What does batting average in baseball have to do with metrics in the used-car market? Jonathan Banks, a vice president with J.D. Power Valuation Services, explains in this podcast, recorded at NADA Show 2018 in late March.   Plus, the Dodgers fan explains how the Nationals have grown on him and why baseball stats help inspire his career […] [Read More]

Beyond the residual value and consumer interest impact of the Ford sedan cuts discussed in Part I of this series, there is also the vantage point of the rental car market.  Within the wholesale marketplace, there were about 1.7 million cars exiting the rental business last year and heading for wholesale, with NAAA members selling […] [Read More]

Think of it like you would the daily ebb-and-flow of the stock market. The “initial shock” to news late last month that Ford would be discontinuing its sedan lineup could have could have some “kneejerk reaction” implications on the immediate impact to residual values for these cars, says Ivan Drury of Edmunds. But a year […] [Read More]

Regulatory compliance is every dealer’s business. That means issues such as advertising compliance, data and cybersecurity and making sure consumers know or can find out when the vehicle they purchase has an open recall, should be near the top of every dealers’ to-do list, according to dealer trade groups, attorneys, and others that represent dealer […] [Read More]

It’s always risky to put economic commentary into print, as the one is more fleeting than the other. A “reasoned analysis” can quickly appear to be a “ridiculous prediction” simply because of a quick shift in real world facts. The risk grows in times of financial market volatility, trade tensions, heightened geopolitical risks, or significant […] [Read More]

The General Data Protection Regulation, commonly known as GDPR, is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union. The law was put into place on April 27, 2016 and allotted a two-year adoption grace period for businesses to strategize and implement compliance.  The GDPR encompasses all areas of […] [Read More]

In mid-April, it was announced that Tim Russi, the longtime leader of auto finance at Ally, would depart the company in October. Look back at his impact at Ally in this podcast conversation with Nick Zulovich, recorded at AFSA's Vehicle Finance Conference in March. They talk about changes in the auto finance landscape, consumer behavior […] [Read More]

Westlake Financial Services has teamed up with Ally Financial to include its cars on Ally's SmartAuction online auction platform. The Westlake vehicles, which include a variety of brands, have been available to dealers registered on SmartAuction since May 1. "We are excited to team with Westlake, a growing national leader in the automotive industry, to be part of […] [Read More]

Along with pinpointing what the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index did in April, Cox Automotive experts also projected how much and why used-vehicle sales softened a bit last month. According to Cox Automotive estimates, used-vehicle sales decreased by 2 percent year-over-year in April versus the same month last year. Analysts said the dip primarily stemmed […] [Read More]

Perhaps an unfortunate incident involving a Florida man trying to buy a Ford F-150 could serve as appropriate evidence as to why working with reputable dealerships and finance companies might be best when purchasing a vehicle. Over the past few years, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has warned consumers to be on the lookout for […] [Read More]