March 2017

BSC names GM for Tallahassee Auto Auction

Monday, Mar. 27, 2017, 11:39 AM

By Auto Remarketing Staff

BEL AIR, Md. -

BSC America has named a general manager for its Tallahassee Auto Auction, appointing Eric Wagner to the position.

Wagner’s 30-plus years in the auction business includes time with both corporate and independent auctions.

“Eric will lead the operations and sales teams to the next level with excellent service and the latest offerings in technology. Eric will report to Tommy Rogers, a member of BSC America’s Management team,” BSC America president R. Charles Nichols said in a news release.

Wagner’s professional experience includes stints as general manager for Direct Auction Services as well as president of Wagner’s Auto World. From 1986 through 2013, he served as general manager of Manheim Daytona in Daytona Beach, Fla.

In the same release, Wagner said: “I am excited to return to my roots in the independent auction segment. To join BSC America, as they expand their footprint in the Bel Air, Md., region and beyond, gives me great pride to incorporate that same attitude of growth and expansion in the Tallahassee region. Continual investments in technology and the latest ideas are a testament to the success and values that we want to bring to our dealers.”

Michelle Nichols-Neff, vice president of BSC America, said: “We are excited to have Eric join us at Tallahassee Auto Auction. His experience and auction knowledge will serve us well as we continue to expand our footprint and develop the relationships that will add to the growth and success in the Florida market.”

LeasePlan promotes Fonzaghi to chief commercial officer

Monday, Mar. 27, 2017, 11:08 AM

By Auto Remarketing Staff

ALPHARETTA, Ga. -

LeasePlan USA announced that it has appointed a new chief commercial officer to oversee the company’s sales and client relations teams.

Chosen for the position is Ricardo Fonzaghi, who most recently served as senior vice president of LeasePlan International sales.

For 11 years, Fonzaghi was responsible for developing global fleet management programs for corporate fleets based in the Americas.

“Ricardo has delivered savings and quality improvements to clients by analyzing and understanding the financial, competitive and process sides and consolidating this into a results-focused solution,” LeasePlan USA president and chief executive officer Jeff Schlesinger said in a news release. “We look forward to continued growth and client loyalty under his leadership.”

Fonzaghi has more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications, internet and fleet management industries.

“Talent, expertise and strategic focus are hallmarks of LeasePlan’s sales and client relations teams,” Fonzaghi said. “I am honored to join them in delivering creative solutions to our clients.”

LeasePlan is a global fleet management company that manages an estimated 1.6 million vehicles and provides services in 32 countries, according to the global group.

GM Financial names auction of the year winners

Monday, Mar. 27, 2017, 10:39 AM

By Auto Remarketing Staff

FORT WORTH, Texas -

General Motors Financial on Monday named the winners of its 2016 Open Sale Auction of the Year as well as its 2016 Closed Sale Auction of the Year.

Claiming the first prestigious award presented annually that’s part of the company’s nationwide Auction of the Year program, ADESA Kansas City, in Kansas City, Mo., was named as GM Financial’s 2016 Open Sale Auction of the Year

“It is always a privilege and an honor to be recognized by our customers, especially one of our long-standing partners like GM Financial,” said Stéphane St-Hilaire, president and chief executive officer of ADESA. “This award is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of the entire team at ADESA Kansas City. We are proud of their accomplishments and congratulate them on this well-deserved honor.”

GM Financial named Manheim Statesville, in Statesville, N.C., as its 2016 Closed Sale Auction of the Year.

“Being recognized by our clients for helping them meet their business goals is one of the highest compliments Manheim can receive,” said Mark Ford, regional vice president in the Southeast for Manheim.

“This award is a testament to Manheim Statesville’s commitment to delivering top-notch client service and sales results," Ford continued. "We are honored to receive this award, and we are so very proud of our team members who earned it.”

The consignor highlighted that 2016 marks the second year GM Financial has recognized two winners — one for open and one for closed sale performance. Recipients were chosen after reviewing each of the company’s 48 auction partners’ performance in customer service, marketing promotions, pre-sale activities and overall auction success.

“The auctions that we are recognizing with these awards produce outstanding results each and every sale throughout the year. They are committed to creating an excellent customer experience and take significant pride in what they are able to accomplish each and every day,” said Brad Bollman, vice president of GM Financial Remarketing.

Fox Rent-A-Car acquires mobile car-sharing platform

Monday, Mar. 27, 2017, 10:28 AM

By Auto Remarketing Staff

LOS ANGELES -

Fox Rent-A-Car announced on Thursday its final acquisition of JustShareIt, a cloud-based peer-to-peer car sharing platform specifically designed to allow users to rent or share cars directly from individual car owners.

