While aiming its message primarily at consumers, dealerships might be able to glean some value from the reminder issued by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) about the pitfalls of flood-damaged vehicles. The insurance industry’s association share the message on Thursday as storms and severe flooding continue to impact communities across the United States. Plus, […] [Read More]

Brian Wieland, who is senior director of used vehicles at Van Horn Auto Group, might have summarized dealerships’ necessary journey from dot matrix printers in the finance office to tools based on artificial intelligence. “AI is no longer something we are testing. It has become part of how we operate every day,” Wieland said in […] [Read More]

Group 1 Automotive has named a new director to its board, appointing former Ulta Beauty CEO David Kimbell to the post. The Houston-based auto retailer now has 10 directors on its board. Kimbell will serve on its audit committee. “We are excited to welcome David to our board,” said Charles Szews, Group 1’s non-executive chair […] [Read More]

CarGurus announced its 2026 Top Dealer Awards honorees on Tuesday, spotlighting the most trustworthy dealerships throughout the U.S., U.K. and Canada. The honorees are those stores that “consistently earn shoppers’ trust through exceptional service, competitive value, and transparent experiences,” the company said. CarGurus determines Top Dealer Award winners through verified customer reviews and its own […] [Read More]

“The future of automotive retail,” says LaFontaine Automotive Group CEO Ryan LaFontaine, “is about meeting customers wherever they choose to shop while delivering an experience built on trust, transparency, and convenience.” And the dealer group is now meeting those customers on Amazon Autos. The Michigan-based retailer said Friday that its 40-plus dealerships have joined the […] [Read More]

EchoPark Automotive, which is Sonic Automotive’s chain of standalone used-car stores, said Thursday it has relocated its North Houston dealership. EchoPark recently opened a new state-of-the-art facility at 18310 North Freeway in Houston, a move that broadens the retailer’s footprint “in one of the region’s fastest-growing communities, bringing its signature car-buying experience closer to residents […] [Read More]

Sonic Automotive posted an all-time quarterly gross profit record in the second quarter, thanks largely to gains in the retailer’s diversified operating segments. That includes its EchoPark Automotive used-car stores, where revenues climbed 15% year-over-year and total gross profits reached a Q2 record. And in the fourth quarter, Sonic anticipates EchoPark’s expansion will resume. Overall, […] [Read More]

One of the leading dealers in the mobile service space is now utilizing Curbee as its new mobile service technology platform. Bozard Ford Lincoln, which completes more than 2,000 monthly mobile service appointments and includes a fleet of more than 40 service vehicles in northeast Florida, has signed on to the Curbee platform, the latter […] [Read More]

The Florida Automobile Dealers Association has named a new president to succeed Ted Smith, who has retired after leading the FADA for 25-plus years. Selected for the role is Peter Cuderman, a move that was effective Saturday. Cuderman was mostly recently director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs in the executive office of Florida Gov. Ron […] [Read More]

When dealer principals contemplate selling a dealership, the conversation naturally centers on valuation, blue sky multiples, taxes, transaction structure, and buyer demand. These are all critical elements of a successful transaction, and they largely determine the economics of the deal. What many dealer principals underestimate, however, is that agreeing on price is only one milestone. […] [Read More]