New Software Guides Car Dealers Through Unfamiliar Territory

March 29, 2022 | Steve Finlay

“Acquiring inventory is the No.1 challenge facing dealers today, and will be for some time to come,” says vAuto founder Dale Pollak. Read More >>

Formerly a Top Auto Exec, He’s Now Nation’s Top Dealer

March 11, 2022 | Steve Finlay

“One thing I would not do is fragment between EVs and ICE,” says AutoNation CEO Mike Manley, a former auto executive. Read More >>

TrueCar+ to Allow Consumers to Complete Entire Car-Buying Process Online

March 7, 2022 | Wards Staff

The new online portal will allow dealers to extend their sales reach and provide “instant access to a turnkey digital marketplace,” the Santa Monica, CA-based firm says. Read More >>

Prepare for Service Retention Rates to Drop

February 14, 2022 | Rob Volatile

A perfect storm of factors will contribute to a nosedive in service retention rates and corresponding service revenue, quite possibly at a time when inventory levels are normalizing and front-end margins are dropping back to normal. Read More >>

Car Dealers Get Creative in Acquiring Inventory

February 4, 2022 | Steve Finlay

“Customers not coming in with a trade is an alarming concern for many dealers,” says MAX Digital’s Randy Barone. Read More >>

OEMs Must Drive Effort to Educate EV Buyers

January 18, 2022 | Desmond Wheatley

With automaker credibility on the rise of late, OEMs need to counter the myths and misconceptions that are slowing the EV transition. Read More >>

Connected Television Boosts Dealers’ Advertising Results

January 14, 2022 | Patrick Curran

The first benefit of connected television is scale, where dealers can leverage large programming opportunities and access across major recognizable logos with strong coverage across networks and devices. Read More >>

GMs CarBravo to Offer Digital Used-Car Market

January 13, 2022 | Steve Finlay

CarMax and Carvana “gave us an opportunity to learn a lot,” says Steve Carlisle, president of General Motors North America. Read More >>

GM Offers New Rewards Program, Credit Card

January 12, 2022 | Steve Finlay

“It’s a complete reinvention” of GM’s loyalty program, says Julie Heisel, who heads the initiative. Read More >>

Survey Says AI Is A-OK With Car Dealers

January 6, 2022 | Steve Finlay

“We don’t want to look at AI in the Hollywood way, but rather as to how it can (non-theatrically) help dealers become more productive,” says CDK market researcher Peter Kahn. Read More >>

Specter of Tax Hikes Driving Dealership M&A Activity

December 29, 2021 | Jim Henry

“Sellers are laser-focused on closing before the end of the year” because the potential tax changes could greatly increase the tax bill for selling dealers, says Erin Kerrigan, co-founder of Kerrigan Advisors, Irvine, CA. Read More >>

Auto Marketers Can Enhance Online Buying Experience

December 8, 2021 | Anto Inigo

The online business model is completely new for many auto marketers, and for OEMs to fully adapt to the change and provide a quality user experience, understanding user preferences is a must. Read More >>

TrueCar’s New Platform Does Full Transaction for Auto Dealers

November 30, 2021 | Steve Finlay

In a WardsAuto Q&A, TrueCar CEO and President Mike Darrow speaks of an ambitious initiative being tested in Florida. Read More >>

Car Dealers Speak Out on Staying Relevant

November 22, 2021 | Steve Finlay

Dealers should continue to fight on the side of franchise laws but not become fixated in the process, says Bill Cariss, president and CEO of Holman Strategic Ventures. Read More >>

Car Dealers Influence EV Sales

November 15, 2021 | Steve Finlay

“Dealers can take a lead role in educating consumers about EVs,” says Cox Automotive’s Stephanie Valdez Streaty. Read More >>

Auto Loan, Lease Delinquencies Below Pre-COVID Levels

November 5, 2021 | Jim Henry

TransUnion says serious auto delinquencies, defined as 60 or more days overdue, accounted for 1.38% of outstanding loans and leases in the third quarter, down from 1.46% a year ago. In Q3 2019, it was 1.40%, the credit bureau said. Read More >>

Sonic Automotive Moves to Acquire Texas Dealer Group

October 29, 2021 | Jim Henry

The RFJ Auto Partners acquisition is expected to close in December, Sonic says. With the addition of dealerships for five new brands to Sonic’s lineup: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Mazda. Read More >>

Dealerships Changing Hands at Record Rate

October 18, 2021 | Jim Henry

The question for dealership buyers and sellers is how long the current, favorable environment can last, with demand outpacing supply, record average transaction prices for new and used vehicles, and pent-up demand for parts and service. Read More >>

Manheim Auction Creates EV Battery Health Reports

October 14, 2021 | Steve Finlay

When it comes to purchasing a used EV, “some people are experiencing battery anxiety,” says Manheim President Grace Huang. Read More >>

Consumers Leaning More Toward Car Dealership Service Centers

October 13, 2021 | Steve Finlay

A Cox Automotive survey indicates 55% of consumers say they go to a dealership because its service personnel know their vehicle better. Read More >>

Multi-Tierd Approach Fights Fraudsters

October 13, 2021 | Angelica Jeffreys

Scanning Tech to Help Dealers Move the Metal More Quickly

October 12, 2021 | WardsAuto

Data Increasingly Important for Vehicle Maintenance

September 29, 2021 | Gary Witzenburg

Better computing, Internet of Things (IoT), next-generation cellular connectivity and cloud computing will increase the dependence on data in the automobile industry. Data will become as crucial to vehicles as oil is today. Read More >>

Odd Market Puts Car Dealers in Driver’s Seat

October 6, 2021 | Steve Finlay

In a new Kelley Blue Book consumer-behavior survey, 35% of in-market shoppers say they are willing to pay above MSRP – up to a 13% premium, or roughly $5,600 more on average. Read More >>