Seneca, South Carolina, United States
10 years of OEM experience with Ford and Toyota. 25 years of retail management in automotive dealerships (Ford, Chevy, Toyota). 25 years of retail management in motorcycle, powersports & marine dealerships. Representing key brands such as Yamaha, Kawasaki, Polaris, CanAm, CFMoto in on/off road as well as Waverunner, Jetski, SeaDoo, G3, Suncatcher, and Scarab marine products. Have bought, sold and started dealerships. Have also won a few awards along the way: 6 time DealerNews Top 100 Award Winner 15 time Yamaha White Diamond Award Winner 3 time Polaris VIP Award Winner Yamaha "Pro" status Award Winner Goals: Continue to grow our existing powersports store using best practices of our 20-group. Specialties: Operations Management, Finance, Marketing, Advertising and eCommerce as it relates to automobiles/motorcycles common to USA Dealerships. Sole focus today is Motorcycle, Powersports & Marine Dealership Operations.
I’m the Owner & Operator of Performance PowerSports LLC, representing top brands including Yamaha, Kawasaki, Polaris, Can-Am, CFMoto, Slingshot, Spyder, Jet Ski, WaveRunner, Sea-Doo, Switch, G3, Suncatcher, and Scarab Jet Boats. Authorized OE Sales, Parts & Service. 🏆 We’re proud to be South Carolina’s #1 WaveRunner Dealer, earning Yamaha’s White Diamond Award 15X — a recognition of our team’s excellence and loyal customers. 📍Located near Clemson University in the northwest corner of South Carolina, we’re based in one of the state’s smallest but most beautiful counties — surrounded by lakes, mountains, and endless outdoor adventure. Before founding Performance PowerSports, I spent over a decade in the automotive industry as a General Motors dealer, setting sales records and earning national recognition. Later, I was approved to become a Harley-Davidson dealer, but our family stayed in Seneca and pursued a new opportunity — launching a powersports dealership that began as Yamaha-only and grew into a full-line destination. People often ask if I miss the car business. The truth: not really — but I’ll always love it. The same principles apply — great products, great people, and great service — but powersports and marine are more fun, and still proudly family-owned and independent. As I enter the next chapter, my focus is on building a new facility and systems designed for the next generation. I’m grateful for the journey, the people, and the opportunity to serve an amazing community. God Bless America — and thank you for being part of the ride.
Owner / Operator - Kurt Mechling spent over a decade as a General Motors dealer, where he built a reputation for excellence in customer service, team leadership, and record-setting sales performance. His dealership earned multiple GM awards and recognition trips, reflecting both strong results and loyal customer relationships. Kurt credits that era as one of the most rewarding chapters of his professional life — a time defined by hard work, great people, and a genuine love for the automotive industry. He remains deeply grateful to all who contributed to that success. God Bless America.
General Manager & Partner – Ford Lincoln Mercury Dealership (Upstate South Carolina) After earning my MBA, I began my career with Ford Motor Company as a District Manager in Georgia, later serving in similar roles with Toyota before transitioning into the retail side of the automotive industry. As General Manager and part owner of a Ford Lincoln Mercury dealership in Upstate South Carolina, I led all dealership operations — sales, parts, service, and body shop — building one of the state’s highest-performing stores. 🏆 Performance Highlights: Ranked among the Top 10 Ford dealers in South Carolina (1994) by sales volume. Achieved multiple Top 50 Southeast Region awards for sales and customer satisfaction. Consistently generated $52 million in annual sales, leading Red Carpet Lease (RCL) penetration and ranking #1 in RCL at the Hendersonville, NC FMCC branch. Developed a strong wholesale parts business, body shop, and Quick Lane fast-service operation. Set mid-1990s sales records that stood unbroken for more than 15 years. In addition to dealership management, I gained hands-on experience in relocating and rebuilding a franchise—from site acquisition and permitting to factory approval, construction, and upfitting. Working with a senior partner skilled in construction was invaluable, and the facility still looks great 30 years later—a testament to quality and teamwork. We had a lot of fun, and we sold a lot of cars.