Acura’s dealership in Lawrenceville celebrates 20 years

by Jessica Jones-Gorman • Photos By Robert Nuzzie

In March of 1995, Precision Acura of Princeton opened its doors with a mission of “exceeding client expectations for life.” It was a tough task, since the previous Acura dealership owners had struggled in the same Lawrenceville location for years prior, but the new owner and management team believed that with a commitment to customer service, they could win back wayward previous customers.

“We immediately went into the community and started doing business a different way,” noted Drew Sciaulino, who was brought in as sales manager of the fledgling company by then-owner Bill Keith, and is now President and CEO. “We both had luxury backgrounds—I had worked for Jaguar and Lexus—so we were experienced in the high end market. But we wanted to change the way the business operated. Our philosophy from the beginning was to maintain a strong focus on customer service. Whether we made or lost money, it was our goal to be certain that customers were always 100 percent satisfied.” “We built a reputation over time and the community embraced us,” explained Sciaulino. “We became one of the highest rated dealers for customer satisfaction in the country and received more customer satisfaction awards from Acura than any
other Acura dealership in New Jersey. We’ve been honored with the award of Dealership of Distinction for 16 years, and we’ve been in business for 20 years.”

According to Sciaulino, the key to this success is Precision’s loyal team.

“We have always understood that a consumer can purchase an Acura anywhere; however, the experience isn’t always the same,” he said. “Precision Acura employees are empowered to service our customers beyond normal expectations. They take ownership in resolving issues, represent us in the community, and proactively attend to customer needs.”

Sciaulino, who purchased the dealership in 2004 and now serves as president and CEO, says his philosophy in creating and maintaining a successful enterprise is ultimately simple.

“My responsibility as owner is to make sure clients, employees, and the business itself always maintain an equal side of a triangle. If my employees aren’t perfectly happy, then my clients won’t be perfectly happy, and the business has to remain a success to reinvest in both. It’s a balance we consistently try to maintain.”

Scialulino observed that the quality of the product speaks for itself. Acura, the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda, launched in 1986, is the first luxury brand awarded top safety ratings across its entire model line. Five different models (the ILX, TLX, RLX, RDX, and MDX) have all been recognized by the auto industry for their excellence and value, and will be joined by a re-launch of the sporty and coveted NSX sports car this spring (see “Supercar Returns” in the September-October issue for a profile of the new coupe).

Acura essentially established the Japanese luxury car market with its famed Legend, a move that in time prompted Toyota and Nissan to launch their own luxury divisions of Lexus and Infiniti, respectively. The NSX, which rolled out in 1990, was the first bone fide competitor to European supercars from Ferrari and Maserati.

“All of Acura’s product lines are popular,” Sciaulino said. “Not only are they superior vehicles, but they represent a good value in the luxury segment. We see a lot of trade-ins here of Mercedes, BMW and Lexus vehicles, because people see the value this car maker provides. Plus, Acura is a front runner in technology, and always has been. Our cars are equipped with multiple air bags and lane avoidance and crash avoidance systems just for starters; the brand has always brought technological advances ahead of everyone else.”

Service at the Lawrenceville dealership is well thought-out, too: customers are offered Acura loaner cars while they wait or can take advantage of a pick-up/drop-off service. Each serviced vehicle is washed and vacuumed by hand and customers are kept abreast of progress via text or e-mail. For those who choose to wait, there are hot bagels, muffins, and even bottomless cups of Starbucks coffee.

“We want every step of the process to be convenient,” the president said. “We all have such busy lives, so it’s our job to make sure that your service is convenient and quick.”

And he ought to know; Sciaulino started his automotive career repairing cars in his mother’s driveway when he was just seventeen. He attended automotive vocational school, has a degree in automotive technology, and has held positions in multiple fields within the industry.

“We have clients who come here from Long Island…100 miles away, because of our reputation and customer service,” Sciaulino said. “We build long-standing relationships with all of our customers, including many repeat clients who have been with us for 20 years, and most of our staff has been here as long as I have.”

Precision Acura is also active with local charities: Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, Meals on Wheels, Frankie Valli’s Valerie Fund for children with cancer and blood disorders, and Shore Dreams for Kids are just a few of the organizations the dealership regularly supports.

“Giving back is important because our clients are the ones who keep us in a successful business. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t exist,” he said.

“I always say we’re not a car dealer, we are a business that sells cars,” Sciaulino concluded. “We put our customers first, and I think that’s what makes every experience at Precision Acura unique.”

Precision Acura of Princeton
3001 N US 1, Lawrenceville / 609.895.0600 / precisionacura.com