Our History
In 1984, Jim Rydell bought the dealership previously known as Schukei Chevrolet. Rydell's sold 35 new vehicles the first weekend they were open by having an invoice sale, unheard of at the time. Rydell Chevrolet is part of the Rydell Dealership Group which includes 70 stores in 18 states. Rydell Group is the largest dealership group in the country whose dealerships have different individual ownership but operate under the same Vision, Mission, and Philosophy.
In 1992, Rydell Chevrolet in Waterloo was the first in the group to implement "Bottom Line Pricing", now in effect group-wide. "Bottom Line Pricing" is a hallmark at Rydell. All vehicles are priced with the best price, right on the windshield. "We believe that buying a vehicle should be fun and stress-free," said Jeff Smock, General Manager, Rydell Chevrolet. The price that you pay for a vehicle has nothing to do with a person's negotiating skills - that's not the way Rydell does business. "No pushy salespeople, no high pressure, no negotiating and no game playing. We put our very best price on all of our vehicles up front every day, which makes buying a vehicle at Rydell quick and enjoyable" said Matt Halbur, Dealer. "When you leave Rydell, you don't have to wonder if you got the best deal. You know you did."
In 2004, Rydell made a significant investment in the infrastructure of the Waterloo dealership by adding a new service drive, quick lube, and car wash. In 2012, Rydell stepped up and remodeled again utilizing the Essential Brand Elements that GM has laid in place for the next generation of Chevrolet Dealerships."We want our guests to be comfortable in every aspect of ownership from sales to service, and our facility needs to represent that" said Halbur.
In 2015, the Rydell family acquired Pinicon Ford Lincoln. In July, the "Best Price, Up-Front" philosophy on all vehicles as well as the "5-day like it or return it money back policy and 30-day exchange policy" on all pre-owned vehicles was implemented. In October 2016, the name was changed to Rydell of Independence, and the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram franchises were added.
In June of 2019, Rydell of Independence broke ground on a new location at the corner of Highways 20 and 150. The project was years in the making. Dealer Matt Halbur said, “Here we are, finally breaking ground and moving dirt,” he said, just before the ceremonial golden shovels went into the ground. “This is probably one of the best pieces of property in town, or in the county.” Right off of Highway 20, it is next to Casey's and across from Walmart.
The new Independence dealership was completed in November 2019. The 6-acre lot which was just dirt and rock in June, is now home to a new 27,000-square-foot dealership that holds 250 vehicles, repair shop, Quick Lane, and car wash.