Product tips, Gen Y, Ally were hot topics in 2012

The 10 most-read finance and insurance stories in Automotive News this year were heavy with practical information for frontline F&I managers.

How-to features ranged from tips for selling service contracts and tire-and-wheel plans to how to outsmart consumers using smartphones in the F&I office to compare deals.

News stories, such as one about an FTC accusation of privacy breach at a dealership and another about Chrysler seeking bids for a preferred lender to succeed Ally, also were a draw.

One story, "U.S. suggests Ally breakup, wants GM to buy captive finance unit," didn't pan out, although it would have been important for dealers if it had. It turned out months later that GM bought Ally's overseas operations but left the former GMAC's U.S. operation independent.

A feature on how Gen Y could shake up the F&I model also scored big this year.

Here are the top 10 F&I headlines for 2012, with links to the full stories:

1. "How a Honda dealership excels at selling service contracts" (March 21)

2. "F&I paperwork at 'ridiculous' levels, Group 1's Hesterberg says" (Jan. 11)

3. "How an F&I manager uses jar of scrap to pitch wheel-and-tire plans" (April 18)

4. "5 ways to outsmart customers' smartphones" (March 14)

5. "U.S. suggests Ally breakup, wants GM to buy captive finance unit" (March 28)

6. "Gen Y preferences could reshape dealerships' loan practices" (Feb. 22)

7. "FTC, in a first, says Georgia dealership failed to safeguard consumer data" (June 13)

8. "Chrysler courting bids for $25B finance business in possible blow to Ally" (Feb. 29)

9. "More dealers offer trade-in protection after automakers shelve it" (May 23)

10. "Toyota Financial looks to boost leasing with wear-and-tear product" (Jan. 4)