The seven highest ratings for reliability among 28 car brands studied went to Toyota and other Japanese makes, as Consumer Reports this week released the results of its 2012 Annual Auto Reliability Survey. Meanwhile, one particular domestic brand dropped dramatically; going from being among the top 10 two years ago to coming in next-to-last in […] [Read More]

With so much industry talk about pent-up demand being a spark for vehicle sales, a dealer recently asked Manheim chief economist Tom Webb to explain why his story wasn’t enjoying the traffic and turn uptick experienced by other dealerships. In the October Auto Industry Brief from Manheim Consulting, the dealer told Webb that “I see […] [Read More]

Supply: the topic that has been at the forefront of used-car dealers’ minds for the past few years as quality pre-owned vehicles proved scanty in the lanes. And as leasing dried up in the years after the 2008 recession, both off-lease and off-fleet vehicles — which had fed the auction lanes in the past — […] [Read More]

The auto industry’s financing spigot is steadily reopening after being choked off when the recession hit more than three years ago. As proof of strengthening funding support, CNW Research indicated that back in September there was a 13.7-percent increase year-over-year in the number of buyers who received a pre-approved loan before purchasing a used vehicle. [Read More]

Black Book predicted last week that the increase in small cars being made coupled with the disproportionate amount of consumers interested in purchasing them may lead to overproduction issues. Offering a different take, an Automobile.com survey paints an alternate picture of where demand for these models stands. It contends that the sales of compact and […] [Read More]

Last week's ceremony during the NABD East Coast Conference to enshrine the newest member of the alliance's Hall of Fame turned back the clock on the buy-here, pay-here industry to a time of handshake contracts and Southern hospitality. The National Alliance of Buy-Here, Pay-Here Dealers posthumously welcomed Martin Ingram to its Hall of Fame. Ingram […] [Read More]

Nowadays, a dealer can assume that most every customer that comes through the store’s doors has searched the Internet once or twice before deciding on a dealership to try out. But how and when are shoppers turning to search engines, dealership websites and third-party sites during the shopping process? A new white paper from AutoTrader.com […] [Read More]

Since the recession of 2008 — when many automakers were left with too many vehicles and not enough buyers — the industry remains wary of overproduction. And according to Black Book analysts, the industry may be heading toward an “over-production issue with smaller cars.” The company contends that though more manufacturers are producing a higher […] [Read More]

If there’s any doubt as to the role the service department plays in brand loyalty, consider the following data provided by J.D. Power and Associates’ Canadian Automotive Practice. For Canadian customers who put their level of satisfaction with their most recent dealership visit at an 8 or 9 out of 10, just 17 percent claim […] [Read More]

Reflecting the wide variety of choices Canadian new-vehicle buyers have, the fourth annual Canadian Automotive Jury’s Best of the Best finalists cover several segments, including sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, SUVs, crossovers and sports and performance models. The 11 award contenders include four European, four Japanese and three domestic models as well as one Korean unit. The […] [Read More]