As far as dealerships go, five-year-old Folsom Lake Dodge is relatively young. Owned by Carlos Hidalgo it hit the ground running. With six acres of dirt to work with at a brand new site, Hidalgo built a facility that has been number one in car sales for two years and has become the largest parts wholesaler north of Los Angeles and fourth in the western states. 

A major player in the success of Folsom Lake Dodge is wholesale parts manager Al Bielert. His team, consisting of four other members, has over 120 years of

The parts team at Folsom Lake Dodge -- (R to L) T-bone Mike, Kerry Granby, Alan Dietz and "mother hen" Al Bielert. (Jack Freeman not pictured)

combined experience with Dodge. "Al's vision and dreams are big like mine," commented Hidalgo. "He runs the show."

Several innovative procedures set the Folsom Lake Dodge parts department apart from the crowd. First of all, it is no longer located at the dealership. Having outgrown its space, the parts department opened a 12,000 sq. ft. warehouse about five miles away from the store in Rancho Cordova in October 2005. A huge loading dock facilitates stocking, cataloging and delivery of parts.

Bielert explained that he has no restrictions on the type and amount of parts stocked in the warehouse. It is so important to have the right parts available at all times. To this end, Bielert can purchase products and parts inexpensively off-season, such as freon in winter, and have a place to store them until needed. He searches the internet for hard to find parts and has a stash of hoods and fenders. There is no cap on the inventory.

    The parts team doesn't do anything halfway. Seven trucks deliver parts within 100 miles in all directions - from Oakland, Chico, Modesto, and Hayward to Reno and Lake Tahoe. There is still a small satellite parts department that stocks for the retail and repair shop right at the dealership.

Working side-by-side with his four counter-men, Bielert mans the phones. "Al is like a mother hen to all his accounts. He gives everyone the personal touch," praised Hidalgo.

Number 1 in only five years

The off-site Folsom Lake Dodge ware house is already bursting at the seams with inventory to repair Dodge and Chrysler products of every make and model.

How can one explain the achievement of going from brand new to number one in Northern California in five short years? Bielert explained "that the philosophy which Hidalgo has injected into the business has rolled over into the parts department. The staff shares his goal of being number one. The parts team strives to be number one in California alongside the sales department."

The parts department has grown to what it is today largely due to the four men who work alongside Bielert - Alan Dietz (33 years with Dodge), Jack Freeman (24 years), Kerry Granby (22 years) and T-bone Mike (20 years). Customers buy from these experienced individuals, and not some faceless corporation.

Their following has brought these customers to the Folsom Lake Dodge parts department. It is the people who make the difference in the wholesale part of the business. Body shops don't buy from the company, but from the individuals who service their accounts. Anyone who picks up the phone is ready to help the customer. Every single body shop in the area is contacted once a week to keep the lines of communication open.