Avis Budget Group has purchased Payless Car Rental in a $50 million cash deal.  In announcing the news this morning, Avis indicated that adding North America’s sixth largest car-rental company “will give Avis Budget Group a strong position in the fast-growing deep-value segment of the car rental industry.” [Read More]

Late last week, Black Book provided its analysis on depreciation during June, which showed that compact cars led the pack, dropping by 2.6 percent in value from May. Average segment values at the end of June were $8,765, a significant 18.9 percent lower than they were during the same time last year. Of course, gas […] [Read More]

SubPrime Auto Finance News, our sister publication, was on hand at the NAF Association’s 17th annual Non-Prime Auto Financing Conference last month. On the docket of SubPrime’s extensive coverage was a keynote session that included a question-and-answer dialogue between Hudson Cook chairman Tom Hudson and Rick Hackett, the then-assistant director at the Consumer Financial Protection […] [Read More]

More than three-fourths of all certified pre-owned sales in the first quarter included financing, according to J.D. Power and Associates. This point certainly helps back up the assertion that CPO and financing are “highly co-dependent” on each other, as Kia’s Brad Beer put it. [Read More]

Auctions values are on the way down as used supply continues to increase. And with gas prices remaining relatively stable this past month, fuel-efficient small cars and alternative-energy vehicles led the declines in June. Overall, according to data from Kelley Blue Book’s latest Blue Book Market Report, auction values fell by an average of 1.2 […] [Read More]

Adding to the list of distinguished keynote speakers during the past several years, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will address the National Automobile Dealers Association Convention & Expo in New Orleans in January. Clinton will deliver keynote remarks on the closing day of the 2014 NADA Convention & Expo on Jan. 27. Clinton […] [Read More]

When looking at retained value for compact cars from the 2012 model-year, Kelley Blue Book noticed one, in particular, that edged out its peers in this segment where competition is “fierce.” That model? The 2012 Hyundai Veloster, which was one of only two to command 80 percent or more of its original MSRP, according to […] [Read More]

Price, time and the dealership experience: A just-released research study shows that these factors can vary as most influential in the purchase decision for potential car buyers, information that dealers may want to note in order to meet these differing expectations. The Foresight Research 2013 Dealership Report, based on a study of 7,543 recent U.S. […] [Read More]

It was announced earlier this week that Safe-Guard Products International — a provider of F&I products to auto, RV/trailer, marine and powersport retailers, as well as manufacturers and financial institutions — has opened an operation specifically to offer specialized services to Canadian consumers. Safe-Guard Canada Ltd., based in Mississauga, Ontario, handles all claims on Safe-Guard […] [Read More]

The inaugural Vincentric Best CPO Value in America awards are being announced today, recognizing 36 models for offering top value in their respective segments as well as three brand winners. Those three —  Best CPO Value: Passenger Cars, Best CPO Value: Luxury Brand, and Best CPO Value: Trucks  — are given to the makes that […] [Read More]