Dare Saul wanted to raise money for the NIADA Foundation.
And the Arkansas operator wanted a highline model he could immediately list online, too.
Saul accomplished both goals last week during the final day of the NIADA Convention at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Saul, owner of D3 Auto Sales in Des Arc, Ark., made good on his goal by bidding $33,500 to outlast his friend, Colorado dealer Tim Gaylord, and claim a sparkling white 2018 BMW 330i SPT with just 22,000 miles on the odometer in an auction held Thursday.
“I was going to buy this car,” he said in a news release from NIADA. “One hundred percent.”
The vehicle was donated by Manheim, which held the auction at the NIADA Dealers Lounge in the Convention’s Expo Hall. All proceeds of the sale go directly to the NIADA Foundation, which coordinates the association’s commitment to charitable giving and education.
In addition to making numerous donations to charities nationwide and providing matching funds for local charitable projects, the foundation has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to assist members of the automotive community affected by hurricanes and other disasters, and has established endowments that fund university scholarships for students pursuing careers in the automotive industry.
The BMW is certified by the NIADA Certified Pre-Owned program, having undergone a 200-point digital inspection from Carketa, and comes with a three-month/3,000-mile limited warranty backed by ProGuard Warranty, an NIADA Certified administrator.
Saul will receive complimentary transportation of the vehicle by NIADA Certified 360 partner ACERTUS.
Later that evening, Saul was honored as Arkansas’ State Quality Dealer and a finalist for the National Quality Dealer award, NIADA’s highest dealer honor. Two years ago, Saul also was among Auto Remarketing’s annual Remarketing & Used-Car Industry’s 40 Under 40
The winning bid was the highest ever in the benefit auction’s 10-year history. But Saul said he was ready to go even higher.
“I was going to go $40,000,” he said. “Then I was going to let Tim pay 41 for it. But $33,500? I do worse than that at the auction!”
Saul said he was determined to win after his first experience with the NIADA Foundation auction in 2019, when he let a 2016 Acura TLX slip away.
“One of my buddies had bid it up but I was too shy to put my hand in the air – it was my first time at the convention,” he recalled. “I was like, well, if they do that again…
“I had already looked at this car yesterday. I was throwing my ears back and I was going to buy it.”
Saul said his prize won’t be his for long.
“It’s going on the lot, baby. It’s for retail right now,” he said with a smile. “We went live on Facebook with it. It’s a good advertising tool and, of course, Manheim is donating the money and it goes to a good cause. Everybody wins.”
Over the past 10 years, benefit auctions at the NIADA Convention and Expo have raised a total of $252,000 for the NIADA Foundation.
Attendees at the upcoming National Independent Automobile Dealers Association annual gathering who have a taste for luxury and an affinity to help others can satisfy both with one winning bid.
For the 10th consecutive year, officials highlighted the NIADA Convention and Expo will include the auction of a front-line ready used vehicle to benefit the NIADA Foundation.
And this year, NIADA said the vehicle to be auctioned is a “stunner.”
According to a news release, Manheim has donated a “showstopping” white 2018 BMW 330i SPT, equipped with a sport package, with a black interior and just 22,000 miles on the odometer.
The highline model will be on display in the Expo Hall during NIADA’s 76th annual Convention, coming up June 20-23 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Before the convention, the vehicle will be on display at the Manheim Nevada auction location.
Manheim will conduct the auction at 2 p.m. (PT) on June 23 at the NIADA Dealer Lounge in the center of the Expo Hall.
The winning bidder will receive free vehicle transport to any location in the continental U.S., courtesy of ACERTUS.
All proceeds from the auction will benefit the NIADA Foundation, which coordinates the association’s commitment to charitable giving and education.
In addition to making numerous donations to charities nationwide and providing matching funds for local charitable projects, NIADA highlighted the foundation has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to assist members of the automotive community affected by hurricanes and other disasters, and has established endowments that fund university scholarships for students pursuing careers in the automotive industry.
