The second half of the year has begun with a flurry of news of moves in the dealership buy-sell space, including the closing of Asbury Automotive Group’s purchase of certain assets of Park Place Dealerships. That deal, which was announced back in December, nearly scrapped in March before being revitalized in July and closing in […] [Read More]

When it comes to the pre-owned vehicles that are retaining their values the best, the pickup truck segment is leading the pack these days. Or as the lead analyst from Edmunds puts it, used pickups are having a “moment in the spotlight.” An analysis the company conducted in July examined all 2017 model-year trade-ins for […] [Read More]

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index decreased in August after declining in July, too. But the latest consumer survey by Cox Automotive pinpointed what could reverse that course and potentially push retail vehicle sales and financing higher. In what might not come as a surprise to some managers, the possible tonic is another direct stimulus […] [Read More]

There are nearly twice as many consumers per month using mobile devices for vehicle research as those using desktop computers. But whether a car shopper picks up their smartphone or fires up the computer may depend on what car-shopping task they’re completing, their age and even what car brand they’re researching. That’s according to researched released […] [Read More]

Used-vehicle sales this month are on track to beat year-ago figures by 4% and top July’s numbers by 2%, according to a forecast released Tuesday by ALG. Specifically, the analytics division of TrueCar is calling for 3.6 million used-vehicle sales for August. ALG chief industry analyst Eric Lyman said the year-over-year gain in used-car sales […] [Read More]

Same-store used-vehicle sales for the six publicly traded dealer groups fell a combined 11.2% year-over-year in the first half of 2020, Cox Automotive data shows, but there is still a silver lining to take away from that metric. Pre-owned operations for the public retailers are faring better than their new-car sales, and their decline in used-car […] [Read More]

Especially for dealerships in larger metropolitan areas where public transit is more prevalent, a new Cars.com study reinforced how valuable vehicles are to consumers nowadays — particularly ones who have made a purchase since the coronavirus pandemic began. Based on the individuals who participated in the Cars.com survey conducted earlier this month, 21% of respondents […] [Read More]

On Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) at the Federal Reserve released minutes from its July policy meeting that indicated: “Participants agreed that the path of the economy would depend on the course of the virus, which was seen as highly uncertain.” According to just-released data from consumer intelligence firm Resonate, a leading provider […] [Read More]

Dealers are paying high-dollar to get the supply needed “to meet the surge in demand for used cars,” leading to a more than 16% rise in the average value trade-ins are fetching, according to Edmunds. And while they’re shelling out money to get used inventory, it may be the most efficient route for dealers to find […] [Read More]

Alex Fraser, a well-respected auto industry veteran, once said “never bet against a car dealer” during a NADA panel Q&A. He humbly gave credit for the quote to his friend, Todd August. It appears both gentlemen may have just been validated.  Analysts have recently issued investment advice that would be unthinkable just a few months […] [Read More]