Last week, my daughter needed a yellow shirt for a school dance performance. Instead of heading to the store that evening, I turned to Amazon and had it ordered in less than five minutes flat. And when I picked up my coffee at Starbucks the next morning, I ordered it on their mobile app so […] [Read More]

For the fourth consecutive year, Donlen has been named one of Chicago's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR), the company announced Tuesday. In addition to Donlen, NABR also recognized automotive fleet leasing and management company Wheels this year. Donlen, Wheels and other winning companies will be […] [Read More]

The 10.57 million used-car sales in the first quarter was the highest tally in an Edmunds data set of Q1 sales figures going back to 2013. Same goes for the 2.96 million used cars that franchised dealers sold during the opening period of 2018 and the 674,297 certified pre-owned cars they moved. But perhaps the […] [Read More]

In this episode, we catch up with Jim Roche of Xtime, during a show recorded this spring at NADA Show 2018 in Las Vegas.  Roche discusses his debut book, "Fast Lane: How to Accelerate Service Loyalty and Unlock its Profit-Making Potential," customer retention for car dealerships, the modernization of the service department and more. The full discussion […] [Read More]

In its Dealer Sentiment Index for the second quarter, released Monday, Cox Automotive found that franchised dealers continue to be happy with their used-car sales, and they feel better about used than they do about new-car sales. Meanwhile, independent dealers are feeling a bit of an inventory pinch, which has diminished some of their positive […] [Read More]

Compared to just four non-luxury market vehicles, six luxury models dominate iSeeCars’s latest list of best bargain vehicles that depreciate the most after three years on the road. With a 52.6-percent depreciation rate, which is about 1.5 times more than average, iSeeCars ranks the $30,846 priced BMW 5 Series model the best bargain buy for a […] [Read More]

In several European markets where FCA does not operate its own captive arm, LeasePlan will now offer operational lease solutions to FCA customers. The vehicle leasing and fleet management provider announced Monday that it has agreed to be a new FCA operational lease partner that will concentrate on the growing small and medium enterprise (SME) segment […] [Read More]

Cox Automotive discovered two trends originating in May that might frustrate some dealerships, especially stores that might have landed a bit short of monthly goals. In May, wholesales prices moved higher as used-vehicle sales softened. Before used-car managers reach for their stress balls, here are the specifics. Cox Automotive determined wholesale used-vehicle prices (on a […] [Read More]

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]