With the new July 15 federal tax filing deadline fast approaching, the 2020 tax season has been anything but typical. This has added yet another disruptive layer to the developments that have buffeted the used auto market across the country. Billions of undistributed dollars remain on the IRS balance sheet, throwing into flux our ability […] [Read More]

Supplies and incentives are running a bit short in the new-car market. And for cost-conscious shoppers, certified pre-owned may prove to be an attractive alternative, according to an analysis from Edmunds. When June started, new-vehicle inventory levels were only two-thirds of what they were a year ago, Edmunds said, thanks to the impact of factory […] [Read More]

The Blue Oval is providing a safety net for individuals who are considering a certified pre-owned vehicle, as well as a used or new model, and financing the deal through its captive. In light of the unsettled economy impacted by COVID-19, Ford on Monday announced a program dubbed Ford Promise that gives consumers the option […] [Read More]

In the face of disruption, be empathetic, patient, and open-minded – it will be better one day! I wanted to take a few moments and look back at the last two economic shocks I've experienced in my automotive career. It’s these experiences that can make us stronger and more resilient if we seek to embrace […] [Read More]

The San Francisco Giants had won their first of what would be three World Series titles over the next five years. The iPad was invented. The No. 1 song on Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 was “TiK ToK” by Ke$ha. The year was 2010. And within the auto industry, which began to inch forward that year […] [Read More]

A comprehensive report from iSeeCars.com released earlier this month found there was a 105.5% month-over-month spike in used-vehicle sales for May, with the year-over-year deficit slimming from 38.4% in April to 12.5%. That same report also found that the used-car gains and losses in May tended to vary among geographic areas, vehicle segments, makes/models and […] [Read More]

Jake Levant sees how the vehicle purchasing and financing process has improved for the consumer, but the vice president of marketing and partnerships at Lightico also emphasized that dealerships and finance companies still have some work to do to cut down on the friction buyers still experience. In this podcast, Levant explores how the coronavirus […] [Read More]

Fitch Ratings spotted another place where improving vehicle sales has been good for the automotive industry. Analysts reported this week that dealer floorplan (DFP) asset backed securities (ABS) trust performance metrics — including monthly payment rates (MPR) — have rebounded on the back of new U.S. auto sales rising in May and early June off […] [Read More]

The coronavirus pandemic sabotaged another merger in the financial-services space. Late Wednesday, Ally Financial and Cardholder Management Services (CardWorks) announced that they have mutually agreed to terminate their merger agreement, which had been first disclosed on Feb. 18. According to a news release, the board of directors for each company approved the termination after carefully […] [Read More]

Used-vehicle sales jumped 105.5% month-over-month in May and the year-over-year deficit narrowed from 38.4% in April to 12.5% last month, according to a report from iSeeCars.com. And while the majority of states and major cities were still down year-over-year in May, half of the nation’s 20 largest markets more than doubled their used-car sales from April, […] [Read More]