Hyundai of St Augustine

This is one of many recommendations for Paul Smathers. I was fortunate to meet Paul through an internet inquiry I made about a replacement car as I "loaned" my car to a neighbor who told me she needed to "pick up a friend and would be back in 30 minutes" whereupon she managed to total my car before all was said and done. My former car was going to be my last car purchase as it was a 2009 Hyundai Sonata which I loved. Fortunately no one was injured in the accident but my car was a total loss. So, not only had I lost my car but I was dealing with the shock of an accident. I am a single,independent lady looking towards retirement and this was a unique situation as the purpose of having insurance is to make oneself whole again - not to necessarily "profit" from accidents. I knew I had to be cognizant of the amount of debt or investment I was willing to take on at this stage in my life. So, I began my due diligence pouring through the internet looking at vehicles that would be comparable to what I had before. Hyundai of St. Augustine has a very good, informative web site that is easy to maneuver. I began my search via the internet to find the right car to fit my needs. I met a number of salespeople through these searches. I found Paul Smathers early on. I called him about one of the cars on his company's web site and we began a dialogue. I spoke with him probably 4 times before I went to the dealership and actually met him. I had heard like many of us have, that women in the car buying market are targets for unscrupulous salesmen, and, had indeed had a very similar experience at a dealership the day before I met Paul. The day after the bad experience I found a car I was interested in on Hyundai of St. Augustine's web site. So, again, I contacted Paul and we discussed the car. Paul was very forthcoming about the specifics of the vehicle and quoted me a fair price. I live in Jacksonville and decided it would be worth the drive to take a look at this option. Once I arrived at the dealership I was greeted by several of the employees in a very friendly yet respectful manner who escorted me to Paul's desk and got me a cold drink. Paul was finishing up with a new car buyer and even brought the customer over to meet me as well. The car I was interested in was still being detailed but Paul had it brought around and, after a thorough "walk around inspection" we proceeded with a test drive. I found Paul to be attentive, informative (he knows his products), respectful, trustworthy, kind and compassionate. He is so easy to be around. He even shared some pictures with me of his wife (who is quite beautiful)and proudly told me about his daughters. The test drive went well and I decided to have him work the numbers. He did so in a very efficient way and explained very well each line item. We proceeded with the process. I then met with Eddie Brooks, who is the Finance Director with the company. I found Eddie to be so personable, knowledgeable and efficient as well. Folks, this company has a great team that they have put together and at no time was I ever pressured in the least and there was no "game playing" that you will find at other dealerships. I can honestly say this car purchase was a wonderful experience. I would highly recommend this company and its' people, and, more specifically Paul Smathers for a solid, enjoyable good value in a car new or used.