Finding your perfect car

Columbia Motor Company

Making car buying 'simple, easy'

By Jason Zasky

"I have been in the car business a long time and wanted to open my own retail lot," begins Columbia native Cory Muehlbauer, explaining his decision to start Columbia Motor Company in 2022.  

"Cory saw a need for a small independent store here in Columbia that treats people right and does good business and keeps things simple," adds Justin George, who became co-owner in 2024 after leaving his upper management job at a Chevrolet/GMC dealership.

"Too many times at the big stores, people get treated like numbers. They make you sit for hours and the sales guy needs to talk to the manager, and he has to talk to his manager, and they (both) have to talk to the used car manager. All the back and forth takes hours. We cut out the middleman and all the nonsense and present our best deal and if it makes sense, great. If it doesn't make sense that's okay, too," says George.

But it certainly streamlines the buying process for Columbia Motor Company customers.

"We find something they like, we agree on numbers, they sign, and then they say, 'Is that it?' And we say, 'That's it.' And they say, 'Last time I bought a car at a dealership, I was there all day, and I had to take a day off work. But you guys made it so easy,'" relates George.  

Another differentiator is the quality of the cars on Columbia Motor Company's lot. 

"Cory and I hand select everything, so we can pick and choose good quality (vehicles)," says George, before noting that they have a broad enough selection to fit just about every budget and need. Some of their vehicles are acquired at local auctions. Others are purchased from individuals who want to avoid the hassle of selling a car themselves. 

"We have four-thousand-dollar cars and ninety-thousand-dollar cars and everything in between. Every customer's needs and wants are different, and we enjoy helping them through that process. That's why we love this business," he adds. 

For his part, George particularly enjoys helping first-time buyers, as well as parents who come in with their kids, when the latter are looking for their first car. 

"It's always a dance—Corvette versus minivan, maybe—and we have to find the happy medium between them. And while we're not going to have the perfect car for everybody, if you spend 15-20 minutes here, you might be able to save yourself several days at another store," notes George.

"We understand that we can't help everybody, and that's okay," elaborates Muehlbauer. "But we are simple, easy to deal with, and we are always going to leave you with a smile and a handshake. We recognize the industry has a reputation for not treating people fairly and not standing behind their product, but that is the opposite of what we are. We want to sell a good product, make a little bit of profit, and be your first 'think of' when you need a vehicle." 

And if a potential customer wants a specific car that Columbia Motor Company doesn't have in stock, there's a good chance they can find it.

"We have customers who come in and say, 'My wife is looking for this car in this color. Help me find it,'" says George, before relating how Columbia Motor Company has access to auctions nationwide and "aren't limited to what we have here on the lot." 

All of the above helps explain why George and Muehlbauer anticipate expanding the business over the next couple of years. 

"We want to grow and add several more locations in Middle Tennessee," relates George, as he and his business partner maintain close ties to the local community.

"We are one of the premier sponsors for the big car show that Columbia Cares does every year, and we also sponsor events with The Well (Outreach)," says George, indicating that he and Muehlbauer plan to hire more salespeople in 2025 to help serve the company's customers.

"With all the people moving to Middle Tennessee, everybody needs a vehicle," he concludes. 

CONTACT

Columbia Motor Company

1200 S. Main St., Columbia, TN 38401

(931) 982-6115

https://www.columbiamotorcompany.com