Arkansas’ State Quality Dealer Wins 2018 BMW 330i SPT With Record High Bid During 2022 NIADA Convention and Expo
LAS VEGAS (June 27, 2022) – Dare Saul was in it to win it.
And win it he did.
“I was going to buy this car,” he said. “One hundred percent.”
Saul, owner of D3 Auto Sales in Des Arc, Ark., made good on his goal by bidding $33,500 to outlast his friend, Colorado dealer Tim Gaylord, and claim a sparkling white 2018 BMW 330i SPT with just 22,000 miles on the odometer in an auction held Thursday, the final day of the NIADA Convention at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The vehicle was donated by Manheim, which held the auction at the NIADA Dealers Lounge in the Convention’s Expo Hall. All proceeds of the sale go directly to the NIADA Foundation, which coordinates the association’s commitment to charitable giving and education.
In addition to making numerous donations to charities nationwide and providing matching funds for local charitable projects, the Foundation has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to assist members of the automotive community affected by hurricanes and other disasters, and has established endowments that fund university scholarships for students pursuing careers in the automotive industry.
The BMW is certified by the NIADA Certified Pre-Owned program, having undergone a 200-point digital inspection from Carketa, and comes with a three-month/3,000-mile limited warranty backed by ProGuard Warranty, an NIADA Certified administrator.
Saul will receive complimentary transportation of the vehicle by NIADA Certified 360 partner ACERTUS.
Later that evening, Saul was honored as Arkansas’ State Quality Dealer and a finalist for the National Quality Dealer award, NIADA’s highest dealer honor.
The winning bid was the highest ever in the benefit auction’s 10-year history. But Saul said he was ready to go even higher.
“I was going to go $40,000,” he said. “Then I was going to let Tim pay 41 for it. But $33,500? I do worse than that at the auction!”
Saul said he was determined to win after his first experience with the NIADA Foundation auction in 2019, when he let a 2016 Acura TLX slip away.
“One of my buddies had bid it up but I was too shy to put my hand in the air – it was my first time at the Convention,” he recalled. “I was like, well, if they do that again…
“I had already looked at this car yesterday. I was throwing my ears back and I was going to buy it.”
Saul said his prize won’t be his for long.
“It’s going on the lot, baby. It’s for retail right now,” he said with a smile. “We went live on Facebook with it. It’s a good advertising tool and, of course, Manheim is donating the money and it goes to a good cause. Everybody wins.” Over the past 10 years, benefit auctions at the NIADA Convention and Expo have raised a total of $252,000 for the NIADA Foundation.
About NIADA
The National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA) is among the nation’s largest trade associations, representing the used motor vehicle industry comprised of some 40,000 licensed used car dealers. Since 1946, NIADA has represented the voice and interests of used car dealers at the federal level in Washington D.C. Coupled with its state association network across the country, NIADA’s grass-roots framework provides a dual layer of advocacy unmatched in the used motor vehicle industry. For more than 75 years, NIADA has engineered programs and leveraged technology to fulfill its mission to advance, educate and promote the independent used car dealer. NIADA members subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics of duty, honor and integrity, and believe in the advancement of small business in support of the free-market system. More information about NIADA programs and educational opportunities is available at www.niada.com.
