Findlay Mazda opens in Valley Automall

Findlay Mazda, Findlay Automotive Group’s newest addition in a fast-growing umbrella of dealerships, recently opened at the Valley Automall with veteran automobile sales executive Allen Montalvo at the helm.

“Mazda has loyal brand enthusiasts, and its bread and butter is a driver’s vehicle,” Montalvo said. “We are now in phase one of turning the product into a premium brand. The brand has been in existence since the 1960s, so it certainly has strong following.”

Mazda disappeared from its Henderson roots in the Valley Automall about 2½ years ago.

“The Findlay family and CFO Tyler Corder all saw the need to have this Mazda dealership, and the group made the move to bring the highly respected brand into the Findlay Automotive Group,” Montalvo said. “The Findlay organization has an uncanny ability to identify opportunity and secure automotive brands, and Mazda is an example of that.”

The team at Findlay Mazda sold two vehicles only hours after the dealership opened. Montalvo said he feels that word about the new dealership is spreading quickly.

In fact, one Kingman, Arizona, customer traveled to Las Vegas for service on his 2015 Mazda3.

“We’re the first Mazda dealership in Southern Nevada to have Mazda’s new state-of-the-art look, dubbed the Mazda Evolution Facility,” Montalvo said. “I’ve been in the car business for 14 years, and this is honestly the nicest facility I’ve ever seen.”

Montalvo said Mazda has a strong inventory of popular models with some exciting new models coming soon.

“The CX-5 and the Mazda3 are currently the top-selling models,” he said. “There are customers who bought Mazdas more than 40 years ago and love the product line. They’re very loyal. The styling and the performance is what is attracting the new buyers.”

The Mazda line of vehicles also includes the CX-3 subcompact crossover, Mazda6 midsize sedan, CX-9 SUV and the MX-5 Miata convertible roadster.

Dealership shop foreman Jared Dimitt said the Mazda power plants are top-notch.

“I have been with Mazda for a total of 10 years,” said Dimitt, a native Las Vegan. “The engines are variable valve and get excellent gas mileage. Mazda has the power-to-weight ratio down to a T. Between the weight of the car and the engine, it’s the perfect package. If the vehicles are maintained correctly, they will last forever.”

Dimitt also said the technicians at Findlay Mazda are master-Mazda-certified.

“Master Mazda means that our technicians have received extensive training from the factory,” Dimitt said. “We have the best of both worlds at Findlay Mazda in that both our sales and service departments are comprised of very strong talent.”

Findlay Automotive Group CFO Tyler Corder said Montalvo was the ideal choice to become general manager of the dealership.

“Allen Montalvo has been with Findlay Automotive for quite a few years as general sales manager at Findlay Acura,” Corder said. “He’s done an outstanding job and is a great leader. We’re really proud to be able to give him the opportunity to be our general manager at Findlay Mazda. We’re looking for him to do great things in his new position.

“One of our strengths at Findlay Automotive is our outstanding people. We have great talent, which allows us to promote from within when we open a new dealership. Of our 17 dealerships in Southern Nevada, every one of the general managers was promoted from within our organization. We’re proud to continue this tradition by elevating Allen to be the general manager of Findlay Mazda.”