Herb Chambers conquered an industry and made himself one of the biggest players in the country. Twice. Now he’s got more money than God and everything he ever wanted. So when’s he going to start enjoying it a little?

HI this is Herb… welcome to the chat

If I have a payoff balance on my current loan. but, I get an agreement for trade in value that Equals that payoff, WHY do they want to roll in my Old loan , on top of the new loan???

The only need we would have for rolling it in would be if there was a negative balance …. otherwise you should be all set!

How would you assess the hybrids currently on the market and do you anticipate the car industry developing more options in the near future?

There will be a number of hybrids announced this year….Toyota will announce 3 or 4 new versions of the Prius this year…they will be very exciting for people who like hybrids

Good day.

Hi JIm

How did you build such an empire? It’s quite impressive.

the story of my background is on our website. I chose a good time to get involved in the automobile industry and have surrounded myself with dedicated, hardworking, smart people

Hi Herb, my question relates to your roots. How have you contributed to the Dorchester community?

I’m involved with far too many charitable organizations to list….Dorchester remains near and dear to my heart… one of those charities is Camp Harbor View. I have been involved since it’s inception.

Hi Herb, What’s your thoughts on the new automarket? Fewer dealer, car models? Do you see more change/consolidations in the future?

being a dealer i do not have access to what the manufacturers plan to do. Sometimes we are the last to find out. There are so many outstanding choices it doesn’t seem necessary to have another manufacturer. Those that have gone away have gone away for a reason…they were losing their popularity

Hi Herb, I’m looking to buy a new Honda Civic in the next few months. Are car dealers dealing or holding their ground on the price

with President’s Day weekend coming up it will be an ideal time to buy a car. Especially since the first of the year the auto industry in the NE market has been terrible…lots of snow and few buyers. Dealers are anxious and factories are even more anxious. we are loaded with inventory so you should be able to get the model, color and equipment at the right price at any of our 4 Honda dealerships.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE VEHICLE? WHY?

my favorite vehicle that I am currently driving is a Bentley GT Super Sport….great performance and a reasonable size for driving around the city

What car do you drive daily? What brand has been your favorite since your youth that you continually purchase?

I am currently driving the Bentley, but one of the luxuries of have the number of dealerships that i do I have the ability to change my car weekly. My favorite has always been Mercedes-Benz. People ask me, what is the best car? To me that’s like asking what’s the best flavor of ice cream. There are so many great choices

make sure to lower the mic RT @Boston_Auto: RT @globecars: Live chat: Herb Chambers today at noon #herbchambers – http://b.globe.com/gZwwlL [via Twitter]

What do you consider your smartest business move?

Starting my first copier company called A-copy when I was 22 yrs old

with recent talk about big oil companies struggling for long term sustainability, how do you see that affecting your company

with the future of hybrids and electric cars and diesel engines and hybrid diesels all delivering better gas mileage will help and hopefully reduce our oil consumption

What is the greatest single business decision you have ever made?

starting the copier company A-copy, however the car business is my passion

Please allow a follow up, so I’m clear: payoff $4000, get an agreed $4000 trade-in value, that’s ZERO. So, Nothing should be ADDED to new loan??? Thanks for your help.

the net value of your trade would reduce the loan amount

whats your biggest business regret?

I’m pleased / embarrassed to say I don’t have any

have any job openings?

we’re looking for great people all the time…you can click on careers on our website www.herbchambers.com

I don’t open up the car collection, but occasionally at Cars and Coffee that we will start up again in the Spring, we take out one collectible car each month and display it. I like most people had a favorite car of the past and was very fortunate that Wayne Carini found it out in the desert and CA.

Hi Mike

Hi, Herb;

In your opinion has your success over the years seperated you from your roots?

not at all, as a matter of fact I had lunch recently with 4 good friends from my Dorchester days…lunch was in Dorchester

Hi Herb, who does the voice for your commercials?

I do most of them.

How do you know J leno?

Jay Leno stopped by my home in CT to see the McLaren F1 that I have. He was playing at the casino and called because he was interested in getting one himself. Now I see him each year out at Pebble Beach. As a side note, Jay used to work washing cars at one of my dealerships before I purchased it.

Thank you Mr. Chambers for your generous support of local non-profits. You are truly a class act.

Thank you Glen for the compliment!

Kudos to the service staff at Infiniti Boston. They ALWAYS go the extra mile to ensure my 100% satisafaction. Please acknowledge their outstanding customer service. I am now an Infiniti/Herb Chambers customer for life thank to Nigel and his awesome team.

Consider it done…I agree Nigel and his team are terrific and we sincerely appreciate your business!!

How do you see the future of your company? expansion?

We will continue to expand. we have several new dealerships we will open in 2011 and another planned for 2012. The next one will be Hyundai in Westboro

Whats your favorite car of all time?

