Kelliher’s continue to amaze

Kellihers’ Toyota is Kerry’s leading Toyota dealer since 1975, based in Tralee where they offer their customers the full range of Toyota vehicles and services in a professional and competitive manner.

However, the Kelliher family has been providing an excellent service in the motor industry for an amazing 71 years since the family sold and repaired cars and trucks.
These days it is Tim Kelliher at the helm and he spoke to Irish Trucker about the success of the company and gave us an insight as to what the future holds for Kellihers Garage Ltd.
Tim revealed that Kellihers are not just about car and light commercial sales, but the company also has Kell Oil and Kellvan under their umbrella.

“We are a Toyota dealership and have been since 1975. We are proud to carry the make and have had a wonderful relationship with Toyota over the year and hopefully we will continue to do so,” said Tim.
In 1982, Tim moved the business from their original base to a new site at Rathass, Tralee where they remain until this day. However, the site underwent a major transformation in 2002 when the premises was completely redeveloped and it now consists of a modern showroom, workshops, and valet bay on a three-and-a-half acre site.
“Our workshop consists of a government appointed commercial vehicle testing centre, which is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, while the facility is operated by highly trained technicians, most of who have won national technical awards during their time with the company.”
Behind every good company is a reliable staff and at Kelliher’s Garage Ltd customers can be guaranteed to be looked after in the best possible manner.
Once a customer enters the doors at Kellihers, they are met with a friendly atmosphere and everyone can avail of refreshments in their canteen.

The fact that the Tralee-based firm sell in the region of 1500 units a year speaks volumes for the service that they provide to a large customer base that not only covers the Southern region, but the entire country.
Sourcing their products is something that Tim takes great pride in and he travels around the country to various dealers in order to find the right vehicle for the customer.
“We go out and purchase the vehicles off some of the main dealers in Dublin, while we also bring in some from abroad, mainly the U.K. There are 150 vehicles in stock at any given time, so the customer has a wide range to choose from.
“We have a dedicated used cars department where we purchase as opposed to trade in, hundreds, and soon to be thousands of used cars annually. These cars are not clean, they are immaculate, are hand picked, and in many cases comparable to new cars,” he added.

Our used vehicles just aren't there to be cleaned up, sold off and forgotten about, we have a dedicated used Commercial & 4x4's department which concentrates on actually purchasing in and meticulously preparing the choicest used vehicles in the country - such is the demand and such is our reputation.
Behind the scenes from reception, to administration, to the stores department and after sales, the company has assembled a strong, friendly and efficient staff right out of the very top drawer.
Customer loyalty, though, has made things easier with many people remaining faithful to the company. The increase in sales staff also suggests the company's growth.
Tim admitted that the Toyota Landcruiser has been one of their best sellers over the years, however there are high hopes for the new look Hilux in 2007.

The Toyota Hilux is introducing two new powerful diesel engines to the line up. The new engines include a high performance high torque 3.0Litre D-4D engine, which will give the Hilux a balance of on road performance, aligned with off road capability. The selected introduction of this 171bhp is based on the Toyota Land Cruiser engine.
The current 2.5 litre D-4D diesel engine has been upgraded to develop 120 DIN hp, a 17% increase on the current unit and a remarkable torque of 325Nm. This new 2.5 litre will replace the current 102DIN hp option. The 2.5 D-4D also features the introduction of a new DLX grade. Both new 3.0 litre and 2.5 litre engines comply with stringent Euro IV emissions regulations.
For many businesses Vehicle Leasing is a very attractive and cost effective way of keeping the entire sales fleet and delivery vehicles updated and on the move.

Leasing can be used in a variety of situations whether it is for that new executive car, the entire fleet or delivery vehicles that need to be replaced.
There are generally two types of Vehicle Leasing in use, the most well known of which is the Finance Lease or (as it is sometimes known) "Full Payout Lease". The other is an Operating Lease.
The company has recently launched Kellvan.com and this is where customers do not have to leave the comfort of their own home to browse through what stock Kellihers have at any given time.

“Kellvan is a dedicated used commercial van and 4 wheel drive site and website (www.kellvan.com) where customers can see all our range and if they like something, they can call in or make an enquiry via phone, fax or e-mail, whatever their preferred choice,” he said.
Customers can also fill up their vehicles at Kell Oil, which is a forecourt on the premises at Rathass. Prices at Kell Oil can match and even better the rivals’ prices and this is a trait that runs through the business.