Toyota Motor Sales USA said Wednesday that it will conduct two separate safety recalls involving approximately 752,000 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles and approximately 270,000 Lexus IS vehicles. The automaker explained the airbag control module for the supplemental restraint system in the Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles from the 2003 and 2004 model-years could have […] [Read More]

As the regulator who handed out the single highest civil penalty amount ever paid to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced this morning that he would not be staying on for the second term in President Barack Obama’s cabinet.  LaHood’s time as secretary included last month’s agreement […] [Read More]

The Federal Trade Commission’s Southwest Region Office recently warned 11 dealerships in Jonesboro, Ark., that their sales practices violate the FTC’s Used Car Rule, which requires dealers to display a “Buyers Guide” detailing warranty and other important information on the vehicles they sell.    Officials recapped that FTC staff inspections in Jonesboro allege that eight dealers […] [Read More]

Auto Remarketing has learned that Mercedes-Benz USA has a new manager of pre-owned operations. Scott Penza, who held the role previously, has moved over to work on sales incentives in finance at MBUSA. Now managing pre-owned for the company is Rob Zilinski, who has been with Mercedes-Benz for 16 years. Zilinski spent 10 of those […] [Read More]

Three of the next four nominees for the TIME Dealer of the Year Award all spent several years serving with the U.S. Marine Corps. In the next group of profiles, these store executives all share what’s important to them — in and out of the showroom. The awards program, which is produced in cooperation with […] [Read More]

EasyCare announced late last week the addition of another Motor Trend Certified dealership. The latest to officially join the program is Blue Springs Ford. The Kansas City, Mo.-area store is among the first group of dealers chosen for the pre-owned vehicle certification program, which was created for Motor Trend and powered by EasyCare. [Read More]

I received a note from a Midwest velocity dealer who ran into unexpected trouble during a recent meeting with his dealership managers and majority partner. It read: Dale: I had my annual forecast meeting last week with all my managers and our majority shareholder in the company. Keep in mind 2012 was a record year […] [Read More]

Each member of the the next group of nominees watched their fathers build customer relationships at their dealerships, but one was gearing up to be a football coach before a detour took him to store management. In the next group of profiles of nominees for theTIME Dealer of the Year Award, these store executives all […] [Read More]

As Edmunds.com made its selection as the best Super Bowl car commercial of all time, Hyundai outlined its strategy for its sixth consecutive year as a Super Bowl advertiser. The automaker highlighted its Big Game plan has five game-day ads, including four all-new spots. Two of the new ads are slotted for the pre-game show […] [Read More]

A dealer has to be concerned with advertising regulation and rules while marketing his own vehicles, but also needs to be careful when enlisting the help of others. A recent case that dealt with  a Louisiana-based marketing firm allegedly pitching false sales events and advertising at North Carolina dealerships focused on this very issue. [Read More]