Boone again behind wheel

OLYMPIA – The man previously behind Boone Ford is back in the car business.

Steve Boone, who ran Boone Ford in Olympia for 20 years until he sold the dealership in 2000, has opened Premier Motors Northwest at the Olympia Auto Mall.

While U.S. car manufacturers are scaling back their operations or trying to emerge from bankruptcy, Boone and his business partner, Ron Wynne, decided there was a niche opportunity to sell used luxury cars, such as late-model Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lexus and Porsche models.

“We think there’s still a good market for pre-owned highline cars,” Boone said.

Premier Motors occupies an 11,000-square-foot building at 1835 Cooper Point Road, a facility Boone built to sell Harley-Davidson motorcycles in 1996. He later moved his Harley-Davidson business to Lacey, and the space was leased to a women’s fitness business that later closed. Premier Motors opened at the end of May, making it the 12th dealership at the Olympia Auto Mall, executive manager Alicia Nelson said Friday.

While Boone views himself as the silent partner of the business, Wynne is the general manager overseeing a finance manager and two salespeople.

Wynne, who used to work at Rainier Dodge and Boone Ford, said Premier Motors has sold eight vehicles in its first two weeks of business. It has 25 to 30 cars on the lot with a goal of selling 10 to 20 vehicles per month, he said. The lot can accommodate up to 50 cars, Wynne said. Prices range from $10,000 to $40,000, he said.

Boone added that the business is in the market to buy vehicles or sell them on consignment.

In addition to the car lot, about half the building is occupied by a showroom filled with classic cars. It also has a waiting area for customers and their children, Wynne said.

One of Premier’s first customers was Brent Erwin of Everett who paid about $20,000 for a 2006 C230 black Mercedes. Erwin, 20, is stationed in Everett with the Coast Guard, although his family lives in Olympia, he said.

Erwin said he was inspired to buy a Mercedes after riding in the luxury vehicles his parents have owned over the years. Past searches for high-end cars, however, usually led him to dealerships in Fife or online, he said.

“It’s nice that Olympia is getting something like this,” Erwin said about Premier.

Financed by a military credit union, Erwin bought the car Tuesday night and drove back to Everett on Wednesday. He said he plans to let his siblings drive the car when he is away on duty.

As for getting back into the car business, it feels great, Boone said. He said he’s got the right people running the business and he’s content to offer support.

Rolf Boone: 360-754-5403

rboone@theolympian.com