Hidden Gems: Meet Joe Marzouca of TLC Motors Inc. and The Machine Shop

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe Marzouca.

Hi Joe, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in this business. My father was working as a used car salesman at Richard Kelley Oldsmobile Nissan in the late ’80s. He was one of their top producers when he worked there. He eventually reconnected with an old friend who presented a wholesale opportunity to export American-made V8 rear-wheel drive vehicles overseas to the Middle East. This was a profitable venture while it lasted but eventually, these countries increased their tariffs on imported vehicles which killed the demand in that market and at that point, my father had to figure out a different way to make a living.

He decided to go into retail and opened up TLC Motors in 1990 on a small gravel lot behind my grandparents’ convenience store on Asheville Hwy. He started out with about 5 vehicles on that lot. A short few years later, my father had saved up enough money and purchased a commercial property which is where TLC Motors is currently located in Moore, SC.

It was a small family business, my father would go to the car auctions and purchase vehicles. My mother would stay at the office and sell the vehicles as well as handle the paperwork and accounting aspects of the business. I was always there every step of the way, whether it was going to the car auctions with my father or helping my mother at the office after finishing my homework of course. I actually sold my first car at 11 years old. Even as a child I always had a clear vision of growing our small family business into a larger corporation with many sales professionals and selling a lot of vehicles one day.

My father and I always had different visions for the future of the dealership. He has always been extremely conservative when it came to business. He would have been perfectly fine if his business stayed the same size operated by him and his family of 3 selling 20 cars a month.

After proving myself and earning his trust, at 25 years old, I took control of the dealership in 2010 and have grown it exponentially. Over the next 12 years, I scaled this business and took the dealership from selling 20 units/month to selling 150+ units/month, we went from 3 employees to staffing 50+ employees and I opened up an independent service and detail shop called The Machine Shop in Roebuck, SC which is today one of the largest independent service shops in Spartanburg County. The Machine Shop was built as an extension of TLC Motors and was designed to help us inspect, service, and detail inventory for TLC Motors as well as service vehicles for the general public.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it wasn’t a smooth road at all. My father and I were complete polar opposites and we didn’t see eye-to-eye on most things. That was always a huge struggle, we both wanted the best for the business but sometimes our egos would get in the way and that would hold us back from business growth. Anyone that has worked in a family business can usually relate to the challenges of successfully operating a business with other family members and trying to maintain your sanity at the same time.

When I decided to open up the automotive service shop, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. I knew how to sell a car but I had not the slightest idea on how to service one or how to properly operate a service shop. I’m thankful for the staff that I have today, they are all amazing people and hard workers but getting started I hired a lot of the wrong people and implemented a lot of the wrong processes because I just didn’t know any better. It was so frustrating at times that I wanted to give up and quit but something just made me keep pushing forward. I knew that if I could find and hire the right staff and tweak a few of our processes that we had something that was going to be really special. I’m really glad that I made the decision to try just one more time after dozens of failed attempts.

We’ve been impressed with TLC Motors Inc. and The Machine Shop, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We have been in business in the Spartanburg area for over 30 years. We have one of the largest inventories of quality pre-owned vehicles in Spartanburg with over 250 units to choose from. We are also very proud of our reputation within the community, our A+ Rating with the B.B.B. and our 4.7 Google Rating with over 1,300 reviews. We have a amazing following of repeat and referral customers.

With TLC Motors holding a larger inventory than most of the dealerships in our market, it allows us to offer our customers a better variety of vehicles. We believe that no matter who you are or what your taste is in vehicles, we will always have something for you whether you are looking for a first car, a rebuilding your credit car, a muscle car, exotic/luxury car, off-road lifted truck, minivan, or even commercial fleet vehicles. We’ll have something that you will want and be proud to drive!

Since we sell a bunch of vehicles, we also have to replace those vehicles. So, not only do we sell cars but we will buy your car even if you don’t buy ours. We pay top dollar and we also pay folks the same day on the spot. Sometimes, it can take over a week to get paid by our competitors. We offer free delivery up to 100 miles and we will even come to your home to purchase your car up to 400 miles.

Also, due to the volume of business we do, it gives us leverage with many of our lending partners. I consider it an unfair advantage that allows us to get better approvals or interest rates for our customers. We also have credit rebuilding programs where we have helped customers get approved for an auto loan through a traditional bank. After making on-time payments on a major purchase such as a car, I have seen many of our customers come back financially stronger and were able to upgrade their vehicle, obtain lower interest rates or even get approved for a home mortgage. A lot of people are victims of life circumstances and it’s extremely rewarding when you can help them change their lives for the better and get them back on their feet. It’s not about just selling a car for us. We are empowering our community.

Buying a car can be a lame process, some people have told me they rather have their teeth pulled at the dentist than go through the process of buying a car. We understand this and we try to make the process as fast, easy and enjoyable while operating with 100% transparency with our customers.

We are a Carfax Advantage Dealer which means that we offer the entire Accident Report on all of our vehicles at no charge to our customers. We also offer a free 3-month/3,000-mile powertrain warranty on most of our vehicles. We also offer various types of extended service contracts and insurance to help protect you and your vehicle after the sale.

Unfortunately, there are many car dealers who do not inspect or service their vehicles before selling them to the public. They will buy a car from an auction and without any type of inspection, they will park them on their lot for sale. So, by performing our multi-point inspection and putting our vehicles through the TLC Certification process, it helps ensure you are getting the best quality pre-owned vehicle possible.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Always be able and willing to adapt your business. The world is always evolving and the ways of life are constantly changing. I lived through a time where the internet was born and it dramatically changed the car business forever. I didn’t have to worry anymore about just my competitor who was across town, my competition became every single car dealership in the nation. So, you have to make sure you are keeping up with the times and constantly refining your business to stay relevant, or you will get left behind.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tlcmotors.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/tlcmotorsinc/
• Facebook: facebook.com/tlcmotors
• Twitter: twitter.com/TlcMotors/
• Youtube: youtube.com/c/TLCMotorsIncMoore

Image Credits
Newman Rodgers