In April, Ford dominated the list of most-researched used vehicles at KBB.com, claiming eight of the 25 spots. But in May, however, things were a little more balanced between the various brands making the list. Ford and Honda led the way, each brand claiming five spots, with Toyota not far behind at four. There were […] [Read More]

For dealers, the success of their sales staff is perhaps one of the most important elements of the entire store. In studying the most troubling roadblocks for sales staff during sales negotiation, Joe Verde Sales and Management Training found that price is perceived to be the most troubling part of the sales negotiation process. In […] [Read More]

Manheim chief economist Tom Webb gave some examples of retail sectors that might give a  “true sense of the psyche of many used-vehicle buyers.” So what kinds of business should dealers watch besides traffic to their own stores? Webb recommended that managers concentrate on specific businesses and retail sectors, most notably Walmart, dollar stores and […] [Read More]

The rising tide of off-lease volumes looks like it will stick around for the next few years, and the influx of supply has already been downwardly impacting used-vehicle values in the opening half of 2013, according to AutoTrader.com’s Trade-In Marketplace. That is, with one huge exception. Putting values on an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 used […] [Read More]

MaxPoint, a company that helps retailers and brands drive local in-store sales, leveraged what officials insisted were billions of data points from neighborhoods across the United States to determine the Top 10 markets for minivans and SUVs. The company found that minivan families are typically between the ages of 35 and 55, hold a college […] [Read More]

Just after the country celebrated Memorial Day, U.S. Army Veteran and automotive sales trainer Joe Verde announced his donation of $37,900 to help place canine companions with wounded veterans. The donation will benefit Canine Companions for Independence, an organization which helps place companion dogs with physically disabled military veterans. [Read More]

Used-vehicle shoppers are feeling pretty sporty this month, judging by Kelley Blue Book’s Hot Used-Car Report. Sports cars and high-performance models led the month-over-month jumps in shopping activity growth so far in May with two particular used vehicles standing out the most. Interest in the 2009 Volkswagen GLI soared a whopping 171.9 percent higher month-over-month. […] [Read More]

The latest report from Metrolinx regarding “The Big Move” — a long-term Ontario transit and transportation solutions plan — that poses various increases in transportation taxes has local dealers up in arms. The Trillium Automobile Dealers Association says it is “disappointed that Metrolinx is recommending increasing taxes —  specifically on Ontario drivers —  to fund […] [Read More]

There were quite a few high points in ALG’s latest Industry Report for the Canadian market, including reports of last month’s new-car sales notching the second-highest April rate on record as well as predictions for increased used-market supply. Specifically, new-car sales in Canada during April grew by 8.9 percent year-over-year, coming in as the second […] [Read More]

The alleged targeting of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service pushed a member of Congress who also is a franchised dealer in Pennsylvania to question how some stores were closed after the government bailout of automakers more than four years ago. Rep. Mike Kelly, who operates Chevrolet, Cadillac, Kia and Hyundai franchises in Butler, […] [Read More]