Kelley Blue Book announced Monday that the company will be offering dealers and other service industry companies a free 30-day trial of its new valuation product, Quick Values. KBB’s new product is a solution which delivers new- and used-car values to banks, governmental agencies, auto dealers and insurance companies. Quick Values is a simple, faster, […] [Read More]

OPENLANE has rolled out a Canadian mobile site that will allow dealers to use their Apple iPhone/iPod touch and Google Android-based smartphones to tap into their accounts. And in celebration of the new site, there is a drawing for dealers to win an iPad 2. Dealers can visit the mobile site and log-in to enter […] [Read More]

In light of the news this week that AutoTrader.com will purchase VinSolutions, vAuto founder Dale Pollak — whose company was also purchased by AutoTrader recently — stressed a message of reassurance in his blog on Thursday, emphasizing that the goal of an acquisition like this is to ultimately help dealers. He said the industry must “understand that AutoTrader […] [Read More]

Officials from eBay Mobile launched a free eBay Motors iPhone app this week in hopes shoppers can bid on or buy anything from rare parts to the latest in-demand model virtually anytime, anywhere. The company went on to highlight the free eBay Motors iPhone app is meant to make shopping for vehicles or parts and […] [Read More]

AutoTec announced Thursday the release of a new quick-start guide that focuses on the importance of place-based social media and how to use it in the auction industry. The company’s management stressed that “it’s a great time for auctions to get on the social media bandwagon.” AutoTec, the developers of AuctionACCESS, recently released its Foursquare Quick-Start […] [Read More]

On Tuesday, General Motors broke ground for a new electric motor plant, which it said will be the first plant dedicated to making the critical components for vehicle electrification by a major U.S. automaker. The plant scheduled to open in 2013, is an addition to GM’s Baltimore Operations Complex, which houses the company’s two-mode hybrid […] [Read More]

ADESA and Toyota Financial Services unveiled their new online auction platform on Tuesday, giving Toyota and Lexus dealers a new version of Dealer Direct that includes a slew of new features and upgraded functionality. Dealer Direct lets Toyota and Lexus dealers buy off-lease units prior to them being sold at physical auctions. [Read More]

DealerTrack said this week General Motors has certified DealerTrack’s customer relationship management/Internet lead management system for deployment by GM franchise dealers using the DealerTrack dealer management system. Officials contend that the combination of DealerTrack’s CRM/ ILM systems with a dealership’s DMS can give store managers a complete end-to-end solution for customer communications, from prospecting and […] [Read More]

As part of its PowerUp series, Carfax is hosting a free online seminar later this week that is designed to help dealers boost their online profitability. Featured in the Webinar — scheduled for noon (EST) on Friday — will be Carfax’s Chad Goodson and HomeNet Automotive’s Mike Mitson. [Read More]

NADA Used Car Guide announced Monday the launch of a redesigned website that features improved functionality and a more modern design, officials noted. The design for the new website focuses on user-friendly and streamlined navigation, increased industry related content and more accurate search capabilities, according to NADA Used Car Guide. Website enhancements include: [Read More]