Dallas, Texas — When Joe Lescota and Chip Perry tag-team today during a special pre-NADA workshop, they will shift into their myth-buster roles.

No, they are not reprising Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray's famous 1984 parts in a "Ghostbusters" sequel.

Instead, the duo will be busting several myths surrounding the used-car buying experience during a ground-breaking, first-ever presentation. The 90-minute session begins at 1:30 p.m. and will be held at the San Francisco Hilton.

Lescota is automotive marketing chair at Northwood University. Perry is president and chief executive officer of AutoTrader.com.

Their Approach

They will call upon their extensive backgrounds in the retail and online spaces to present a statistic-laden case for how dealerships can boost profitability by strengthening their used-car department, while at the same time effectively using the Internet to attract an even greater number of customers into their stores.

"Some of the information that Chip and I will share will be new, while some of it will be a cold-hard reminder to dealers on how critical the used-car department is in a time when new-car sales are on the decline," Lescota pointed out.

"There are tremendous opportunities in used cars today, but regrettably many franchised dealers have for years never taken advantage of the used-car market the way they need to," he added.

"In fact, quite frankly, many new-car dealers gave up a lot of that business to the independents," Lescota said.

"Well, guess what? The market is shifting, and it appears new-car sales may not break 16 million this year. And with profit margins as slim as they are today, dealers and used-car managers can't afford to make mistakes. Too much is at stake," he continued.

So for dealers to be profitable in 2008, they basically have a couple of choices, Lescota said.

"Either shore up their service department or get into the used-car business. By getting into the used-car business, they can certainly improve their fixed coverage because they go hand in hand. Chip and I will help dealers and used-car managers not only grasp the importance of this new reality but also how to come up with practical solutions they can implement," he further explained.

At the same time, Lescota said he hopes dealers will look at the used-car department as an additional franchise, and not as a separate department.

"Many dealers who are thinking 2008 will be a tough year are considering adding a new franchise to supplement their existing franchise. Well, they already have it. It's sitting right in front of them - used cars," Lescota explained.

"That is their franchise. No need for additional parts, additional signage, additional investment in buildings or land," he added. "And this is especially true in the area of certified used. Grosses are higher. F&I dollars are higher. Satisfaction is higher. And the likelihood of a certified buyer becoming a new-car buyer down the road is higher. So Chip and I will help attendees embrace this aspect as well."

The Heart of the Material

And a part of what Lescota and Perry will do today is bust a handful of myths.

1) The automotive Internet is more about new-car shopping than used-car shopping.

"Many dealers have the impression that if somebody is going to use the ...