Ford is being forced to defend itself in a federal class action lawsuit that was filed this week seeking damages related to alleged defects in the MyFord Touch dashboard infotainment systems that are found in Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles. The suit filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California by the […] [Read More]

Faster appraisals on the lot or at the auction mean faster decision making for dealers looking to buy or bid. A new app announced this week by retail performance management software firm FirstLook Systems offers features the company said can help dealers make more effective appraisals.   Called the FirstLook iPhone App, it allows dealers […] [Read More]

Among the Top 15 used models drumming up the most potential buyer interest last month, the top two remained the same from a year ago. After the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado, the rest of the list featured a mix of domestic and import units, according to NADAguides.com data provided in the latest Guidelines report […] [Read More]

Fleet services provider ARI and its parent company, Holman Automotive Group, once again topped the fundraising charts in their efforts for autism research. The partners raised nearly $35,000 to support “Walk Now for Autism Speaks” and the Greater Delaware Valley Chapter of Autism Speaks, making the Holman-ARI team the top South Jersey fundraiser for that […] [Read More]

In my conversations and travels, I encounter two different types of dealers. The first group often struggles with aged units in their used-vehicle inventories, persistent wholesale losses and an as-yet unfulfilled desire to increase their sales volumes and overall profitability. [Read More]

The same state that passed a pair of laws last year that intensified regulation of buy-here, pay-here dealers now is taking up a measure that would modify how a certified pre-owned vehicle can be sold. A bill that currently is in the California Assembly would include manufacturer’s safety recalls on the list of prohibited conditions […] [Read More]

We left off in our series with the first two keys to consumer relevance; in this post, we’ll explore the third key: MARK. MARK sums up the key factors that influence a consumer’s decisions when shopping for a car: Mission, affordability, risk and key differentiators. We’ll go deeper into detail about each of these in […] [Read More]

Hertz Global Holdings announced Thursday that the Federal Trade Commission has issued a final consent order regarding its acquisition of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group. The acquisition has been in the news for the past year, as Hertz acquired Dollar Thrifty in November 2012, pursuant to an interim agreement and proposed consent order entered into between […] [Read More]

Sonic Automotive went live on Wednesday with its technology strategy to use iPhones, iPads and corresponding apps to boost efficiency throughout the dealer group, especially in the sales and services departments at its franchised dealerships. Sonic president Scott Smith emphasized that iOS devices and in-house apps have helped drive the company’s rapid expansion by streamlining […] [Read More]

The used-car market saw increased interest in a somewhat unusual segment in June, according to the latest Kelley Blue Book Hot Used Car Report: Hybrids. With gas prices holding at relatively steady rates for the month of June, price drops in hybrids are credited for a 4.1 percent growth in shopping activity on KBB.com, month-over-month. […] [Read More]