A couple studies released late last week focused on the service side of the dealership, with one online survey showing customers may need a bit more incentive to visit in-dealership repair shops over independent stores. The AutoMD.com survey revealed that while consumers are generally satisfied with their dealership experience, they trust independent repair shops over […] [Read More]

It seems the year is off to a roaring start in terms of used-car sales. With Edmunds.com expecting an estimated 3.21 million used cars to be sold this month — for a SAAR of 40.2 million — CNW Research anticipates the number will reach 2.3 million units, up 4 percent year-over-year. And both franchised and […] [Read More]

Store managers and finance executives now can pluck guidance from new reference books when they have situations regarding compliance with a specific federal act as well as — in the case of franchised dealerships — relationships with parent manufacturers. CounselorLibrary.com, the publisher of auto financing and leasing legal compliance services, announced the newest in its […] [Read More]

How important is your online advertising strategy? Dealers rely on customer relationship management to gauge how many shoppers are citing the Internet as incentive to visit a dealership, but this practice may not be providing accurate results, according to a recent study.  This week, AutoTrader.com released a new white paper called “The CRM Paradox,” which […] [Read More]

The most populated province in Canada is investing in energy-efficient vehicles in an effort to “move forward on its plan to become  a world leader in clean energy and manufacturing.”  The Ontario government announced an investment of almost $16.9 million toward hybrid vehicle production at the Toyota plant in Cambridge, Ontario. “The investment will allow […] [Read More]

While federal officials found the amount of recalls last year ended up as the second-smallest tally since 2000, Kelley Book Book analysts think the figure resulted in little impact on the used-vehicle market, especially in terms of pricing and shopping activity. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration determined manufacturers filed more than 650 safety recalls, […] [Read More]

Lease customers have their own sets of requirements, needs and wants when they are searching for a new ride but a recent survey revealed these may be changing — and fast. According to survey results from a study by Swapalease.com, roughly a quarter of people seek leases with less than 12,000 miles per year; more […] [Read More]

In surveying car dealers and industry contacts for its latest investor guidance report ahead of the fourth-quarter and full-year financial statements from the nation’s six publicly traded dealer groups, KeyBanc Capital Markets painted a picture of relatively healthy used-car activity. [Read More]

At the recent Montreal International Auto Show, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada announced the finalists for the Canadian Car of the Year awards — which is now in its 28th year. The finalists are as follows: 2013 Canadian Car of the Year: Honda Accord Sedan Hyundai Elantra GT Porsche Boxster 2013 Canadian Utility Vehicle […] [Read More]

Auto Remarketing Canada 2013, sponsored by CarProof, continues to take shape as the conference website is up and running and early registration is underway. And as Auto Remarketing Canada gears up for 2013, the organizers are pleased to announce they will be teaming up with the International Automotive Remarketers Alliance this year to bring you […] [Read More]