through our door.
When you are a Pratt customer, you have priority service access. Loaner vehicles when you need them. Advisors who know your vehicle history because you bought it from us and we’ve been servicing it since day one. A team that uses factory-trained technicians, OEM-certified parts, and digital inspection tools that give you a transparent, documented look at exactly what your vehicle needs and why.
There is no version of that relationship available from an online broker or a dealership three states away that sold you a vehicle based on the lowest advertised price. They got the sale. You got the number. Your local dealer is the one who’s going to take care of you for the next ten years.
The Price Argument Is Already Settled
We hear this one constantly. People assume that buying local means paying more. That the big operations have economies of scale, that the online platforms have eliminated the margin, that if you want the best price you have to go somewhere else.
Here is our answer to that: Pratt meets or beats any advertised price in Maine. Every time.
That’s not a negotiating tactic. It’s a standing policy. We have to compete for every customer because we know what it takes to earn a relationship in a small community — and what it costs to lose one. Word travels faster than any advertisement we could run.
But matching price is only part of the story. The full value of a local purchase goes well beyond the sticker.
Right now at Pratt, we’re covering sales tax on qualifying vehicles. One hundred percent. On a $40,000 or $50,000 purchase, that can mean thousands of dollars you do not have to pay. We’re offering no-payment periods, manufacturer warranty enhancements that competitors aren’t stacking the way we do, and program-eligible vehicles with bonus cash that most buyers never find on their own because they don’t have someone on their side explaining how the programs work.
A local dealer who is in your corner doesn’t just give you the price. They make sure you understand every available advantage, every rebate you qualify for, and every program that reduces your total cost of ownership. That is not something a price comparison website does for you. It’s something a partner does.
And when it comes to your trade-in — the vehicle you’re coming out of — the difference becomes even more significant. We look at your trade. In person. With eyes on the actual vehicle. We don’t feed it into a depreciation algorithm and give you a computerized number. We give you what it’s worth, backed by real market knowledge and a genuine interest in making the deal work for you.
Two Brands, One Commitment, Every Type of Buyer
Pratt operates two full franchises in Calais: Pratt Chevrolet GMC and Pratt Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.
That means whether you are looking for a workhorse Ram 1500 with America’s best powertrain warranty — 10 years, 100,000 miles, double what Ford and Chevy offer — or a Silverado built for Maine winters, a three-row family Traverse, a trail-ready Jeep Wrangler, a hard-working GMC Sierra, or a fuel-efficient Dodge — we have the inventory and the expertise to find exactly the right vehicle for your life.
We don’t steer you toward what we need to move. We match you with what actually fits. That distinction matters more than most buyers realize until they’ve had the experience of working with a dealer who has too many of one model and not enough of another. At Pratt, zero aged inventory isn’t just a metric. It’s proof that we’re stocking what people actually want and matching buyers to the right vehicles consistently.
What “The Way Buying a Car Should Be” Actually Means
We run our operation on four principles. In order: Safety. Courtesy. Show. Productivity.
Productivity — which is where our margin lives — comes last. That ordering is deliberate, and it’s the clearest expression of what we believe about this business.
It means we will never rush you. We will never put you in the wrong vehicle because it was the easier close. We will never let a profitable deal override the right outcome for you. Every member of our team understands that the transaction has to be right, the experience has to be right, and the long-term relationship has to be worth having — not just for us, but for you.
The way buying a car or truck should be means:
You get a price that’s fair and transparent, with every available program on the table. You get a salesperson who knows the vehicle they’re selling and is honest about what it can and can’t do for your situation. You get a finance process that explains every number, every product, every option — without pressure. You get delivery handled the way you need it handled, whether that’s picking up at the store or having us bring the vehicle to you. And you get a service relationship that starts the day you drive off the lot and lasts as long as you own that vehicle.
That’s what local means at Pratt. Not just geography. Not just familiarity. It means you are at the center of this operation — not as a unit of revenue, but as a person we are responsible for.
Why Thousands of Maine Drivers Choose Pratt
People don’t drive from one end of Maine to the other for a mediocre deal. They do it because word got out that the experience is different here. That the numbers come in right. That when something goes wrong — and eventually something always does — there is a team in Calais that picks up the phone, knows who you are, and takes care of it.
Pratt has been earning that reputation for decades. It’s reflected in our AAA service rating. In our inventory turn. In the customers who come back for their second and third vehicle and bring their kids when it’s time for their first.
If you’ve been on the fence about where to buy your next vehicle — whether the local option is really worth it or whether you should chase a price tag from a dealer who doesn’t know your name — we’d invite you to call us or stop by.
Route 1 South in Calais. 207-454-0600.
You’ll understand within an hour why thousands of Maine drivers already have.
Pratt Chevrolet GMC and Pratt Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram serve all of Maine and the surrounding region. We offer free statewide vehicle delivery, competitive financing, and Maine’s number one AAA-rated service department. Visit us at 143 River Road, Calais, ME 04619 or call 207-454-0600. The way buying a car or truck should be.
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Welcome to Pratt Chevrolet GMC Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram! As we gear up for another exciting year, we’re thrilled to introduce the latest innovations in the 2024 Chevy lineup. Whether you’re a long-time Chevy enthusiast or new to the brand, there’s something for everyone in this year’s models.
LOOKING FOR A NEW CAR?
While you’re celebrating Pratt’s support for youth sports, don’t forget they’re also your one-stop shop for all your automotive needs. With their wide selection of vehicles and commitment to customer service, Pratt is sure to hit a home run for you too!
A BIG THANK YOU TO PRATT!
On behalf of all the young athletes, parents, and coaches in Calais, Machias, Millinocket, and Baileyville, a huge thank you to Pratt Family Dealerships! Their generosity allows our children to experience the joy of sports and all the positive lessons that come along with it. This is a true homerun for our communities!
THE POWER OF YOUTH SPORTS
Youth sports programs offer so much more than just a game. They teach valuable life lessons like teamwork, sportsmanship, and perseverance. They also promote healthy habits and provide a positive outlet for young people’s energy. Pratt Family Dealerships understands this impact, and their donations ensure these opportunities are available to all.
BEYOND CALAIS
While Calais gets to brag about the brand new uniforms this year, Pratt’s generosity extends far beyond our town limits. They are also major sponsors for the Machias Little League, Millinocket Little League, and Baileyville Youth Baseball. Thanks to Pratt, countless young athletes across Washington County have the opportunity to participate in organized sports.
Pratt’s commitment to our community’s youth goes far beyond this year’s donation. Since 1996, they’ve been a major supporter of youth sports programs, not just in Calais, but throughout the surrounding areas. This two-decade long dedication showcases their unwavering commitment to fostering a love of sports in young people.
