Connectivity may be the best feature to plug when talking to a used-car shopper. And whether or not that car is in good shape may be the most crucial piece of information you pass along to that shopper.   That's according to a white paper from CarStory, which among other areas, investigated the top features used-car […] [Read More]

Auctions and dealerships that have a strong business interest in how classic cars are moving on the wholesale and retail fronts should be pleased to hear the upbeat projections from IBISWorld, which said the industry appears “to be back on the right track.” The firm’s latest report showed that revenue is estimated to increase during […] [Read More]

The service and fixed operations industry is a $310 billion business. The problem is, only a little more than a quarter of that goes to franchised dealerships, says Netsertive’s Tim O’Rourke, citing outside research. “The franchised dealers are getting 27 percent of that ($310 billion total), according to their own internal data. They are getting […] [Read More]

The effects of a recall can do quite a bit more harm to a vehicle’s image than the immediate problems they typically cause – they can also dramatically accelerate their rate of value depreciation. That’s according to the analysts at iSeeCars.com, who recently released the results of a study they conducted to see the effect […] [Read More]

One of the most profitable areas of the dealership — if not the most profitable — is the service department. And what is the backbone for a successful service department? The people, and that, of course, includes your technicians. Unfortunately, there appears to be a widespread shortage. One of the most consistent comments made by […] [Read More]

What was your first car? Ask this question of someone and chances are, he or she will crack a smile. Granted, whether that smile is one of nostalgia for a classic ride or humor at one’s humble beginnings — or some combination of the two — may largely depend on the car. (Mine was well over […] [Read More]

Kelley Blue Book announced its 2015 Brand Image Award Winners, recognizing the “best brands” based on annual perception data collected from more than 12,000 in-market new-vehicle shoppers. Japanese brands dominated the image awards for non-luxury brands, with Honda maintaining its three-year run as the “best overall brand” as well as “best value brand,” the latter […] [Read More]

You can buy just about anything these days with a thumb-swipe on a mobile device or a click of a mouse, and when it comes to buying cars, more and more of that is moving online, too — but not the whole process; and it appears most consumers want to keep it that way, as they […] [Read More]

Forbes recently released its list of this year’s “America’s Best Employers,” with a strong showing from many companies involved in the automotive industry. Ranked highest among all in the auto sphere was the BMW Group, who ranked 7th on the list of America’s best. Milwaukee’s own Harley-Davidson rounded out the top 10, while Nissan made […] [Read More]

If a person age 35 or older bought a car from your dealership last year, chances are pretty good (68 percent) that car was used. If someone in the millennial generation bought a car from you, the odds that it was used are even higher.  According to a study from Edmunds.com, more than three-fourths (78 percent) […] [Read More]