BJ Auto Sales Inc. — Not Just a Dealership, But a Memory

I don’t know if it’s just me, but there’s something oddly emotional about looking at old websites. Like walking through a dusty garage where an old photo album sits on top of a forgotten toolbox. And, well, there it was — the 2006 version of BJ Auto Sales Inc.’s website.

The fonts were clunky. The colors? Not great. The layout was… well, very early internet. But man, it had heart. It really did. You could feel the honest-to-goodness small business vibe. You know, before every dealership had cookie-cutter designs made by marketing firms that don’t even know what a carburetor is.

Back in those days — and I mean, real talk, I don’t even think I had a smartphone yet — they proudly displayed that they offered **“quality pre-owned vehicles”** and welcomed folks to call or swing by for a cup of coffee and a test drive. Simpler times, right?

I remember stopping by the lot once on East Sprague Avenue, just east of Spokane. It wasn’t fancy, but there was this guy — maybe his name was Mark? — who came out in the middle of a snow flurry and said, “Hey, just let me know if you need keys for any of those out there.” No pressure, no suits. Just a jacket, jeans, and a straight-shooter kind of attitude.

We didn’t even buy a car that day. But you know what? I remembered the name. I remembered the feeling of not being hustled. And that, in the car business, that’s rare. Most folks don’t trust dealerships and for good reason. But BJ Auto Sales Inc. always had that different vibe.

Flash-forward to today, and here I am typing this on a laptop thinner than a car brochure. The dealership’s still going, but it’s evolved. Online credit apps, photos of inventory that aren’t blurry — thank god — and even some hybrids and electric cars, which still feels a bit strange for a place that once advertised “low mileage Ford Tauruses” as if they were golden tickets.

What hasn’t changed though? That feeling. The tone. You check out their current site at bjautosalesinc.com and there’s still a sense of local pride. Real people. Real rides. Nothing feels corporate. Thank the stars for that.

There’s a section there about financing — and look, I’m not gonna lie — my credit score has seen better days. But they don’t make you feel like trash about it. They’ll work with you. That’s how it should be. And yeah, some of the car pics still have a bit too much sun glare, but hey — that’s real. Not some Photoshop fantasy land.

I’m not even sure why I felt the need to write this. Maybe just nostalgia. Maybe because I hate how everything’s becoming the same, and it’s good to know some businesses still keep it old school. Maybe both.

Anyway, if you’re in Spokane or even nearby and you’re hunting for a decent used car — not a perfect one, not one pretending to be something it’s not — give them a shout. Doesn’t matter if it’s a Monday afternoon or snowy Saturday morning. They’ll probably still greet you with that same, honest “let me know if you need the keys.”