LOS ANGELES -

Westlake Remarketing has named its top auctions for the third quarter, with the title of Top Overall Auction and Most Improved Auction going to Kansas City Independent.

Bill Walters, vice president of remarketing for Westlake, commented on the honoree, noting, “We are pleased to name Kansas City Independent as our Top Overall Auction and Most Improved Auction for the third quarter. 

“KCI had a standout quarter in sale and service measures. They finished near the top in almost all sale categories,” he continued.

Steve Gunsberger, regional auction representative at Westlake, also stressed Kansas City Independent’s success in highlighting Westlake’s account “and their focus on service and marketing as contributing to their strong results.”

Revealing another award, the company picked Manheim St. Pete as Top Service Auction.

Explaining the reasons behind the choice, Dirk Grammel, regional auction rep, commented, “St. Pete has always treated us like their most important client.  They’ve refocused on meeting our service needs, especially in sale prep, sale day operations, marketing and OVE sales.

“Especially noteworthy has been Manheim St. Pete’s approval rate on our ‘Buy With Confidence’ program and usually strong online sales performance,” he added.

Westlake’s  “Buy With Confidence Gold” wholsale certification program spotlights the company’s best inventory, featuring late-model vehicles with less than 80,000 miles and no frame damage.

Qualifying vehicles undergo a 32-point inspection and are road tested. Vehicles that meet stringent requirements are marked with a "Buy With Confidence Gold" windshield decal and covered by Westlake’s three-day drive train guarantee, officials explained.

Lastly, the Top Loyalty Sales Auction title went to Dealers Auto Auction Idaho, marking the third straight quarter the auction topped the list for participation in Westlake’s Dealer Loyalty Program. 

“DAA of Idaho does a great job bringing out our dealer base. An outstanding two out of three total sales qualified for the program. Our marketing initiative partnership has been a great success,” said Brad Hall, regional auction rep.

Westlake president Ian Anderson also took note of the top auctions’ success, saying, “A big congratulations to our third quarter top auction partners.

“2011 has been a great year for our remarketing department and that had a lot to do with the relationships built with the auctions. A special thank you to Kansas City Independent for turning around performance and not only earning Most Improved but also our Top Overall Auction award. 2012 is certainly looking bright!” he concluded.