Student Auto Sales

The first student-operated licensed used car dealership in the Commonwealth was implemented over 20 years ago at Marshall High School Academy. This unique instructional program provides a realistic opportunity for students in both automotive technology and automotive collision service programs.

Used cars are donated to the Student Auto Sales program by members of the local community allowing students to diagnose and troubleshoot the problems with the cars. Once cars are diagnosed, students order parts and prepare the cars for sale to the general public. SAS continues to refine processes for sales via the internet this year. The use of the Public Surplus (www.publicsurplus.com) website has significantly increased car sales value per vehicle. SAS also became an electronic dealership able to electronically process titles and sales through the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

This year SAS successfully sold vehicles to customers in Mexico and Honduras. Vehicles were also sold across the U.S. to customers in California, Texas, and North Carolina to name a few. Selling vehicles to a vast geographic audience has required additional operational procedures to be developed (picking up customers from the airport, translating documents and currency, to name a few).

The internet has greatly assisted in marketing SAS and FATE. This year SAS has had several repeat customers and has many followers on the Public Surplus website. Utilizing the Public Surplus transaction collection service has improved the experience for FATE by ensuring the collection of funds before releasing the vehicles. The funds are distributed monthly from Public Surplus and the challenge of collecting and clearing funds has been eliminated.

Becoming an electronic dealership with the DMV has also improved the buying and selling experience for our customers. The ability to complete title work and tag requests from the dealership at Marshall Academy has eliminated wait time at the local DMV counters. Customer assurance that the appropriate tag and title work has been completed is also reassuring for the customers. The provision in the state code which allows for the associated costs of being an electronic dealership to be passed on to the customer made the transition cost neutral for SAS and FATE.

Car sales for the 2010 year (January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2010) were $190,887 of which $142,920 (a 27% sales increase over 2009) was returned to the 13 schools offering automotive technology or automotive collision courses. Of the 400+ cars donated to FCPS during the 2010-11 school year, 170 were sold and are back on the road. Total sales generated $199,232 of which $149,424 was returned to 13 schools participating in the SAS program to assist in funding student competitions, field trips, uniforms, and the cost of repairs to the vehicles. The remaining SAS proceeds were used to assist the funding of FATE scholarships and the fees associated with the dealership.