Favorite of all time is the 1972 Ferrari Daytona Spyder that was found in CA by Wayne Carini and restored by him.

Long ago, I was at APECO on Cambridge where you were a legend. I knew you had done well but when I tuned into the History channel recently and saw the bit about you buying back your Ferrari Daytona Spyder, I really had a good chuckle. You see, your car was two serial numbers away from my own Spyder (14993) and I thought it was amusing that I had two things in common with you–not having seen or talked to you in 40 years!

We’re both very fortunate to have had one of those cars

I bought a Honda CRV from your dealership in Burlington, MA this past summer. It was not a certified vehicle, but I was assured that it had been checked by the mechanics at the dealership before it was offered for sale. I purchased the car and brought it to my mechanic the same day. My mechanic found that it needed $1000 – $1500 worth of repairs. I returned the car the next day because the salesman said that I could return the car in 2-3 days no questions asked. The business manager told me the dealership does not return the sales tax, which in this case was $750. It seems deceptive not to tell people this up front. Instead telling them they can return the car within 3 days, no questions asked. It also seems deceptive to sell cars with known problems.

we would not knowingly sell any car with mechanical problems. This is why we offer the program that we do with the 3-day money back guarantee which includes sales tax. I believe this is unique in the industry. Further to that you have a total of 30-days to exchange the car for a different one. The refund should include sales tax. This we think goes a long way to protect the consumer.

Are you a fan of Top Gear (BBC)?

yes, I watch it all the time

Hello Herb. I am a college student doing a project on your company. I was wondering if I could have an informational interview with you? I greatly admire what you have done and continue to do and I have some questions that look deeper into your company operations.

Sounds interesting…send me your thoughts at hchambers@herbchambers.com

I meant to wish you well and mention that I am proud to know you in my first post, but I got cut off when I hit the return key! You are a tremendous success story and I salute you.

Thanks again!

Hi Herb, what is your opinion on American cars vs the imports (mainly the Japanese and lately the Korean manufacturers)..Are they on the same level (or perhaps even surpass) those competitors, in terms of quality and innovations? Thanks for your thoughts.

going back several years there was a substantial difference between American cars and European, Japanese and Korean vehicles. The great news is the Americans have closed the gap and now have very competitive products today and in many cases with price advantage. They should be on your President’s Day shopping list.

Hi Herb, my wife and I just purchased a Honda Odyssey from your Boston location. We had the best car buying experience one could ask for. So many dealerships make buying a car, like a trip to the dentist for a root canal. Great to see your folks over Commonwealth Ave doing such a fine job. A shout out to my salesman Rick Blaze! thanks again.

I appreciate your business and thank you for your kind comments

What’s up with the lease offers on Boston.com?

Print those lease specials, come to any one of our 47 dealerships….we sell what we advertise.

What is your favorite vacation spot in NE?

Old Lyme, CT

I lost my job 1.5 year ago and had to declair bankrupcy. I also lost my house through forclosure. I have now found a new well paying job. How can I buy or lease a good car?

we have millions of dollars to lend..there are many people in your situation. We try very hard to get them financed and we are successful more often than not. I would be thrilled to have you as a client. Stop by this weekend, tell them Herb sent you!

You have 47 stores. Still looking at expanding? What brands don’t you have that you covet?

I like VW, Ferrari and Volvo

I was wondering what kind of APR I am looking at for a $10k loan with a credit score around 650. Thanks

I’m not sure, but the great news is we have qualified financial specialist that will help you. We would love to have you too as a client.

Hi Herb, With your industry influence have you ever considered revamping the buying experience? It is often complicated, time consuming and I think most would agree negotiating is often times painful for both sides. There must be an opportunity to reinvent the entire process. Your thoughts?

I agree with you. The most difficult part of the automobile industry is the negotiation process. Saturn did a great job and unfortunately did not have the product to go on in business with the negotiation free process. I’m an advocate to eliminate negotiation and we have done that by instituting Smart Pricing in all of our dealerships covering pre-owned vehicles. We know our pre-owned vehicles are priced right and come with a 100% 3-day money back guarantee and 30-day exchange. Our client love it!

How did you get the funding to start your empire and what do you recommend young people do if they are looking to start their own business?

I was very fortunate because I got into a business where all I had to do was purchase some inventory. I borrowed $500 from my mother and purchased $500 worth of copy paper which I sold out of the trunk of my car and then bought more and more and more…….

What is like to work for you? What do you expect? What do you give in return?

We have a mission statement that is on our website. We try to recruit hard working people with great integrity. We are a no nonsense company. I am very proud to have been recognized by the Boston Globe for the past two years as one of the Top 100 Places to Work and the only automobile dealer to ever make the list.

