Automotive strategy consultancy Maryann Keller & Associates will be researching the effectiveness of franchised dealer advertising in a new study announced Thursday. The project will examine the possible correlation between lower new-car profit margins and the move towards digital advertising. The firm’s principal, Maryann Keller, will be among the keynote speakers at the Automotive Intelligence […] [Read More]

Mercedes-Benz officially launched its previously announced vehicle subscription pilot on Tuesday in Nashville, Tenn., and Philadelphia. Mercedes-Benz USA, which first revealed its plans for the Mercedes-Benz Collection in April, is working with its captive finance arm and dealer body to run the subscription pilot. “We’re always looking to stay ahead of our customers’ needs and wants, […] [Read More]

What might the auto finance landscape look like this year? What are the key metrics to follow? Melinda Zabritski, senior director of financial solutions at Experian, has the answers in this podcast, recorded in March during AFSA's Vehicle Finance Conference in Las Vegas. The full discussion can be found below. Download and subscribe to the Auto Remarketing Podcast […] [Read More]

The Trump administration’s move on trade policy to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imported from Canada, Mexico and the European Union has gained staunch opposition from some players in the automotive industry. Made effective Friday, President Trump has decided to no longer suspend tariffs on steel or aluminum imports from Canada, Mexico and EU […] [Read More]

In an interview for the Auto Remarketing Podcast in late March, Experian’s Melinda Zabritski said one auto financing metric she would be watching carefully in 2018 was the lease penetration rate. “There are several things that I think are going to be very interesting for the coming year, one of which is a lot of […] [Read More]

VW Credit (VCI) has signed on as a new consignor with the addition of the Dealers Auto Auction Group’s Chattanooga, Tenn., auction. The site is located no more than nine miles from the VW assembly plant that began production in the Volunteer State seven years ago. Dealers Auto Auction Group announced Wednesday that Dealers Auto Auction of […] [Read More]

While recent research data concerning luxury shopper behavior shows that almost 40 percent of luxury owners are less likely to purchase a used car than mass-market owners, a growing number of shoppers in this audience are increasingly cross-shopping used and certified pre-owned vehicles. Amid the rise of off-lease vehicles which continue to enhance the used-car […] [Read More]

Perhaps dealership managers won’t have to send lot porters to move those fuel-sippers to the front line for those Memorial Day weekend sales festivities just yet. It’s true potential buyers likely will be paying a little more for fuel just to get to your dealership. AAA reported this week that gas prices jumped 12 cents […] [Read More]

An assessment of supply is critical to understanding future residual price trends, though difficult to calculate. Our aim here is to help readers better understand the drivers of used-vehicle supply in the U.S. In 2015, about 17.5 million new cars and trucks were sold in the U.S. Let’s assume that all of these vehicles were […] [Read More]

Softer comparisons for used-car sales in recent months don’t necessarily paint the full picture of the pre-owned vehicle market this year, as the seasonal adjusted annualized rate is moving full speed ahead. Edmunds forecasts 3.4 million used-car sales in May, down from 3.5 million in April. However, the pre-owned SAAR for the month (39.3 million) […] [Read More]