A household name in the Wilmington automotive business, Schaeffer BMW, is undergoing a slow changing of the guard. Anne and Milton “Mitty” Schaeffer, Jr.’s son, Turner joined the family business in January.

“I am not, as of yet, in my father’s shoes. And I do not have the experience to go stomping around here making demands because I’ve only been in this business coming up on one year,” said Milton T. Schaeffer III also known as Turner.

But, the dealership has hired a new general manager, Keith Rhodes, to train the 24-year-old Schaeffer, who will eventually take over the business.

“What you want is for your customer to have a consistent experience. That’s what we’re showing him,” Rhodes said. He’s been selling cars for 27 years. And he joined Schaeffer BMW in September 2008. Before entering the car industry, Rhodes came from the restaurant business, where his customers would pay $10 to $100 and expect a decent meal and good service, he said. So, why would it be any different for car customers who pay $40,000?

The company also recently hired a new finance manager, Michael Keffer and service manager, Larry Demanovich.

Turner started working at his family’s dealership when he was 14 years old, washing cars. He’s worked in the parts department and was trained in sales. He sold about seven cars in one summer month.

But now, appraising used cars is an art form he is working on with Rhodes. “In appraising someone’s trade, if you put too much money into it, you’ll never sell it. If you don’t put enough into it, they get offended and they walk off,” Schaeffer said.

He graduated from Cape Fear Academy in 2004 and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Elon College in 2008. He sees his age as an asset. “You see tons and tons of young people driving these BMWs. It’s the car that everyone wants,” he said. The dealership is reaching out to young business professionals by offering aggressive financing.

Meanwhile, Rhodes says that looking out at the BMWs in the showroom makes him feel like he’s in his 20s again. “It’s not only about buying a car, it’s about having an experience that makes you feel good,” he said. For the dealership, it’s still a new and exhilarating ride.