After reviewing data from the fourth quarter of last year, Experian Automotive said today that Ford took the top spot in corporate loyalty. It’s the first time the Blue Oval has secured this achievement since the closing quarter of 2011. During the fourth quarter of 2012, analysts determined 47.9 percent of the customers who own […] [Read More]

Used-vehicle sales will approach 2.9 million units this month, according to estimates from TrueCar.com released this morning. The site is projecting a new-to-used sales ratio of 1:2 for March. This prediction follows the forecast of CNW Research earlier this month, which called for 2.95 million used sales. Each forecast includes numbers for franchised and independent […] [Read More]

The fewer problems a buyer has with a vehicle purchased, the more likely he or she is to return to a dealer’s lot. The bottom line: Selling dependable rides can help dealers foster customer loyalty. To show dealers what units customers should be looking for to find a safe, reliable ride, J.D. Power and Associates […] [Read More]

Kelley Blue Book released its 2013 Brand Image Award winners on Monday as Honda took the honor for best overall brand for the second year in a row. Honda also collected two other accolades in this KBB award program, taking the nod for most trusted brand and best value brand. “We are honored to be […] [Read More]

For stores and groups that depend on dealer reserve as a crucial piece of F&I income, industry associations are already out to keep indirect financing in place as legal experts see the latest move from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau putting it in jeopardy. The CFPB made the connection between dealer reserve and potential discriminatory […] [Read More]

As supply loosens and the industry looks forward to the promise of more off-lease supply this year and beyond, downward pressure to used-car prices may change the prices on the lots a bit this spring. An entry in Cars.com’s "Kicking Tires" blog indicated that late-model used-car prices saw a "very slight" decline in March, with […] [Read More]

Crossover SUVs are primarily family cars, and what’s most important to families? Some would say dependability. To show dealers what this segment’s customers should be looking for to find a safe, reliable ride, J.D. Power and Associates posted a list of 10 crossover SUV  models (2010 model-year) with the fewest owner-reported problems from its 2013 […] [Read More]

A bulletin released by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Thursday targeted dealer reserve and potential discriminatory practices as the agency took its first regulatory move aimed solely at the auto finance industry. The CFPB explained its bulletin was directed at indirect auto lenders that permit dealers to increase consumer interest rates and that compensate […] [Read More]

The recent trend of luxury vehicles being scarce across the country remained “quite strong,” according to the latest installment of vehicle scarcity data that is provided monthly to Auto Remarketing by AutoTrader.com. In fact, this past month, luxury models took up the majority of the top 10 most-scarce vehicle list in several designated market areas, […] [Read More]

J.D. Power and Associates’ Power Information Network explained why the strength of used-vehicle values should alleviate concerns about financing terms on new models rising to record lengths. Analysts found that the percentage of new-vehicle retail sales connected to a 72-month or longer loan is at a record amount, reaching 32.1 percent in March, an increase […] [Read More]