New store sells classics

Greeting customers who venture through the front doors at the newly transformed Courtesy Auto Center in the Centennial Hills automotive corridor in northwest Las Vegas is a 1959 Cadillac DeVille Deluxe convertible.

Step inside and you won't find a single new car on the showroom floor. What you will encounter, however, are pre-owned treasures, according to General Manager Harold Drezner, whose goal is to stock unusual, rare, classic and hard-to-find vehicles.

"Our slogan has always been, 'Be smart, buy smart,' " Drezner said. "In this challenging economy, our customers are budget-minded and appreciate saving money. Throwing money away is not something people want to do."

With that in mind, the Courtesy Auto Group, which also includes Courtesy Imports in the Valley Automall, has converted the Courtesy Auto Center from a new and preowned automotive dealership into a strictly preowned location, which sells all kinds of vehicles, in addition to its memorable and high-end exotic cars.

Consider the 2009 Mercedes-Benz AMG coupe, Drezner points out. It has 6,000 original miles, is in excellent condition and sold for more than $150,000 new.

"Our intention is to offer cars like this at a 30- to 50-percent savings. Let someone else take the depreciation."

Drezner's love for classic and timeless cars goes back a long way, and he's certainly resurrected his passion for spotting enduring automotive examples.

"I'm hunting and searching all the time," he said. "I scour banks, lease programs and auctions looking for cars with the least miles and the nicest preservation. We check the vehicle's history and inspect the car before we buy it. We do the homework so the customer doesn't have to."

Drezner's team recently sold a 1998 Jaguar with 26,000 original miles.

"It was immaculate," Drezner said, but explained in this case because the factory warranty had expired, it was purchased in its unbelievable "as is" condition. However, many of the cars he acquires still have transferable warranties, which is another bonus.

Drezner has collected more than 30 cars to start his showroom display, which is also available to browse online. That project is overseen by Veronica Scala, Courtesy's Internet manager.

"We're seeing lots of online activity," said Scala, who also noted Drezner is very picky when he attends the automotive auctions. "People either go online or stop by the showroom. It's a trip down memory lane for a lot of them."

Touring the showroom, Drezner pointed out some of his favorite finds, like the 1958 Metropolitan, a rare 1968 AMX (from American Motors Corp.), a 2004 Maybach 62 (a luxury sedan made by Mercedes-Benz) and a 2008 Bentley with less than 5,000 miles on the odometer. The showroom is also getting a face-lift and will include historic memorabilia when the transformation is complete, Drezner said.

"Sure, we love the classics and high-end cars, but we'll have quality budget-minded vehicles available as well," Drezner said. As an added service, Drezner said the dealership will ship any vehicle anywhere in the world and that financing is available on every car.

The Courtesy Auto Center is located at 6401 W. Centennial Blvd. The showroom, which is open to anyone who wants to see the collection, is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and
9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. During the summer, closing times are often extended. For more information, call 951-8234 or visit www.courtesylv.com.