Al Armour, president of the Wally Armour Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM, said the dealership expects to double the number of employees from 25 in the next year.

The dealership is located at 400 Legacy Lane. Additional new and used car inventory now fill the 13 acres.

Owned by Wally Armour, the dealership is under the daily operational guidance of Al and his son, A.J.

Al Armour said a few of the 80 employees in the Wally Amour Alliance dealership transferred to the Salem store. That dealership was incorporated in 1986. The Alliance dealership is situated on nine acres with three buildings at 1950 W. State St.

The Salem Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM dealership changed hands on Nov. 1 and is now the Wally Armour Salem Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM that features a large inventory of new and used vehicles on the 13-acre lot on 400 Legacy Lane, just off the state Route 62/45 bypass. Al Armour, president of Wally Armour Salem Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM, said he expects to sell cars to customers in the Salem, Canfield and Boardman areas and throughout southern Mahoning County. (Salem News photo by Larry Shields)

“I think it’s really convenient to have everything under one building,” Amour said of the Salem facility.

His father, Wally Armour Sr., was a high school football coach in Parma and Amherst and worked for Ed Mullinax Ford. His mother, Mary Lee, was a high school biology teacher. Al payed football and wrestled in high school.

One day Wally Armour told Mullinax that he wanted a dealership for himself. Mullinax tried to dissuade him but later tipped him off to a closed Ford dealership in Alliance and advised him to see if a deal couldn’t be worked out with Ford Motor Company.

That was it, and since 1981 it’s been the car business for the Armour family, including Al’s brother, Wally B. Jr., who runs the Alliance dealership.

“We’ll be looking for sales people, service and lot porters and some reconditioning personnel,” Al Armour said of the Salem dealership.

This window in the east side of the newly-acquired Wally Armour Salem Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM dealership tells the story. Al Armour, president of Wally Armour Salem Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM, said they will be hiring and job candidates can stop in and see him personally. (Salem News photo by Larry Shields)

Service and lot porters typically pick up from and deliver customers to desired locations, pick up and deliver vehicles to sublet vendors and customers as directed, and move vehicles inside and outside of service center to help achieve production standards along with other responsibilities.

“The best way to get a job is to come see me,” he said. “We’re excited to sell some new and used cars, and get out there and meet everyone.”

The Salem dealership website, wallyarmoursalem.com, is up and running.

“We intend to get to get Canfield and Boardman to come here and buy cars,” he added. “We’re a price dealership. No haggle. No hassle. The best price is right up front. We don’t pay our sales people based on commission. It doesn’t matter if they sell you a $3,000 or $70,000 car, they’ll get the same.”

Armour said leasing is about 40 percent of the new car sales and “we’re also bringing our own financing, Buckeye Financial, in.”

He explained, “If I can’t get you approved through a conventional bank, I’m going to lend you the money. It’s a car loan –if they want to re-establish credit.

“The banks will force consumers to look at more expensive vehicles” and structure loans into longer payoffs.

For example, a $15,000 loan at 15 percent with taxes over a 72-month loan would be $355.24 a month. In 72 months that’s $8,770 in interest.

If the buyer comes back in 36 months, they still owe $12,780 on a car bought three years ago for $15,000 at 15 percent for 72 months.

The push is for more money over a longer term without showing the long-term consequences, Armour said, adding that he wants customers to build credit over a short period, of say, 30 months and around $300 a month payments.

“I don’t like the long-term loans,” Armour said of the 72-to 90-month deals. “That customer will never come back.”

Armour said the big American flag the dealership is known for will be hoisted back up after winter when a cable is fixed.

He said the dealership will be open later during weekdays. Hours are Monday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. They dealership is closed on Sundays.

Call 330-337-3475 or visit wallyarmoursalem.com for more information.

lshields@salemnews.net