FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- AutoNation Inc.'s $500 million brand-extension strategy has a clear goal on the fixed-ops side: keep customers in the family.
The introduction of AutoNation-branded parts should give vehicle buyers at the company's new-car dealerships a lower-cost option for vehicle repair once their manufacturer warranties expire, company executives say. But if those customers leave anyway, AutoNation will market its new AutoNation USA used-vehicle store service to those defectors, in competition with independent shops.