Henrico Small Business Spotlight: The Car Mentor

Tyrone and Leah Francis know the car industry can be a frustrating and intimidating place. The couple hopes The Car Mentor can change that narrative.

Working for car dealerships for years meant Tyrone saw the industry taking advantage of people, first hand. Instead of being associated with the problem, he wanted to fix it. Tyrone founded The Car Mentor in July 2023 to do just that.

“I know that a good number of automotive decisions can be a little sticky and uncertain, but we're here to help,” Tyrone, 54, said.

Leah, 51, eventually left her career as a dental hygienist to become a co-owner of the company with her husband. She was determined to foster business growth and help people, especially women, navigate the auto industry. 

“I got my first car on my own, and I really got taken advantage of,” Leah said. “I know I paid way over market, and I was sold a car that I couldn't even really drive, and it was such a predatory experience.

“So, I really wanted to help bring this [service] to other women.”

The Car Mentor provides a variety of services, but the concierge service is its most popular. If you go this route for car buying, The Car Mentor will find quality vehicles for you to choose from, negotiate a price and wrap up the deal.

“When they go into the dealership, they just have to sign the paper,” Leah said of the company's customers.

If you use the concierge service for car selling, The Car Mentor will market the vehicle for you, do any communication and negotiation and collect payments. Either way, the concierge service means you can expect a hands-off experience where you’re informed every step of the way.

“The concierge is a top package where we do all the work for you,” Leah said. “That one is almost like what a realtor would do for a house.”

If you’re trying to buy a car but don’t want the full concierge experience, The Car Mentor also offers coaching sessions. These three-hour sessions give you the chance to learn about important information about a specific car you’re considering buying. 

“We give you three hours of my time where you can ask me anything,” Tyrone said. “If there's a particular vehicle that you're interested in buying, I'll give you a lot of information. . . possible issues with that vehicle, any recalls, we'll talk about specifics in terms of the vehicle history report.”

Tyrone’s coaching sessions also gives customers the opportunity to learn negotiation techniques and tips to avoid unnecessary fees and pricing traps at dealerships. Additionally, they get an unbiased opinion about whether the car they’re considering is priced appropriately. 

“We go through and give you an in-depth idea and understanding of where the vehicle should be priced so that you know where to negotiate and. . . potential areas of opportunity to negotiate,” Tyrone said. “I arm you with every detail that you would need to get a price that you would like for that vehicle.”

Customers also can enlist The Car Mentor for help with vehicle assessments, which typically come into play with insurance for diminished value claims and total loss claims.

“If you're not sure about that number that insurance companies offer you for your vehicle, we’ll do an assessment to figure out what that number really should be,” Leah said. “So, we do a report and present that to you. You will then, in turn, get that to the insurance company so you can get yourself more money.”

Vehicle assessments can also help people navigate situations when they’re selling a car or they’ve acquired a car from a trust.

“If you want to know, fairly, what the car is worth, we can offer an evaluation,” Leah said.

Helping other small businesses is another priority for The Car Mentor with its business solutions services. The company assists small businesses and government entities procure, replace, or get rid of business cars.

“We can take that off their hands. . . and we usually can do it cheaper,” Leah said. “It makes it totally stress free so that the business can work on growing.”

Regardless of the service, The Car Mentor aims to offer ample support for its “family” of customers.

“Any time they have a question with the car afterwards, we're always there for them,” Leah said. “So, it's not just once they're done with the purchase or the transaction.”

Even if you’re not in the market for one of The Car Mentor’s services, they still might have something for you in the form of The Car Mentor Blog – a way for Leah to inform the public about various topics within the auto industry.

“A lot of it can be over your head for the novice,” Leah said. “I just want to make it as simple and easy for the everyday car buyer that's looking for something or just wants information about cars or car maintenance or anything pertaining to cars.”

No matter how customers interact with The Car Mentor, Tyrone wants them to know the company aims to serve as a trustworthy advocate that can empower them to make good auto decisions.

“Conversations are free,” Tyrone said. “If there is anyone who has any questions about particular maintenance – ‘Should I fix my car or sell my car? Move on to another car?’ – or any questions like that, we're here to help you make whatever is the best decision for you.

“At the end of the day, we want our clients happy and understanding the value that we bring.”

Along the way, Tyrone and Leah are hoping they can change the auto industry for the better.

“Tyrone has been on the other side, and we see that people need help,” Leah said. “We're not trying to take advantage, but I think so many people are used to that narrative. 

“We are someone here to help, and we're here for the right reasons.”