With hundreds of thousands of vehicles potentially impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the destruction from the storms and its effects on the car business is multi-faceted and complicated, to say the least. One head-scratcher that comes to mind: What happens to cars that were previously certified pre-owned but sustained damage during the storm? “You’re […] [Read More]

On July 10, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a rule banning companies from denying arbitration to groups of people. And, if everything passes, the law should go into effect in September. For auto retail dealers and lenders, this change is just one more turn of the screw clamping down on the ability to […] [Read More]

For dealers who still might be a bit apprehensive about buying vehicles online, Automotive Finance Corp. and TradeRev rolled out a new incentive. AFC and TradeRev on Wednesday announced what they called an “unprecedented” promotion aimed at encouraging dealers to “go digital.” The promotion allows dealers to pay no AFC floorplan financing fees and zero percent […] [Read More]

After being asked how they would describe the current used-vehicle sales environment, the view is a bit rosier for franchised dealers than for independent dealers, but overall, the view leans toward positive. And sentiment is on the upswing for independents. That’s one finding in the debut edition of the Cox Automotive Sentiment Index, a new […] [Read More]

Prior to visiting a dealership, users of “disruptive” websites and apps such as Zappos, Netflix, Uber and AirBnB, spend more time online researching new cars, says J.D. Power. Compared to non-disruptive users, which average 12 hours, disruptive site users (or users of brands that challenge traditional business models), spend an average of 19 hours online during […] [Read More]

While car searches on mobile devices surpass those performed on desktops and laptops, because most consumers who make phone calls to dealerships shop on their desktops, automotive marketers should consider how they direct digital ad spend between both desktops and mobile devices, especially during the industry’s two peak sales seasons, says a recent study. Shoppers […] [Read More]

After 35 years with the automaker, Linda Silverstein — Ford’s general manager of remarketing and rental operations — is retiring. A pillar of the used-car industry, Sept. 29 is the last day at Ford for Silverstein. She has led the automaker’s remarketing since October 2002 and headed its rental operations since January 2007.   Asked […] [Read More]

Tesla has been increasing its used-car sales this year, and based on discussion in its latest quarterly earning filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, that trend will likely continue. And when looking at Tesla’s volume in the auction lanes, those numbers have increased, as well, albeit from a small base. According to data that […] [Read More]

As Edmunds offered five suggestions for how to spot a flood-damaged vehicle, new research from Carfax released on Wednesday suggested that drivers may be behind the wheel of more than 325,000 previously flooded vehicles. Analysts computed that number is a 20-percent increase from 2016. Carfax also compiled a list of 10 states that have the […] [Read More]

Lease transfer approvals in August nearly hit what Swapalease.com classifies as “healthy.” The site reported on Wednesday that vehicle lease transfer credit applicants registered a 68.3 percent approval rate for August, just shy of that “healthy” mark that Swapalease.com pegs at 70 percent. Analysts pointed out the credit approval rate for August saw a noticeable […] [Read More]