About Us Don Docksteader Motors is a third generation family owned automotive business that has been in operation for over 75 years. Based in Vancouver BC, it is one of Canada's largest Volvo and Subaru retailers. Our longevity and customer loyalty is a direct result of our uncompromising commitment to customer service. The guiding principle of putting people first will be our key to yet another 75 successful years...  and more! Don Docksteader - 75 Years and Counting... Looking back it is hard to imagine that my grandfather, Peter Docksteader, could have ever envisioned that the family business would have grown to become what it is today. From his humble beginnings in Grand Forks British Columbia, our family has now grown with multiple franchises and a total staff of over one hundred and forty! Like my father, and grandfather before me I was taught at a very early age that long term success in business is all about people and how you treat them. So the formula which has stood the test of time still rings true today. Our philosophy has not and will not change. We appreciate and value our family very much. It reaches so much further than just our name and even our staff. We believe that all our customers are a part of the family. We are committed to providing the highest level of true and honest service to all of our customers. It´s something we´ve strived to do for 75 years now and we are very proud of this unique achievement. Drive Safely, Paul Docksteader. Our 50 Year History with Volvo The history of Don Docksteader Motors and the history of Volvo in Canada are in many ways one and the same. The fact is that, while our family´s involvement in the auto industry goes back to 1930, the modern era of Don Docksteader Motors began with Volvo in 1958. That was the year Volvos were introduced to Canada. The family was approached and asked if we would be interested in selling a then unknown line of vehicles made in Sweden, called "Volvos." The name is derived from the Latin word meaning "I roll". Volvo had been producing cars in Sweden since 1928. They had been created as vehicles that would be more suited to the harsh Scandinavian climate than were American imports. They were built with high-quality Swedish steel and handled themselves well in winter weather and on the kind of roads that are found in a large, mountainous country. 1958 was the year that Volvo invented the 3-point safety belt, which is now considered the most important vehicle safety feature of all time. Our company was intrigued by the possibilities of these cars, recognizing the many similarities between Sweden and Canada. We were also highly impressed with the quality of both their design and engineering. So we agreed to start selling this unknown brand of vehicles under a distributorship in the fall of 1958. The company was named Volvo Imports Swedish. In 1959, we were granted one of the three original Volvo franchises in Canada. We are one of those original remaining franchises. Throughout the 70´s and into the 80´s, the issue of safety was growing in importance in the minds of North American drivers. Volvo shone extraordinarily well under this light and the popularity of the brand continued to grow. In 1987 Don Docksteader Motors moved to our present location at Cambie and Marine. We have now been selling Volvos in Canada for 50 years. That´s longer than anyone else. Volvo is now a prestigious and sought-after brand that´s earned it´s place in the luxury vehicle segment. Did Peter and Don Docksteader realize back in 1958 that this would happen? Of course not. But we´re certainly glad they made the decision they did! Subaru. The Right Car in the Right Place Could there be a line of vehicles more perfectly suited to British Columbia than Subaru? Their full-time All-Wheel Drive and relatively low fuel consumption seem an obvious fit with our outdoor-activity driven lifestyle. But this line of vehicles was surprisingly slow to achieve the widespread popularity it now has here. In 1953, five different Japanese companies merged to form Fuji Heavy Industries. They adopted a cluster of five stars as the logo of the line of vehicles they introduced. Fuji Heavy Industries chose the name Subaru for these vehicles. It´s the Japanese word for "unite". Subarus were first introduced into the United States in 1968. The first Subaru in North America was the 360, a mini-car with a 25hp engine. It went from 0-50 in 37 seconds. Not surprisingly, it wasn´t a huge bestseller. Canadians got their first exposure to the benefits of Subaru All-Wheel Drive in 1976. That was the year that Subaru Auto Canada Limited introduced a full range of Subaru vehicles into the country. In 1989 this company was taken over by Subaru Canada, a subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries. They began an expansion process that would eventually result in a network of over 100 dealers across the country. Don Docksteader Subaru opened in 1993. In 1996, Subaru exploded in popularity with the help of well-known Australian actor Paul Hogan. His introduction of the Outback helped turn this rugged-road version of the Legacy Wagon into a huge hit. The Impreza Outback Sport version came next. Subaru continued to build on its successes when it released the extremely popular Forester in 1998. Since then, Don Docksteader Subaru has seen a steady growth in both sales and a general awareness about the merits of these vehicles. Today, Don Docksteader Motors is Canada´s largest Subaru dealership. The Subaru has been adopted by outdoor-loving British Columbians as their vehicle of choice. They´ve discovered that Subaru´s affordable All-Wheel Drive is the smart way to get around in any driving conditions. And we´re proud to help put them behind the wheel of such a safe and reliable vehicle!