DealerRater recently revealed the winners of the 2011 Dealer of the Year Award Program, which hands out honors for distinction in outstanding customer service based upon reviews of dealership experiences shared on the company’s website. The highest honor went to Russell & Smith Honda of Houston as 2011 Dealer of the Year. Managed by Jack Carney, […] [Read More]

The Pre-Owned Automobile Dealers Alliance is giving used-car managers another chance to ask three inventory experts directly about how to size up what buyers want in their particular market. The POADA’s next free Webinar in its ongoing training series, Pre-Owned Live!, is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday. This one, titled “Understanding and Evaluating Your Market,” […] [Read More]

WomenCertified announced Tuesday it is launching a Dealer Recognition Program with research powered by J.D. Power and Associates. The idea behind the program is to help dealerships to increase customer satisfaction among their female clients through the WomenCertified Dealer Recognition Award. Customer satisfaction research, powered by J.D. Power, will qualify dealerships who meet a higher […] [Read More]

Ford wants potential buyers to remember a childhood milestone: pedaling a bicycle for the first time without the training wheels. The automaker’s new urban advertising campaign tied to the new Ford Focus is looking to rekindle that memory and many other childhood experiences as part of the launch of the campaign called “Inner Child.” The […] [Read More]

Along with some survey discussion about brand appeal and what technology consumers want in their vehicles nowadays, CNW Research expects the April used-vehicle sales total to jump 10 percent. President Art Spinella also predicted retail prices should edge upward because of short supply. Overall, CNW thinks April’s used-vehicle sales total could reach 3.6 million. The […] [Read More]

ALG officials believe the recent Japan disasters could lead to a 10-percent jump in new-vehicle prices, as well as growth in predicted residuals, though the company has not changed its this forecast as of yet. ALG, a DealerTrack company, broke it down to two levels. First, the company analyzed what impact a 20-day production disruption […] [Read More]

Toyota Motor Corp. is apparently warning U.S. dealers that inventories could come up short this summer due to production interruptions in North America and Japan. In a memo to dealers, Bob Carter, Toyota’s general manager, said the automaker is seeing significant production interruptions and has yet to create a May production schedule, according to a […] [Read More]

In an effort to reach the Hispanic community better, Consumer Reports is offering its annual auto issue — the most popular issue of the magazine — in Spanish for the first time. Officials highlighted the issue contains information on the 2011 Top Picks, Automaker Report Cards, Best New Car Values, Used Car Reliability and more […] [Read More]

There is a new operations manager for Toyota Certified Used Vehicles, Auto Remarketing learned recently. Appointed to the position is Sal Berardesco, whose prior role was as marketing planning manager. Berardesco replaces Jason Cropper, who was appointed Lexus dealer advertising manager. In the new role, Berardesco reports to Tom DeLuise, national TCUV/TRAC sales and operations manager. “While […] [Read More]

Exactly one month after the first earthquake and subsequent tsunami rocked Japan, today marks an important day at several manufacturing plants for Toyota and Nissan. It’s when several sites are expected to come back into service in at least partial capacity. According to the latest update from Toyota Motor Corp., the company is going forward […] [Read More]