Meet the 'famous' Raptors superfan who happens to be a top Hyundai dealer

Meet Nav Bhatia, a superfan of the Toronto Raptors professional basketball team, and a super dealer for Hyundai Canada.

The 66-year-old native of India walked the red carpet in September at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival because he was part of the documentary about Raptors’ great Vince Carter. A few weeks later he was chosen to be photographed with former U.S. President Barack Obama at an event in Toronto. Obama, who is a basketball fan, told Bhatia he recognized him from being courtside at televised Raptors’ games.

“I told President Obama that I sort of bring the world together through the game of basketball,” Bhatia said. “He was very happy about that, of course. I’m not a player. I’m just a common guy, and here I am with the 44th President of America and I’m a big fan of him. I am so blessed. When I went into my car, I sat for a few minutes and had to take that all in.”

Sports and celebrity aside, Bhatia is first and foremost an auto dealer, owning and operating Mississauga Hyundai and Rexdale Hyundai in the Greater Toronto Area. The Rexdale dealership is where he began his career selling cars in Canada 34 years ago. He became the company’s top salesman in Canada. He sold nearly 150 cars in four months and was promoted to general manager. He took over the dealership about six years ago.

TOP DEALER

He has been one of Hyundai’s best volume retailers in Canada, first in the country in 2013 and 2014, and tops in Ontario the last five years.

Bhatia embraces being No. 1, which he signifies with a raised index finger in newspaper and bus advertising. He spends about $200,000 a year on advertising, some of it paid for with funds from Hyundai Canada.

He also spends more than $300,000 a year on Toronto Raptors tickets and gives away many to youths.

‘DEDICATION. PERIOD’

Don Romano, CEO of Hyundai Canada, lauds Bhatia.

“The key to his success is his dedication. Period,” Romano said. “Anyone who knows Nav knows how he commits himself to his passions, which include Hyundai and the Raptors, as well as his family, faith and charities. Most people see Nav at the basketball games. However, he invests even more time at his Hyundai dealerships in every area of the business, which is why he is one of Hyundai’s biggest, most successful dealers.”

Bhatia is humbled by Romano’s words.

“I’ve been with Hyundai all my life. I only go with one thing,” he said. “If it’s a sport, I’m with basketball. I’m with one bank the last 25-30 years. And if it’s a car product, it’s Hyundai. Not that I didn’t have the opportunity to buy some other dealerships, but I don’t dilute myself. I stay with only one product.”

His formula for success in the automotive business is to treat people like you want to be treated yourself.

“There is no rocket science to do the numbers,” he said. “You’ve got to be passionate about it.”

He believes people buy cars from him because they feel comfortable.

SIKH AWARENESS

“They feel that they will be taken care of, and I try to do the best pricing,” he said. “We are open seven days a week, and customers understand I am reachable. Ninety per cent of the dealer principals are not reachable. Customers know they can talk to me any time, and I think it also helps to be the superfan.

“People see me and what I do with the community. I give back to it because I feel God has blessed me, and it is my moral duty to reach out to the people who need it, especially the community that has made me, that has given me everything. Hyundai and Canada have given me everything I own.”

He is committed to creating education and awareness about Sikhs living in Canada because of an incident in 1998 in which he entered a store and a customer approached Bhatia thinking he was a cab driver.

Bhatia wanted to help break that stereotype.

“I want the community to know Sikhs can become cab drivers, factory workers, janitors, but they can also be doctors, pharmacists, car salesmen, dentists ... anything,” he said.