In what could be an encouraging sign for dealers looking for sales traction, the October Consumer Reports Index shows some positive developments on several consumer fronts, including an improved retail picture, modest gains in employment and fewer Americans having economic difficulties. To come to that overall picture, Consumer Reports broke down the various components of […] [Read More]

Minivans have their stereotypes, but evidently Kelley Blue Book shoppers are flocking to a redesigned version of the large family hauler. For the second week in a row, KBB.com editors found the 2011 Honda Odyssey posted the largest amount of new-vehicle shopper activity. The site’s most recent Hot Car Report indicated the Odyssey led all […] [Read More]

A recovery agent brought reinforcements the second time he attempted to repossess an SUV last week and for good reason. The first attempt resulted in a confrontation that included gunfire. Police said in a report published by the San Francisco Examiner that the 25-year-old agent was not injured during the incident at 4 a.m. last […] [Read More]

Guidepoint Systems believes it found a legal way to transform a GPS payment assurance device into a potential profit center for buy-here, pay-here dealerships. The basis of its recently launched GPS-based solution, Recover It, is that it not only incorporates payment assurance technology, but the tool can also allow a dealer to sell highly valued […] [Read More]

A day after it and Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group announced collaboration to gain antitrust approval for a merger, Avis Budget Group revealed some more favorable news for the company on Thursday. After looking at preliminary data, Avis projects that its third-quarter revenue was about $1.5 billion, an uptick from a year ago, and that its […] [Read More]

Mercedes-Benz USA recently completed a study with Harris Interactive reinforcing its belief that potential buyers remain unsure about alternative fuel vehicles. The company contends consumers are left asking several questions. Is it a hybrid? Is it electric? Does it take regular gasoline or diesel fuel? The final result — nearly half of survey participants are […] [Read More]

Dealers representing two General Motors of Canada brands now have another avenue they can use to attract customers, with leasing programs being rolled out earlier this week for Buick and Cadillac. The audience that Buick and Cadillac targets still has a strong lease penetration rate and GM Canada aims to tap into this hearty pool of […] [Read More]

JM&A Group revealed its new vice president and chief financial officer on Thursday. JM Family Enterprises promoted Robert Haeffner to the role. Executives noted Haeffner now is responsible for all accounting, fiscal management, financial reporting and actuarial functions for JM&A. A certified public accountant, Haeffner has been with JM Family since 2004 and most recently […] [Read More]

When looking at used vehicles in four segments to find which models with low mileages offer the best deals, CarGurus found that in three of the four classes, the vehicle offering the best value was from a Big 3 brand. Assessing the values through DealFinder, CarGurus listed the following used vehicles from the 2007 through […] [Read More]

On Wednesday, Chrysler unveiled the incentives that will be available for this month. Breaking the October incentives down by brand, Chrysler’s dealer body can offer consumers the following: Ram Truck The “Ram Handshake” promotion for 2010 models will be kept running. Basically, this is a pledge that allows shoppers buy a Ram truck and take […] [Read More]