Even though production for several automakers remains below full steam due to the Japanese quake effect, new-vehicle sales essentially picked up right where they left off at the end of April and are continuing to gain ground, Edmunds.com pointed out Friday. The company also spotted a $350 increase in the average new-car price during the […] [Read More]

When it comes to voicing their most pressing concerns, the issue cited more often by fleet managers than any other is the rising and often topsy-turvy gas prices, according to GE Capital Fleet Services. The company surveyed 105 fleet managers at the recent 2011 NAFA Institute & Expo in Charlotte, N.C. After collecting this data, […] [Read More]

For the second month in a row, the Kelley Blue Book Market Report recommended dealers remain cautious about going overboard in terms of stocking their inventory with fuel-efficient models. Granted, consumer demand has sent wholesale prices for these units soaring higher, but this surge won’t last forever, KBB stressed. Alec Gutierrez, KBB’s manager of vehicle […] [Read More]

Late last week, vehicle research and shopping site CarGurus.com doled out a list of the most ideal used vehicles for a group of shoppers whose budgets are often tight, especially given today’s economy: recent graduates. On its list, two brands in particular — Volkswagen and Ford — led the way. In determining the group of […] [Read More]

Mimicking philanthropic efforts by automakers, the National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation has mobilized its emergency relief fund to aid dealership employees recovering from the tornadoes that devastated parts of Iowa and Alabama last week. NADA indicated that six people already have received grants from the foundation to help them get back on their feet after […] [Read More]

It shouldn’t be surprising one of the first considerations shoppers coming into your showroom will mention is fuel economy. The latest Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence Survey concerning consumer sentiment and gas prices revealed the current economic situation, coupled with concern over the rise in fuel prices, has further caused an increasing number of new- and […] [Read More]

The NADAguides Car of the Month for May was announced this week and taking the honors is the 2011 Ford Fiesta. NADAguides lauded the car for high-quality engineering throughout the vehicle, its driving comfort, fuel-efficiency and overall values. The company also found the vehicle’s features to be “above and beyond what is expected in its class.” […] [Read More]

Reflecting market adjustments and noticeable change in domestic vehicle leasing volume, LeaseTrader.com declared more Americans are now leasing domestic units compared with pre-recession activity. “Prior to 2008, domestic vehicle leases on LeaseTrader.com were one-sided with only the SUV/truck category representing any significant percentage of total marketplace inventory,” explained Sergio Stiberman, chief executive officer and founder […] [Read More]

Incentive spending hit a five-and-a-half-year low during April, which points to the extreme likelihood that automakers are stockpiling their new vehicles for an impending supply dearth, according to Edmunds.com. Car companies spent an average of $2,118 per new vehicle sold on incentives during the month, the site estimated. This marks a 19.6-percent year-over-year slide and […] [Read More]

Even in the midst of rising fuel costs and their impact on purchasing decisions, new-vehicle transaction prices last month reached the highest level for any April on record, according to TrueCar.com. The site attributes this surge to a trio of factors, one of which was plunging incentives. And while this combination of higher transaction prices and […] [Read More]