GRANTS PASS AUTOMOTIVE (AND TOYOTA)

It was May 1985. My youngest sister had just bought a brand new Nissan Sentra in Colorado, while I had never paid more than $250 for a car in my life. But I was ready to become a grownup, and I immediately went to Jim Sigel Chevrolet and told them I wanted to buy a Nissan Sentra. The salesman took me out to the lot, and seeing that it registered six miles on the odometer, I was thrilled. He went to get the keys for a test drive, and I said, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be back tomorrow with the cash.” Easiest sale they ever had, and I loved that car.

Today, Jim Sigel Honda Chevy and Nissan is officially Grants Pass Automotive (1601 NE 7th Street), and is owned by the Rydell Group and Brad Myerchin, who also own Grants Pass Toyota (375 Redwood Highway). Brad has extensive experience in the automotive industry.

“I moved to Grants Pass in 2016 because I was given the opportunity to partner with the Rydell Group and purchase Wheeler Toyota from the Wheeler family,” Brad said. “Since then, we have tried to continue the great service the Wheelers had in the community. We started with around 40ish employees and we now have over 110 employees at Grants Pass Toyota. In August of 2023, the Rydell Group and I were approached about purchasing Jim Sigel Chevy Honda and Nissan. We jumped at the opportunity to continue to grow in the community. We are continuing to grow at the new Grants Pass Automotive and give great service to our employees and our customers.”
Brad grew up in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where the original Rydell store was.

“I went to school in Grand Forks, growing up playing sports and being active in the community, he said. “I met my wife, Audra, in high school, and her uncle was the owner of a car dealership in Minot and was part of the Rydell Group, which has over 100 different locations across the U.S. that are each individually owned. After college, I moved to Minot and started working at Minot Automotive Center. I sold cars, worked on the finance team, and became Used Car Manager for the two different stores. In 2010, I was offered the opportunity to become the General Manager of both stores. I was excited when my family and the Rydell Group bought Wheeler Toyota, and I was able to move to this beautiful community.”

Grants Pass Automotive is a Honda, Nissan and Chevrolet dealer with a full service and parts department and collision repair center.

“We also have an inventory of over 100 pre-owned vehicles with cars arriving to the lot daily,” Brad said. “Customers can expect transparent pricing, a full cash offer for your vehicle, and a 7-day money back guarantee, plus a 30-day exchange policy on most vehicles. Our Collison Center is I-CAR certified and accepts every insurance. We work directly with your insurance company to ensure a simple and easy process. Our service and parts center has manufacturer-certified technicians to ensure that your vehicle is repaired right the first time.”

Brad and his family are proud to give back to the community.

“Together with our sister store, Grants Pass Toyota, we donated $50,000 to the GPHS Automotive Program to continue investing in the future of the automotive industry in our community,” he said. “We currently have a recent GPHS grad who participated in the Automotive Program at the high school working for us as an Express Lube Technician, which is a testament to how the program is helping young adults get into the automotive field here locally.”

For more information, the phone number at Grants Pass Automotive is 541-476-0811. You can reach Grants Pass Toyota at 541-476-6858. You can also see them at grantspassautomotive.com, and on Facebook and Instagram.