Probably not what dealers wanted to hear going into the important Fourth of July sales stretch, but The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index took another tumble. Officials said Tuesday that the index — which had declined in May — decreased again in June. The index now stands at 58.5, down from 61.7 in May. They […] [Read More]

Dealers may see an influx of customers as falling gas prices allow consumers to spend more on what they drive and less while filling their vehicles’ tanks, the National Automobile Dealers Association’s top economist reported late last week. Dealers have been digesting reports of supply shortages and high gas prices hurting the economy for months […] [Read More]

Carfax revealed Monday that it has hired a longtime remarketing veteran to serve as its national director for strategic partners. Appointed to the role is Don Elliott, whose more than 20 years in the industry includes time with companies such as ADESA and Mazda. In his new role, Elliott heads up the company’s campaign to […] [Read More]

Ford’s No. 1 boss has received a top-flight honor from his contemporaries in the corporate world, who picked him as 2011 Chief Executive of the Year. Alan Mulally, Ford’s chief executive officer, joins a list of winners of the Chief Executive magazine’s honor that includes such leaders as Bill Gates, Jack Welch and Michael Dell. […] [Read More]

Cars.com unveiled the site’s annual American Made Index Monday, and for the third consecutive year the Toyota Camry took the top spot. The Camry, which is assembled in Georgetown, Ky. and Lafayette, Ind., is followed by the Honda Accord and the Chevy Malibu, which were ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. This year’s list […] [Read More]

Cars.com unveiled the site’s annual American Made Index Monday, and for the third consecutive year the Toyota Camry took the top spot. The Camry, which is assembled in Georgetown, Ky. and Lafayette, Ind., is followed by the Honda Accord and the Chevy Malibu, which were ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. This year’s list […] [Read More]

Repo agencies and other debt collectors readily acknowledge that using newer communications outlets such as email, text messages or even Facebook might be a strong pathway to reaching the debtor and collateral. But a pair of legal experts warned agents and collectors about the pitfalls that could come by using these communication methods incorrectly. John […] [Read More]

MVTRAC has formalized a strategic alliance with National Creditors Connection, a field contact services specialist. As the newest member of the MVTRAC Network, executives explained NCCI will assume on-site inspection responsibilities for the license plate recognition technology provider. MVTRAC highlighted that NCCI specializes in customer contact and information gathering through personal face-to-face contact solutions. Comprised […] [Read More]

A total of just 10 automakers posted less than the industry average of 107 problems per 100 vehicles, a rate that has J.D. Power and Associates wondering about the trend quality of newly launched models every year from 2007 to 2010. These assertions came courtesy of J.D. Power’s 2011 U.S. Initial Quality Study, which said […] [Read More]

The National Independent Dealers Association named its 2011 Quality Dealer of the Year late last week, bestowing the honors upon Scott Allen, who owns Auto Land in Haltom City, Texas. Allen — who was presented the award at the 65th Annual NIADA Convention & Expo in Las Vegas — beat out 19 other finalists. [Read More]