“At Manheim, giving back is a vital part of our culture,” Manheim Nevada general manager Danny Brawn said in the news release from NIADA. “We are thrilled to donate a vehicle again this year and auction it off to support the important work the NIADA Foundation does in the used automobile community.”
The previous nine benefit auctions have raised a total of $218,500 to support the Foundation’s initiatives.
During last year’s NIADA Convention and Expo, Colorado dealer Mike Widhalm placed the winning bid of $22,500 for a silver 2010 Ford Mustang GT.
“We are very appreciative of Manheim’s support for the dealer community and the NIADA Foundation,” NIADA chief executive officer Robert Voltmann said in the news release. “Manheim is a leading supporter of the foundation, which helps dealers and their employees through support, donations and scholarships.”
CARite has an ambitious fundraising goal.
Through its philanthropic organization — Car Dealers Care National Foundation — the dealership network that works with consumers with soft credit backgrounds announced on Thursday a $1 million fundraising commitment benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
For each vehicle sold through CARite.com and CARite participating locations in the United States, a $100 donation will be made to support the lifesaving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children.
The company said the campaign runs through December or until the $1 million goal is reached.
“We’re thrilled to expand our positive influence in the communities we serve and honored to donate through Car Dealers Care to support the kids of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” CARite chief executive officer Jeff Bartlett said in a news release. “CARite team members are committed to serving not only our customers but the communities in which we operate.
“This program will reinforce the pride team members have in our brand by contributing to a broader purpose: accelerating research and treatment for kids in communities around the world with cancer and other life-threatening diseases,” Bartlett continued.
Now celebrating its 60th anniversary, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital remains focused on tripling its global investment to impact more of the 400,000 children around the world who get cancer each year as part of its ongoing six-year, $11.5 billion strategic plan.
“Partnerships like this also ensure no family ever receives a bill from St. Jude for their child’s treatment, travel, housing, or food, so they can focus on helping their child live,” CARite said.
For more information, visit StJude.org or CARite.com.
America’s Car-Mart raised the goals for its Holiday Toy Drive, which is now in its 13th year of being orchestrated during November by the buy-here, pay-here dealership group.
Since 2009, Car-Mart said in a news release that it has collected thousands of toys for kids at children’s hospitals. This year, Car-Mart’s goal is to collect 25,000 toys for sharing with 25 hospitals in Car-Mart’s 12-state area.
Last year, Car-Mart said it collected more than 11,000 toys for 15 children’s hospitals.
“We are excited to conduct our annual toy drive again this year. All of us at Car-Mart will work hard to make this our largest holiday toy drive in our history and to make this season the brightest one yet for children spending the holidays in the hospital,” Car-Mart president and chief executive officer Jeff Williams said in the news release. “This time of year, it’s all about giving and helping to bring holiday joy to so many deserving children.”
The hospitals to receive toys as part of Car-Mart’s Holiday Toy Drive include:
Alabama
Children’s of Alabama, Birmingham
Arkansas
Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock
Arkansas Children’s Northwest Hospital, Springdale
Georgia
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Center for Advanced Pediatrics
Egleston Hospital
Hughes Spalding Hospital
Scottish Rite Hospital
Piedmont Columbus Regional Foundation, Columbus
Iowa
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, Iowa City
Indiana
Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent, Evansville
Kentucky
Norton’s Children’s Hospital, Louisville
Missouri
Children’s Mercy, Kansas City
Mercy Children’s Hospital, Springfield
St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis
Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Columbia
Oklahoma
Ascension St. John Medical Center, Tulsa
Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, Oklahoma City
The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis, Tulsa
Tennessee
Children’s Hospital at Erlanger, Chattanooga
St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis
Tristar Centennial Medical Center, Nashville
Texas
Children’s Medical Center of Dallas
CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System, Texarkana
Cook Children’s Medical Center, Fort Worth
“It’s so hard to be a child in the hospital during the holidays. That’s the main reason these toy drives are so important. The kids know the community is rallying around them,” said Rebecca Neely, who is development officer for the Arkansas Children’s Foundation.