Over the past 12 months, Fox said it has worked alongside JustShareIt to integrate the mobile-friendly product with its platform so that Fox members can begin to pick up and drop off cars at a variety of decentralized locations.

“Fox's new mobile experience enables customers to reserve a car, bypass the rental counter and proceed directly to the car. Customers will then choose their vehicle and drive off,” the company said in a news release.

Currently, the new service is only ready for use at Los Angeles International Airport. Within a few months, it will become available at most of the car rental brand’s corporate locations, according to Fox.

"The new integrated platform will help Fox to not only offer the customers a rental at a much faster speed, but will also create new business models that are not currently available in car rental industry,” Fox co-chief executive officer Mike Jaberi said. "The JSI platform acquisition has enabled Fox to explore new opportunities in a hybrid model of car rental and car share at a much faster pace."

Additionally, Fox also announced that it is currently in discussions with two automobile manufacturers to fit a group of its fleet with connected car technology.

Fox now offers service at 19 major corporate owned airport locations throughout the U.S., along with more than 110 affiliate sites.

DealerRater partners with CU Direct to share rating, review data

Friday, Mar. 24, 2017, 04:34 PM

By Auto Remarketing Staff

WALTHAM, Mass. -

DealerRater, announced on Friday that it has a new partnership with CU Direct, which allows the credit union technology and automotive solutions provider to publish DealerRater reviews and ratings on its vehicle shopping and research platform, AutoSMART.

The platform enables auto dealers to sell more cars faster and easier and it exposes dealers to a unique marketing channel to push their inventory, according to DealerRater.

Dealers also have access to new growth opportunities and strengthen their brand among credit unions.

"DealerRater continues to actively and aggressively extend the reach of our review content across multiple platforms through strategic syndication agreements," Jamie Oldershaw, general manager of DealerRater, said in a news release. "AutoSMART is the perfect platform for DealerRater reviews and ratings because it allows dealers to leverage invaluable consumer word of mouth to put a spotlight on their dealerships and attract more customers."

AutoSMART currently has 1,100 credit unions signed on that represent 42 million potential car buyers, according to DealerRater.

"AutoSMART provides dealers with a state-of-the-art platform to better connect with credit unions, finalize more deals faster and generate more revenue," CU Direct vice president of automotive products Evan Etheridge said. "By further enhancing the platform with DealerRater's trusted reviews and ratings, we're providing, even more, value to our dealers, credit unions and to car buying members and consumers."

The platform’s features include a dynamic user interface, dedicated Dealer Pages, and the ability to push inventory with special offers.

DealerRater reviews will appear on AutoSMART starting this month. Additionally, dealers can also request that reviews and ratings display on their profile page.

Used-car market likely to eclipse 3.6M sales

Friday, Mar. 24, 2017, 04:23 PM

By Joe Overby
Senior Editor

CARY, N.C. -

Used-car sales this month could approach 3.64 million units, according to a forecast released Friday by ALG.

That would be a 2.4-percent year-over-year increase.

Including fleet, the firm is forecasting 1.59 million new-car sales, which would be a 0.2-percent hike from March 2016.

Without fleet, new-car sales would be at 1.28 million (up 1.0 percent).

“Auto sales in the first quarter of 2017 are humming along and deliveries are in line with our expectations for the full calendar year,” ALG chief industry analyst Eric Lyman said in a news release. “March faced a number of challenges, including winter storms that disabled dealerships in the Northeast for days, delayed tax refund payments and rising interest rates.

“Despite these headwinds, the industry managed to squeak out a slight gain year over year,” he said.

Kelley Blue Book is forecasting new-car sales (including fleet) to climb 3 percent and come in at 1.63 million. KBB expects 77.9 percent of those new-car sales to be from retail.

The estimated SAAR for the month would be 17.4 million, KBB said. A year ago, the March SAAR was 16.6 million. In February, the SAAR was 17.5 million.

“Kelley Blue Book expects manufacturers to report mostly positive sales numbers this month, capping a steady first quarter with an average SAAR of 17.4 million,” KBB analyst Tim Fleming said in a news release. “Despite considerably higher discounts and incentives, first quarter sales totals will likely only finish flat versus last year, a signal of weakening consumer demand for new vehicles.

“As sales cool after years of robust growth, adjusting production accordingly and managing supply, especially in car segments, should be top priorities for automakers,” he said.