KAHULUI - A new Acura franchise has opened on Maui, providing service for Acura owners as well as new and used cars.
The franchise, located at Triangle Square on Hana Highway, began serving customers last week, according to Mike Keppel, the dealership's general manager and principal.
He co-owns the Maui franchise with his brother, Dan, the owner of Acura of Honolulu.
"We represent the Acura franchise for Maui," Mike Keppel said Friday. "It's difficult to get a franchise because they're highly sought after. . . . We're very fortunate."
The brothers are from Honolulu, but Mike Keppel was on Kauai for the last 15 years, serving as general manager of the Kuhio Auto Group, which sells General Motors, Nissan and Hyundai vehicles.
The new Maui franchise had seven employees as of the end of this week, but Keppel said he expects in the near future to double his staff, including salespeople and mechanics.
"We currently have 30 new Acuras of all models in stock and more on the way right now," he said.
Keppel said he's been a manager of dealerships for 26 years, including those selling Honda, Nissan, General Motors, Hyundai, Volkswagen and Chrysler vehicles.
There are more than 200 Acura owners on Maui, so they now will have a business ready to handle their auto service needs, he said.
Keppel said he believes there's a "pent-up demand" for Acuras on Maui, and "we hope to be able to fill that need."
Acura customers fall in the same consumer demographic as people who buy high-end cars such as BMW, Mercedes, Lexus and Infinity.
The Acuras are all four- and six-cylinder, "very performance-oriented vehicles," Keppel said. "They are precision crafted."
Honda Automobiles manufactures Hondas and Acuras.
Keppel said the future looks bright for Maui's car market, despite the poor economy.
"Although there are some concerns about the economy, people are still buying cars," he said.
The previous Acura franchise on Maui, Pflueger Acura Maui, closed in early 2010.
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