Advertising the sale or financing of motor vehicles has become increasingly complicated with an aggressive Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the need to reach consumers (especially Millennials) through social media, which was never thought of when advertising laws and regulations were written. It certainly makes a dealer’s life more complex. The FTC has launched a […] [Read More]

Chrysler Group made several announcements today, including the establishment of a new office and the appointment of new leadership. The new office of Vehicle Safety and Regulatory Compliance will be responsible for its namesake (the company’s vehicle safety and regulatory compliance), responsibilities that had previously been held by Chrysler’s global engineering group. The group will […] [Read More]

Pick an automaker, domestic or import, and they’ve probably recalled thousands of vehicles so far in 2014. In light of this year setting a new record for recalled vehicles, Potratz Partners Advertising shared two separate recommendations aimed at helping dealerships use recalls to improve both the service and sales departments. “Despite the negative aspect of […] [Read More]

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration officials said problems triggered by the use of winterized fuel prompted Volkswagen of America to recall more than 150,000 crossovers. Volkswagen is recalling the Tiguan from the 2009 through 2014 model years that were manufactured from July 2007 through June of this year. The recall encompasses a total of 151,389 […] [Read More]

Halfway through 2014, year-to-date auction volume was up nearly 4 percent against comparable weeks of 2013, according to the National Auto Auction Association. In its latest Economic Dashboard, which is prepared by NAAA economist Ira Silver, the association indicates that auction volume in June was up 3.9 percent year-over-year (for comparable weeks), and through the […] [Read More]

Hyundai Motor America announced recently that it has resolved a situation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the 2013 recall of certain Genesis sedans with brake fluid issues. NHTSA inquired about the recall, which affected approximately 43,500 Genesis sedans in the 2009-2012 model range, regarding the timeliness of reporting the issue. The company […] [Read More]

CarMax has chosen a new chief marketing officer and senior vice president, hiring Jim Lyski for the job, whose accolades include promoting The Scotts Miracle-Gro brand. The move is effective immediately, and Lyski now will be responsible for directing and managing all of the company’s marketing functions, including consumer insights and strategic direction, brand, creative, digital, […] [Read More]

There were 20 different brands represented among the more than three dozen segment category winners in the second annual Vincentric Best Certified Pre-Owned Value in America awards released earlier this week. That’s up from 17 different brands in last year’s inaugural list, but the key here, says Vincentric president David Wurster, is to compare this […] [Read More]

Last week’s second quarter conference call with Penske Automotive Group resonated several commonalities with other public dealer groups in the country, primarily the continued search for qualified automotive technicians. The group’s chairman and chief executive officer, Roger Penske, noted that although his company is not as affected by recent recalls, with only 4 percent of their […] [Read More]

The Ford Motor Co. will host its 2014 Ford Neighborhood Awards for the eighth consecutive time this weekend. For the first time in Atlanta, the ceremony, hosted by Steve Harvey, will continue its tradition of honoring local leaders and organizations for their contributions to their neighborhoods. For the second year, a $30,000 check will be given for the […] [Read More]