It’s ubiquitous to the waiting room, whether you’re at the dentist, dry cleaner or dealership. That TV, serving up cable news or daytime talk shows as background noise — alongside the long-expired People magazines strewn across the coffee table. The problem with this scene, if you’re a dealer, is not just that your competitor’s advertisement […] [Read More]

Businesses of all stripes have tried the inflatable gorilla, Uncle Sam spinning a sign and whatever you call that tall, wavy windsock. Sure, they might catch the eye of a passer-by. But so can the actual product you’re selling — especially if it’s a spinning vehicle lifted 10 feet in the air. That’s the idea […] [Read More]

Your customer has either paid or is still paying for his or her vehicle, but now has to think about the cost of repairing it. With pothole season upon us — and the threat of damage to a number of a car’s systems should you happen to meet up with one — the RepairPal Institute has compiled lists […] [Read More]

When a car shopper had a hybrid or electric vehicle trade-in last year, it would be put toward buying another hybrid or EV 38.5 percent of the time, says Edmunds.com. This year, just 27.5 percent are going toward another hybrid/EV. But perhaps what’s more head-scratching is this: Hybrid/EV trade-ins are more likely to go toward […] [Read More]

With so much buzz lately on used lease options, consumers naturally want to know if their monthly payments on a used vehicle will be significantly lower than for a new one. To give consumers a glimpse into deals that are out there, Swapalease.com recently compared new versus used monthly lease payments on two popular GMC trucks.  The […] [Read More]

The impact from the upswing in off-lease volume isn’t likely to be nearly as dramatic as some have feared, says a report released Friday by Scotiabank. And 2016 has started off with strong demand in both the new- and used-car markets. A summary of the Scotiabank Global Auto Report said there has been a 3-percent […] [Read More]

The percentage of TrueCar’s business comprised by used cars is up. And that’s no accident. Nor is it simply a market function. “If you look at our business over the past couple of years, you’ve seen used cars grow every quarter,” TrueCar president and chief executive officer Chip Perry said during the company’s quarterly conference […] [Read More]

 Sandy Schwartz was taking an Uber. The Cox Automotive president asked the driver, how many miles do drive each year? “And he says, ‘Well, I used to drive 10,000 miles, but now that I’m doing this, I’m driving 30,000 miles,’” Schwartz said. The lightbulb goes off: two big potential business-generators there. “One is, he’s going […] [Read More]

Federal and state regulators have charged dealers numerous times with deceptive advertising trying to entice consumers. But the National Automobile Dealers Association recently spotted a campaign in which stores have been the target. NADA indicated some dealers may have received an email with the subject line “Local Expiring Leases.” The association noted the email also reads […] [Read More]

The service department certainly helped steer many dealerships through the recession, says Xtime’s Jim Roche. But as he illustrates through an Xtime presentation during an interview with Auto Remarketing at the NADA Convention & Expo in April, it’s still a resource whose potential is not yet fully realized. Roughly 11 percent of the revenue from […] [Read More]