In another effort to provide the best customer experience possible, General Motors is changing the way its customer call centers operate. The automaker is staffing customer engagement centers with expert advisors who can reach out to new owners to answer questions and are empowered to resolve most issues on the spot. “We’re not waiting for […] [Read More]

Two of the largest publicly traded dealer groups — Group 1 Automotive and Sonic Automotive — made moves this week to improve their retail performances. First, Group 1 acquired Rountree Ford Lincoln in Shreveport, La., a dealership executives expected to generate $80 million in estimated annual revenues. “We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with […] [Read More]

Auto Remarketing has learned that a new Ford certified pre-owned brand manager has taken the reins this month. Renee Godfrey has taken a new position with the automaker, and filling that CPO role is Brandon Cuadra. Cuadra — who has been with Ford for more than 17 years — was appointed Ford CPO brand manager […] [Read More]

Used retail transaction prices are up year-over-year for both franchised and independent dealers this month, perhaps a result of used supply tightening once again. As of Thursday, the days' supply of used cars and trucks was about 46 days, according to the latest Retail Automotive Summary from CNW Research. Though this number is well above […] [Read More]

Since more dealers of all kinds are considering a buy-here, pay-here operation, our sister publication SubPrime Auto Finance News is hosting one of NCM Associates' top BHPH trainers for a free webinar to help dealers make better decisions regarding reconditioning. BHPH specialist Gene Daughtry will explain the different business models and the levels of reconditioning […] [Read More]

If estimates from CNW Research come to fruition, you can expect annual used-car sales higher than 41 million units for “the foreseeable future.” That includes this year's projected sum of 41.25 million used-car sales, according to the Retail Automotive Summary released by the firm this week. The full-year 2013 total, if reached, would be about […] [Read More]

Donating $20 for each new-car sale and $1 from every oil change can add up to help families in need, says one Oklahoma dealership. Hudiburg Chevrolet and Ally Financial have announced a community challenge for the month of July, to raise money for Operation Homefront Oklahoma, an organization that provides emergency financial assistance to military […] [Read More]

Dealers may see more customers on the lots looking for pre-owned cars as the month draws to a close. That is, once consumers realize that late-model used-car prices showed the biggest month-over-month drop of the year to date in June, according to Cars.com. In fact, a post from the site's Kicking Tires blog indicated that […] [Read More]

The hike in comparable store used-vehicle sales for CarMax was the best it has been “in several years,” the retailer said Friday in reporting its second-quarter fiscal results. Management attributed the strong gain to stronger conversion, reflecting a solid consumer credit environment and the progress its stores have made in execution. All told, CarMax reported […] [Read More]

While the percentage of consumers who say they are only considering a new car is significantly higher than the share of used-only shoppers, actual registration data tells a different story. That’s according to the 2013 Edmunds.com Car Shopping Trends Report, which broke down some consideration and registration data in the new- and used-car markets. [Read More]