Around 25 years ago, Tim and Nannette “Nan” Murphy were in search of a new car. They needed something practical, something that they could count on with a pair of young children, Brandon and Hannah. Their search brought them to Team Chevrolet of Valparaiso, where they leased a Chevy Impala.
“Since then, it’s always been Chevy for us,” Tim Murphy said. “Just about every vehicle we’ve bought since then has been from here, and it’s been quite a few.”
Since they leased that Impala, the Murphy family has bought or leased 12 different vehicles from Team Chevy. That loyalty was earned in large part due to the way they were treated – every time a Murphy came into the dealership, they felt like the salesperson had their best interests in mind rather than making a sale.
“They pride themselves on their customer service first,” Brandon Murphy said. “They treat you right and go from there. When you walk in, you feel like you have an actual relationship with them. They’re not pushy. Whether they make a sale or not, you’re going to walk out of there comfortable having talked to these guys.”
Most of those 12 vehicles were pickups or SUVs – Silverados, Equinoxes, and Traverses. All four members of the Murphy family are active types, both in and out of their jobs. Tim is retired from Valparaiso University, Nan manages accounts payable at G.E. Marshall Inc., Hannah does digital marketing for Family Express, and Brandon works in sales at Blythe’s Team Sports.
“It’s convenient to have a bed that you can use to haul stuff,” Brandon Murphy said. “All of us were using the cars to haul for jobs and stuff. Hannah hauls for Family Express, I’m hauling stuff on deliveries for Blythe’s.”
With a job at Blythe’s, Brandon Murphy does a lot of work with local schools, including Valparaiso High School. He sells the team's equipment they need, be it footballs, volleyballs, or spirit wear, and is often responsible for packing it into his truck and taking it to the school.
He is also an assistant coach for Washington Township High School’s Girls Volleyball team. He played the sport himself back when he was a Morgan Township student and has continued to play recreationally within Valpo Parks’ programs. When he was offered the job, he was initially unsure if he could fit it into his schedule, but talking with family and friends helped him decide to take the challenge.
“After I thought about it, I felt like it’d be a blast,” he said. “I’d have regretted it if I hadn’t taken the role. It’s been an absolute joy to be on the other side of the sport, coaching instead of playing.”
Though they all put their vehicles to work by putting in a lot of miles and a lot of hauling, every Murphy is also a stickler for cleanliness with a competitive streak.
“There’s times when I’ll show up at the house and it’ll be like ‘who has the cleanest truck out here tonight?’” Brandon Murphy said. “We’ll all kind of razz each other about it, all in good fun.”
That leads them back to the Team Chevy dealership more often than not – where they get detailing, maintenance, and other service needs taken care of.
“They work with us and have never given us a hard time with any of our issues,” Hannah Murphy said. “Whether it’s minor or major, they always work it out. It’s nice that we can walk through the door and have everyone say, ‘Hey Hannah, hey Tim, hey Brandon, hey Nan!’ They know exactly who we are.”
They are in and out of the dealership a lot – and even when they go a stretch without needing to stop by, the Team Chevy crew always recognizes them.
“They probably see the caller ID say ‘Murphy’ and think ‘Oh God!’” Nan Murphy joked. “We’re waiting on a stock option at this point!”
The whole family is Valparaiso born and raised and do not plan on moving anytime soon – it is where their family is, their friends are, and they are never far from their hometown Chevy dealer.
“It’s about family; all of our families are here and we’re tight-knit,” Tim Murphy said. “With Team Chevy, we’ve had a lot of good experiences here. That’s why we keep coming back. It’s a great place.”
To learn more about Team Chevrolet of Valparaiso, visit www.chevyon30.com.