Dealers, take note: When it comes to the customer reviews you choose to feature online, words may matter more than stars. CDK Global, as part of its The Language of Closers study, has identified the top words and phrases playing a role converting potential shoppers through dealership reviews. “Dealers typically assume that positive, five-star reviews […] [Read More]

Cox Automotive chief economist Tom Webb fully expects this year’s certified pre-owned vehicle sales total to surpass what the industry generated in 2015, which was 2.55 million units. During his quarterly conference call with the media and other industry observers this week, Webb projected that this year’s CPO sales figure might land near 2.7 million, […] [Read More]

 “If I were school principal for a day …” It’s a popular childhood meme. But what if kids ran a dealership for a day? That was the crux of Chrysler’s recent effort to drum up publicity for the 2017 Pacifica. In essence it was business as usual at Southern California’s Victorville Motors on Sept. 14, […] [Read More]

Lithia Motors completed its third dealership acquisition in less than a month by securing Audi Auto Gallery in Woodland Hills, Calif. The dealer group indicated on Thursday that the store will be relocated to Calabasas, Calif. and named Audi Calabasas, adding an additional $120 million in estimated annual revenues. In the middle of September, Lithia expanded its […] [Read More]

eBay Motors and its Business and Industrial division have announced a move aimed at increasing buyer confidence. As such, the company is doubling its coverage protection up to $100,000 on its Vehicle Purchase Protection (VPP) and Business Equipment Purchase Protection (BEEP) programs, applicable to purchases after Sept. 1. “At eBay, nothing is more important than trust. Without […] [Read More]

When the calendar rolled past the close of the third quarter this past Friday, certified pre-owned sales reached the second-highest quarterly figure ever. Autodata Corp. reported on Tuesday that Q3 CPO sales came in at 675,725 units, representing a 3.4-percent lift year-over-year. Looking at the quarterly data from a sequential viewpoint, Q3 marked just a […] [Read More]

The American International Automobile Dealers Association has launched a pro-trade campaign that is being accompanied by a series of ads as well as a new logo for the 46-year old group serving 9,500 international nameplate automobile franchised stores. “Our organization is comprised of businesses that serve communities across the United States and rely on a […] [Read More]

Late last week, Volkswagen Group of America finalized an agreement to resolve the claims of VW-branded franchised dealers in the United States relating to vehicles involved in “Dieselgate” and other matters asserted concerning the value of their franchise. Under the proposed agreement, Volkswagen has agreed to make a maximum total of $1.208 billion in cash […] [Read More]

The Costco Auto Program has again partnered with General Motors to bring back the Holiday Sales Event for members. During the holiday promotion last year, officials highlighted nearly 58,000 vehicles were sold — a 34 percent increase above the 2014 total. Officials explained this year’s event features a selection of popular models from Chevrolet, Buick, […] [Read More]

Including numbers from franchised and independent dealers plus private-party sales, there will likely be somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.2 to 3.3 million used-vehicle sales this month. That’s according to respective forecasts from Edmunds.com and TrueCar. Edmunds is calling for 3.3 million used sales this month, which would translate to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate […] [Read More]