In 1953, a young O.L. "Rusty" Eck purchased the Ford dealership in his hometown of Haven, KS. While his competitors looked on with skepticism, Rusty quickly invested in a modern, customer-friendly facility complete with the first central air conditioning in Haven. Through his tireless efforts to satisfy his customers, his business quickly grew.
In 1967, Rusty acquired a location in Valley Center to make his customer-oriented approach more accessible to Wichita residents. Mustangs were America's favorite car and Wichita had found a new favorite dealer.
In 1969, Rusty built a new state-of-the-art facility at 3901 N Broadway. "Eck Sells for Less!" became the rule that Kansans chose to follow. So much so that in 1970 Ford supported Rusty's acquisition of the current location at 7310 E. Kellogg.
With dedicated employees and room to grow, Rusty set his sights on national prominence. With "BUSINESS IS GOOD" as the motto, volume selling brought great deals and even higher levels of customer service. In 1972, Fordman was introduced to the buying public. Over the years, generations of Kansans watched Fordman star in the longest-running ad campaign in automotive history.
Continuing the legacy in 1997, Les Eck took over as the company's new president and owner. Les used his many years of experience in the family business to help continue the growth and prosperity of Rusty Eck Ford. He took the reins and the business to the next level by implementing some of the newest technology and most visionary facilities in the automotive industry. The facility that stands at 7310 E Kellogg today was built and opened in 2005. It is the most beautiful, functional, and customer-friendly dealership in Kansas and one of the best in the nation. At the all-new Rusty Eck Ford live the largest new and used vehicle inventories around. The inventories have the largest variety of color and option packages of any dealership in the Midwest. That combined with the best-trained sales staff and most experienced sales management equals great quality customer service. The sales department is staffed with Internet Professionals, Business Development Professionals, Delivery Experts, Fleet and Business Account Professionals, and a Ford Geek Squad to demonstrate all of the awesome technology found on the exciting new Fords!
The parts boutique is a must-see! From the coolest new Ford promotional wear, watches, hats, and gadgets to Oakley sunglasses, it is always festive and fun with something for everyone! Just next door in the service department you can schedule your repair work and wait in the service lounge with a game room, saltwater aquarium, big screen television, or a quiet room with Internet and Wi-Fi connectivity. Or, you may spend your time in one of the two most unique features in any dealership on the planet: the movie theatre and Mustang Deli.
Another amazing building on the Eck Complex is the Quick Lane Center. Quick Lane offers service on all makes and models with no appointment necessary. This facility was built in 2000 and underwent an internal update in 2011, making it a more comfortable environment for everyone. In, 2022 we nearly doubled it's size by adding a new building. Both the Quick Lane and service department are equipped with the newest and finest technology available in the car repair industry. Our newest addition is the Hunter diagnostic analyzer, which enables us to quickly identify the drivability issues of every vehicle brought to the service drive.
The body shop is not only a free-standing, 96,000-square-foot building but also so efficient that many insurance companies use our facility for the drive-through appraisal process! This in addition to the fact that we are an approved direct repair facility with most of the insurance companies around means one important thing: less hassle for you! Bring your car straight to us, or if necessary, have it towed straight to Rusty Eck Ford Collision Center and let us take care of the rest. We can even assist you with arranging a rental car as Enterprise Rentals has an office in our main building. It is convenient, less hassle, and AWESOME!
As the world goes green, so does Rusty Eck Ford. The facility burns the waste oil from the service departments to heat the buildings. It is an environmentally friendly way to dispose of the oil and conserve natural resources.
Obviously, foreseeing our customer's needs and fulfilling those needs has become a family tradition. That tradition came from growing up in a farming community where friends and neighbors were important. We try to treat everyone as friends and family, so we know they are being taken care of properly. You will always find friendly smiles and helpful people in all of our departments. There is nothing you could want that we cannot do or get done for you here at Rusty Eck Ford. Please visit our charities page to note the many wonderful causes supported by the Eck family, Les, and the employees of Rusty Eck Ford.
Business Awards
*FORD PRESIDENTS CLUB AWARD FOR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION 2020-2021-2022
*FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S PRESTIGIOUS SALUTE TO DEALER AWARD (honoring Les Eck)
*2009 WICHITA BUSINESS JOURNAL BEST IN BUSINESS AWARD (only car dealer to win)
*2010 WICHITA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OVER THE YEARS AWARD (can only win one time)
* ONE FORD ELITE AWARD 2010, 2011 (new program in 2010)
*TOYOTA PRESIDENTS AWARD WINNER 2001-2010
*NISSAN PRESIDENTS AWARD 2010, 2011
*FORD PREMIER CLUB AWARD PARTS & ESP 2003-2011
*FORD TOP 100 PARTS & SERVICE AWARD 1999-2011
*FORD TOP 100 ESP DEALER AWARDS 1999-2011
Community Service
WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY ECK STADIUM built a baseball stadium for WSU
NADA SCHOLARSHIP AMBASSADOR PROGRAM 2011
MARTIN LUTHER KING-THE DEFINITION OF GREATNESS SERVICE AWARD 2011
WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY SASO for student scholarships
NAACP FREEDOM FUND SPONSOR to support equality and civil rights for all
KANSAS NEWMAN COLLEGE-ECK HALL & CAMPUS CENTER PROJECT PAM & LES ECK HALL
VIA CHRISTI MAMOGRAM MOBILE to travel to small towns without services
THE RED CROSS BOARD fundraising to support the Wichita/Kansas Chapter Red Cross
THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB SPONSOR to funding facilities and programs for underserved children in the community
BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS SPONSOR programs for local kids' mentors
FOUNDED THE ADOPT A SCHOOL ORGANIZATION and have raised over $1 million in the past 10 years for local school books and supplies
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT teaches business in public elementary schools
THE AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION (major sponsor of the 2012 Tour de Cure)
SUSAN G. KOMEN RACE FOR THE CURE (top corporate sponsor for the past 12 years)
CATHOLIC CHARITIES & SCHOOLS SPONSORSHIPS to school and church building and operating funds, as well as scholarship and supply funds
THE CITY OF WICHITA BENCHMARKING TEAM sets goals and benchmarks in the new city plan to support local businesses and create job growth
RACE FOR THE CURE
THE CITY OF WICHITA BENCHMARKING TEAM
URBAN LEAGUE OF WICHITA SPONSOR
2009 LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY WOMAN OF THE YEAR-JANET CERVANTES
LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY KANSAS CHAPTER BOARD OF TRUSTEES
2012 AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION TOUR DE CURE SPONSOR
