Jamie LaReau See All Staff Page Recent Stories Teaching the auto retail titans The auto retail legends of today discuss the individuals who mentored them, and how that has prompted them to do likewise for the next generation. Public groups adjust plans for selling used Sonic Automotive and Group 1 Automotive are expanding their used-vehicle plans, even as AutoNation pauses its used-only store plans to evaluate results so far. Free services boost customer-pay work Mercedes-Benz of Draper's VIP Card gives customers free services such as flat-tire repair or even renewal of state vehicle registrations to bring them back more often. In the stratosphere of the superrich, buying a car is about the experience Selling high-line luxury cars to the superrich is not your father's car business: Price is less important, while the experience is everything. Dealer offers extravagant automotive tour through Europe for top customers Manhattan Motorcars' top customers will get the automotive tour of a lifetime in Europe. For Brian Miller, it's all part of doing business as an uber-luxury dealer. Lithia Q1 net rises 2.6 percent Lithia Motors' first-quarter net grew on strong service and parts and finance results, despite a drop in new-vehicle sales and narrowing gross profit margins. Dealers fixate on costs Dealers are increasingly cutting costs across the board this year to offset narrowing margins, rising expenses and a potential economic downturn. Flexdrive: Independent dealers get tools to build subscription revenue Momentum Motorcars in Atlanta serves as a role model to franchise dealers on how to do subscription selling. FlexWheels: Ready-made dealer platform Warren Henry Auto Group started a subscription program that's inspiring the group to develop an operational platform to help other dealers run subscription models. Dealers want a piece of the auto subscription action, too Some dealers are offering subscription programs to ensure the retailers remain relevant as automakers also experiment with the business model. Drive Germain: 'This is a time-saving service' Germain Automotive Group is in the subscription car business to attract new customers, drive revenue and prepare for a changing future. Flow Automotive's three keys to profiting from subscriptions Dealer Don Flow had tried to come up with a way to let customers swap vehicles frequently; the advent of vehicle subscription services now makes it possible -- and profitable for him. Ken Garff's pioneering partnership breaks up Ken Garff Automotive, a pioneer in private equity partnerships, will buy Garcadia Auto and its interest in 28 dealerships from Leucadia National. Lithia wants stores across U.S., in Canada Lithia Motors wants to be in all regions of the U.S. and eventually cross the border to Canada as it gains scale for a changing future. Video meetings boost profits John Eagle Auto Group in Dallas holds monthly video conferences to help F&I staff brainstorm ways to improve profits at its 12 Texas dealerships. Load More