Dealers and dealer groups are making moves at a rapid pace, as research shows acquisition rates are on the way up. According to an industry report released Monday, auto dealership buy-sell transactions rose by double-digit rates in 2013, and analysts are predicting this year’s rates will continue to rise. The buy-sell market is reviewed in […] [Read More]

Though used supply has expanded greatly since post-recession lows, dealer groups were still dealing with tight pre-owned supply as 2014 got underway — perhaps stemming from developments on the new-car side of the business. During AutoNation’s conference call late last week to discuss Q1 results, president and chief operating officer Michael Maroone explained despite positive […] [Read More]

An independent study commissioned by Cars.com confirmed the competition dealership service departments face nowadays. In a growing vehicle service market, dealerships are at risk of losing a substantial portion of their fixed operations revenue to national chains and local repair shops stemming from a wide array of reasons. In the 2014 Service and Repair Report, […] [Read More]

Volkswagen of America informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration it is recalling four different 2014 models — a total of 26,452 units — to correct a fluid leak. The models included in the recall are the 2014 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, and Passat vehicles equipped with a 1.8T engine and torque converter automatic transmission. […] [Read More]

AutoNation reported its Q1 results late last week, reporting a 7 percent boost in revenue, as well as upticks in the dealer group’s used department. 2014 first quarter revenue totaled $4.4 billion for AutoNation, compared to $4.1 billion in the year-ago period, an increase of 7 percent. The company shared this was driven by stronger […] [Read More]

DealersLink revealed late last week it will be launching a Version 4 of its inventory management platform later this month. On April 28, DealersLink V4 will hit the market, featuring a new user interface that the company says is “faster, more intuitive, and has more robust capabilities, with a focus on mobile users.”  “We’re excited […] [Read More]

Is your dealership selling the most popular cars and trucks among shoppers? The inaugural Most Popular on Edmunds.com Awards were presented by the online consumer review site Wednesday at the 2014 New York International Auto Show. Topping the list of most popular cars and trucks were Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota. "Edmunds.com is in a unique […] [Read More]

Jenell Ross’s customer service strategy may be simple — provide quality service at a fair price within a reasonable timeframe — but the president of Bob Ross Auto Group and a member of Auto Remarketing’s 2013 Women In Remarketing class says this strategy never fails to create repeat business. The dealership group is situated on […] [Read More]

As iSeeCars.com highlighted new research dissecting the timeliness of recalls and more, General Motors chief executive officer Mary Barra specifically mentioned two dealers and their recent actions during her prepared remarks at the 2014 Automotive Forum. Midway through her first public comments since consecutive days of Capitol Hill hearings about how the automaker handled the […] [Read More]

Dealers know that satisfied customers are walking advertisements. And in today’s digital world, online reviews have real impact on sales and service operations. This week, eReputationBuilder launched Dealer Influence, a product which aims to encourage an increase in reviews that represent the overall sentiment of the customer, and proactively build dealers’ online presence. Dealer Influence […] [Read More]