I used to work with your brother Paul. Hope he is well.

He’s great and I’ll tell him you said hi Jay!

Hi Herb. Who or what is your biggest influence in life and why?

That’s a tough one….I respect and have learned from so many people…many of whom have worked for me and still do.

Do you see hyundai emerging as a power house like toyota?

Absolutely! Hyundai is a powerhouse today and has the respect of all other auto manufacturers…they are a force to be reckoned with.

Hey Herb,

Hey Bill!

Hey Herb, What is your approach to philanthropy?

I’m involved with many charitable organizations. Joslin Diabetes Center is one of my favorites.

I had a fun time at the TV Diner Gala at your dealership last year. Great event!

I did too! Hopefully we’ll see you again this year. Billy Costa is a lot of fun.

Have you heard of the UNO III (http://bpg-motors.com/products/uno3/)? Is this something you would consider selling in your stores once its available for production (Promising Concept)?

I’m not familiar with it.

Hi Herb, congrats on all your successes, What you say is the best way to approach a price agreement with a car dealer?

Thank you! You should go online and gather as much information as possible before you go shopping and do research on the current value of your trade-in to be sure you are getting the best value. We embrace educated clients.

Since it is lunch time, seems natural to ask – what’s for lunch today?

Vegetable chili from the Buttery Bakery in the South End.

Do you plan on opening any other dealerships in the near future?

yes we will continue to expand

2 or 3 favorite restaurants in the area,please

Davio’s Boston, Abe & Louie’s and Towne

Why do all of your dealerships offer apples to their customers?

We have apples by our cashiers because at the end of the day when you pick up your car most people are hungry, a little annoyed and receive a service bill. The apple has a calming effect.

I saw that episode of chasing classic cars, congrats on finding your old ride. I had a 442 when I was a kid I wish I could find. It took me 7 years to restore

It seems that everyone that loves cars, that we do, has a memory car that they would love to find. I was fortunate in finding mine, maybe someday you will find yours.

Which would you recommend: a four-wheel drive Honda or a four-wheel drive Subaru?

Easiest question of the day….HONDA!! of course!!

How have the recent recall problems with Toyota affected their sales?

Toyota owners are very loyal and very resilient and in some ways have become more loyal with the way that Toyota handled these issues. They are a great company.

Just want to say thank you for the great deals and service I’ve received over the years… 2 infiniti’s, 2 honda’s and now a BMW all from your Comm Ave. dealerships. I send everyone I know to see James at Infiniti, always got the best deal and service I could find. thanks for running a great business.

No, thank you ATF! I sincerely appreciate your business and kind comments.

When you first got involved in the car dealership business did you foresee all the money coming your way, or did you get involved simply for the joy of selling cars?

I was looking to get involved in a new industry and with my passion for automobiles it was natural. However, in my wildest dreams I never thought that the company would grow the way that it has.

Herb, potentially a stupid question but…I’ve been looking at the F-350′s for several years now, looking for the “right time” to buy. But despite all the problems with the auto industry recently, F350s remain available only at a real premium. I’d think that given the smaller need for the truck, they’d be some deals out there. What am I missing? Thanks.

It is surprising to me that you can’t find a deal because we have two Ford dealerships, one in Westboro and one in Braintree, and they are very eager to sell them. I believe, at the moment, we have 17 available.

I am thinking of switching careers. Any advice for getting into the automobile industry?

Yes, do so I enjoy it. The opportunity is tremendous. Check out my website for career opportunities. We have nearly 2000 employees who feel the same way

lWell nice talking to ya Herb, lunch is over I gotta go back to spinning a wrench Good luck with evrything!

Thanks, you too!

Which brand of yours is the best selling?

Honda

Hello Herb, You are opening a Hyundai in Westboro. Do you believe this company has what it takes to compete in the us market?

Absolutely, we have a Hyundai dealership in Auburn currently. This will be our 2nd.

How do you think the sox will do this year???

Win it all, they have a great pitching rotation and Kevin Youkilis is also on OUR team!

Herb, why can’t Ernie Boch Jr. be more like you? That jerk is so full of himself.

Be nice…..

Is your F1 ever on display? I would love to see one in person.

It will be at Cars and Coffee coming this Spring

Hello Herb, What are your thoughts on Audi, they seem to be taking over the luxury car market….

You’re right! Audi has become hugely popular. They great vehicles and great advertising. We have an Audi dealership in Burlington which is the largest volume Audi dealership in the area. Love to have you stop by!

Hi Herb, do you have a friendly or competitive relationship with Ernie Boch jr (or did you w/ the late Ernie Boch sr)? Or none at all?

I did know Ernie Boch, Sr. he used to purchase copy machines from me. I always had a great deal of respect for him and I do for Ernie Jr. as well