N.H. legislators pass amendments to Dealer Bill of Rights 4:15 pm U.S. ET | May 24, 2013 A bill that would further regulate the relationship between New Hampshire auto dealers and their factories is a step closer to becoming law despite opposition from automakers.... Read More »
Sonic, back in acquisition market, buys 2 stores in Denver 2:36 pm U.S. ET | May 24, 2013  Sonic Automotive is back in the dealership acquisition market with the purchase of large BMW and Mercedes stores in Denver.... Read More »
LaSorda, Penske launch venture fund for tech startups 1:00 pm U.S. ET | May 23, 2013  Tom LaSorda, the former CEO of Chrysler and Fisker Automotive, has started a new venture capital fund -- with investors that include auto racing and retailing executive Roger Penske -- that will invest in startup companies in health care, clean energy, transportation, information technology, software and applications.... Read More »
GM prices Chevy Spark EV below $20,000 after tax credits 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 23, 2013  GM will price its new Chevrolet Spark electric vehicle at $27,495, including destination charges and before federal tax credits, placing it among the cheapest EVs on the market.... Read More »
Experian vehicle history reports to appear in AutoTrader.com starting in September 3:46 pm U.S. ET | May 23, 2013  Starting in September, dealers will be allowed to post used vehicles on AutoTrader.com with Experian Automotive's AutoCheck vehicle history reports in addition to reports from Carfax.... Read More »
MAY U.S. AUTO SALES U.S. auto sales will bounce back this month, forecasters say 11:55 am U.S. ET | May 23, 2013  May auto sales in the United States are expected to rebound from an April slowdown, easing concerns of another spring swoon, forecasters said. The light-vehicle seasonally adjusted annual selling rate for this month will be 15.2 million, both LMC Automotive/JD Power and Associates and TrueCar.com predicted today.... Read More »
JIM HENRY Are worries over slower, smaller tax refunds overblown? 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 22, 2013  Some lenders complained in first-quarter earnings reports about smaller and later tax refunds. IRS refund statistics weren’t down by much, but any change is important because tax refunds contribute to the annual peak in subprime financing, according to dealers and subprime lenders.... Read More »
JAMIE LaREAU For happier customers, sales and F&I need to talk 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 22, 2013  Good communication between sales and finance staff cannot be overstated. That’s my takeaway from reading a recent chat on a Facebook page shared by finance managers.... Read More »
Daimler may sell company-owned German dealerships to cut costsMay 22, 2013 13:19 CET  Daimler may sell four company-owned Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Germany to cut costs and help close a profitability gap with rivals BMW and Audi. Daimler owns 98 Mercedes car showrooms that account for about half of its car sales in Germany, the brand's second-biggest market after the United States.... Read More »
VW to modify late-model diesels in N. America to prevent improper fuelingMay 22, 2013 06:01 CET  Volkswagen plans to refit more than a quarter million 2009-12 diesel cars to prevent North American customers from mistakenly pumping gasoline into the fuel tanks.... Read More »
NADA, automakers reach out with aid for tornado victims 7:23 pm U.S. ET | May 21, 2013 The National Automobile Dealers Association and several automakers are reaching out with assistance to dealers and victims affected by Monday's tornado in Oklahoma.... Read More »
VW to modify late-model diesels to prevent improper fueling 4:36 pm U.S. ET | May 21, 2013  Volkswagen plans to refit more than a quarter million 2009-12 diesel cars to prevent North American customers from mistakenly pumping gasoline into the fuel tanks.... Read More »
Automakers, dealers remain opposed to bill preventing rental firms from renting recalled vehicles 6:34 pm U.S. ET | May 21, 2013 Major automakers and auto dealers told a Senate panel Tuesday that they remain opposed to legislation that would prohibit rental car companies from renting or selling vehicles that are subject to a federal safety recall.... Read More »
Auto dealers escape worst of tornado's wrath 3:06 pm U.S. ET | May 21, 2013  Car dealers were recovering from damage and organizing aid to survivors today after a two-mile-wide tornado ravaged an Oklahoma City suburb, but there were no reports of the massive twister directly hitting dealerships.... Read More »
2 congressmen ask Treasury for details on 2008-09 dealership closures 2:36 pm U.S. ET | May 21, 2013 Two congressmen -- one a former Ohio auto dealer and the other a Pennsylvania new- and used-car dealer -- have asked the U.S. Treasury Department to release materials detailing how General Motors and Chrysler dealerships were selected for closure during the 2008-09 restructuring.... Read More »
French car orders fall 0.5% in April, survey saysMay 21, 2013 15:06 CET  The decline in French car orders slowed to 0.5 percent in April, showing signs of stabilization in the auto market, according to a dealership survey by trade publication La Lettre Auto K7. The survey said orders were helped by the launch of several new models last month.... Read More »
Chevy joins 'Mad Men' buzz on Twitter 4:11 pm U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Chevrolet brought some more attention to its role in "Mad Men" on Twitter after last night’s episode. AMC’s television drama "Mad Men" follows a fictional New York advertising agency in the late 1960s, which currently is working on a campaign for the Chevrolet Vega.... Read More »
Experian names John Gray head of auto unit 2:57 pm U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Experian has named John Gray president of its automotive business unit, effective immediately, with responsibility for the strategic direction, leadership and overall growth of the business.... Read More »
AutoNation unit launches Shop-By-Payment service 3:09 pm U.S. ET | May 20, 2013 AutoNation's lead-referral subsidiary today unveiled an online service that lets consumers search dealership Web sites for new and used vehicles based on monthly payments. When a consumer chooses the desired payment a sales lead is sent to the dealership.... Read More »
Dealer swaps shoe leather for Facebook 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  When Chris Morrison started out as a car salesman 30 years ago in the placid southern Mississippi city of McComb, he spent every Tuesday at local employers handing out business cards and shaking hands. Today he uses Facebook instead of shoe leather and business cards to help him sell cars and service.... Read More »
VIRAL MANIA Online video has changed how auto marketers connect with customers 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Online video has redrawn the boundaries of auto marketing, giving companies a chance to sketch a broader story line around their products, break the conventions of TV and connect with customers in new ways... Read More »
2 SCREENS BETTER THAN 1 Auto marketers want TV viewers to reach for another device 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  TV promotions still reach the biggest audiences, but auto marketers say the greatest untapped potential lies with consumers poised to use other devices to respond quickly to what they see on screen.... Read More »
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Women do well as service advisers 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013 I wholeheartedly agree with the assessment of Roger Pipher, fixed operations director of Coleman Buick-GMC-Cadillac in Lawrenceville, N.J., about women as service advisers.... Read More »
BEST PRACTICES Old-school Rizza roars into the digital age 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  In an age when auto dealers are plunging into digital tools for marketing, store management and customer retention, Chicago's Rizza Cars has become a star practitioner. The six-store retailer is a case study of a traditional dealership group transforming in a new era of operating technologies.... Read More »
Auto loan delinquencies, repossessions rise 12:01 am U.S. ET | May 20, 2013  Auto loan delinquency and repossession rates rose in the first quarter fueled largely by an increase in subprime loans, Experian Automotive said last week.... Read More »
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