Next year could be the new-car market’s best since 2006, with the latest projections from Edmunds.com calling for 16.4 million sales — not to mention, an expected 300,000 additional lease returns that should account for roughly a third of the overall sales growth. “The average age of all light vehicles on the road climbed to […] [Read More]

The board of directors for the National Automobile Dealers Association has elected the NADA chairman for 2014. Chosen for the post during an election at NADA’s board meeting in Santa Barbara, Calif., was Forrest McConnell III, owner of McConnell Honda/Acura in Montgomery, Ala. McConnell represents Alabama’s new-car dealers on NADA’s board and will become the […] [Read More]

Certified pre-owned sales for Asian- and European-brand programs were each down year-over-year in September, but both have managed to continue beating 2012 year-to-date levels by double-digit percentages, according to Autodata Corp. Asian brands collectively posted 77,897 CPO sales in September, down 3.9 percent year-over-year. Through three quarters, however, their certified numbers are up 11 percent […] [Read More]

Lithia Motors said Monday it has acquired a new dealership in the Sunshine State. The dealership group added Stockton Nissian Kia located in Stockton, Calif., to its store lineup this week. The store will be renamed Nissan and Kia of Stockton. The company shared that the new store will add an estimated $45 million in […] [Read More]

Perhaps one of the most attractive things about certified pre-owned cars to customers — and one of the biggest selling points for dealers — is this closeness to the new-car experience that these models can provide. Though CPO vehicles are used, the warranties and confidence they offer customers is similar to when penning a new-car […] [Read More]

In light of the government shutdown, many dealership groups and manufacturers are taking measures to support furloughed federal employees.  Hyundai, for instance, announced it would defer all auto loan and lease payments during the shutdown for current Hyundai owners who are furloughed. And late last week, Sheehy Auto Stores said it will support federal employees […] [Read More]

September was a particularly impressive month for the domestic automakers in the certified pre-owned market, as the Big 3 managed to collectively increase their CPO sales output by more than 15 percent year-over-year, according to Autodata Corp. They also grabbed four additional points of market share, with domestic certified sales leaping to just a shade […] [Read More]

Edmunds.com has already begun “experimenting” with a used-car iteration of its Price Promise program and plans further expansion in this area next year, along with launching a Lease Promise product at the National Automobile Dealers Association Convention & Expo in January. Edmunds president and chief operating officer Seth Berkowitz was speaking along with Eugene Park, […] [Read More]

Tesla, the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association and the state's Department of Motor Vehicles came to an agreement that essentially will help avoid litigation surrounding the opening of a Tesla dealership in Northern Virginia. After the Virginia DMV denyed Tesla’s request in April to open a dealership in the area, Tesla appealed the ruling in Fairfax […] [Read More]

Hendrick Automotive Group broadened its footprint in the Tar Heel State this week by adding another Honda dealership to its store portfolio. Chairman Rick Hendrick has partnered with Bob Barbour to open Barbour-Hendrick Honda Greenville. The dealership, formerly Bob Barbour Honda, officially opened under the Barbour-Hendrick name this week in Greenville, N.C. “Rick and I […] [Read More]