–by Mary Helen Darah
PUBLICATION DATE: Mar 15, 2021

Steve Taylor, owner and operator of seven northwest Ohio car dealerships, can now add another title to accompany his numerous accomplishments–author. The recipient of the Outstanding Corporate Philanthropist Award, the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for business ethics, and the 20 Under 40 distinction from Leadership Toledo, hopes his new book, “Taylor Made,” will assist people in having a better car buying experience.
When asked what motivated him to write a book he noted it is a goal that has been on his Bucket List for years. Taylor explained that finally taking his leap into the literary field was due to his interaction with a group of young adults.
“Writing a book was one of those things that I thought of doing for years and years and years,” he recalled. “I was talking to a group of students and informed them that if they all bought the same car they could walk out with different payments. They gave me the ‘are you kidding me face.’ I realized that we expect a lot of people to know more than they do about car buying. We are around it all the time but many, especially first-time car buyers, are not aware of how their credit and other factors play into the experience. It was eye-opening for them. I was motivated to provide a blueprint for these high school students on how to save time and money when buying a car at a dealership. That is what originally spurred me on, but I believe many people of varying ages could use this type of guidance. If you are an experienced, savvy car buyer, this may not be the book for you, but if you’ve never bought a new car from a dealership before, the book will be useful.”
With International Women’s Day being celebrated in March Taylor was asked if gender played a role in the car buying experience. Taylor felt things have greatly improved. “You used to hear so many horror stories from the past and cringe such as the first thing to tell a woman is how many cup holders and mirrors are in the vehicle,” said Taylor. “I think the internet, where everyone is able to read reviews on their experiences, has greatly helped. Dealers can no longer get away with poor behavior. We have been awarded the Kia President’s Club eight times and have been honored to receive the International Kia Dealership of the Year Award. I believe this comes down to wanting every person that walks in our door to have a positive experience.”
Taylor hopes his book will relieve some of the frustrations and fear that many have when entering a dealership. “Your experience doesn’t have to mean waiting for hours as a salesperson crunches numbers with a manager or leaves feeling as if he “won.” Just because this could be your experience buying a car doesn’t mean it has to be,” he said. “I walk readers step-by-step through the process of buying a car, from insider tips to how to choose a dealer. I also share how to get top dollar for your trade-in, and negotiate a fair price. Buying a car can and should be a fun experience.”
Taylor still has not gotten used to his new title of “author.” He stated, “I don’t consider myself an author but I guess I put a book out there so I am. I recently went to the Lucas County Library with a coworker of mine. He was so thrilled about my book being on the shelf and asked if I realized the significance of having it there for my future grandkids. It’s kind of surreal.”
He added, “I try to make a positive difference in people’s lives every day. It was’’t about me being an author. I’m just a car guy, yet I’m not in the car business. I’m in the people business. From my standpoint, being an author is about being able to help people. I don’t need to make the Times best seller list. I just want to assist and educate people who are fearful of buying a vehicle so they have a positive experience and enjoy the process.”