“In 2020, our hospital collected over $300,000 in toys and donations. It gets bigger and better every year,” Neely continued. “America’s Car-Mart has been the biggest toy donor the last two years. It’s incredible to see the support from the company and its customers. It’s so amazing to see everyone rallying around our patients and their families.”
Car-Mart will serve as a toy donation destination in its communities. The company welcomes anyone (no purchase necessary) to donate new, unwrapped toys as part of its Holiday Toy Drive.
Toys can be dropped off Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at any Car-Mart dealership.
“Every toy will make a difference, and we are grateful for the opportunity to help ensure that children who have to be hospitalized during the holidays will enjoy some holiday magic. For November and December, it’s the most important thing we can do at America’s Car-Mart,” Car-Mart chief operating officer Leon Walthall said.
For more information and to track the toy collection, visit Car-Mart.com.
Byrider decided to have some fun this summer while helping to bring some enjoyment to children in a trio of areas where the company has buy-here, pay-here dealerships.
Byrider recently wrapped up a successful week of volunteer efforts at Boys & Girls Clubs in three of its major markets, as associates in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Indianapolis volunteered for their local Boys & Girls Clubs in various ways.
Byrider has partnered with several regional Boys & Girls Clubs over the last year, offering financial support, volunteer efforts and professional development opportunities for club members and team members.
In Cleveland (Northeast Ohio company-owned stores sales region), every store assembled and delivered more than 70 bookbags with school supplies to the Roosevelt Club in Cleveland.
In Cincinnati, store associates and several Carmel volunteers, set up and worked at the Taft Club’s end-of-summer carnival.
In Indianapolis, near the company’s home office in Carmel, Ind., several associates did cleaning and painting of several classrooms at the Keenan-Stahl Club.
All told, more than 60 employees contributed 160 hours of their time for the kids that call these three clubs home.
“We’re excited to be a part of the Boys & Girls Club,” Byrider chief executive officer Craig Peters said in a news release. “We will continue to be supportive of such an impactful organization, both financially and with our time.
“Our team is looking forward to additional opportunities like these recent events and more in all of the communities we operate in,” Peters added.
October was a special month for America’s Car-Mart, and not just for the vehicles the buy-here, pay-here dealership chain retailed.
The company spent the month highlighting associates and their family members and friends who have overcome cancer while also raising funds to benefit the American Cancer Society (ACS). Car-Mart’s efforts resulted in a $10,000 contribution to ACS to help the organization provide much-needed resources for cancer support, prevention and research.
Since 2016, Car-Mart has donated $10,000 annually to the American Cancer Society with $2,500 each to four ACS chapters in its 12-state dealership footprint. This year, the four chapters included:
— Northwest Arkansas
— Bowling Green, Ky.
— Texarkana, Texas
— Montgomery Ala.
“We understand how important it is to be a part of the fight against cancer, as many of our associates, family, and friends have been affected by the disease,” Car-Mart president and chief executive officer Jeff Williams said in a news release. “That’s why we’re proud to partner with the American Cancer Society to help raise awareness and funds for cancer programs.”
Car-Mart’s October promotion, “Drive Away Cancer,” was aimed at raising awareness of breast cancer and other cancers. During the month, customers could drive away in a quality vehicle for $1,000 off the down payment.
For every vehicle sold, Car-Mart also donated to the American Cancer Society, up to $10,000.
“Our October ‘Drive Away Cancer’ promotion is a great way to come together with our associates, customers and our partners at the American Cancer Society,” Williams said. “Working together, we can make a difference in helping those afflicted with cancer.”
Additionally, throughout the month on its website, Car-Mart featured stories of associates who currently have cancer, have experienced cancer or have helped loved ones during cancer treatments.
ACS noted that breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among U.S. women and is the second-leading cause of death among women after lung cancer.
“Cancer research saves lives. Every new discovery we make can prevent and treat cancer,” said Jen Wasem, senior philanthropy manager at American Cancer Society’s South Region.
“The American Cancer Society fights for affordable, quality health care for all, promoting programs and policies to make mammograms affordable and accessible for research funding,” Wasem continued.
“The American Cancer Society is grateful to America’s Car-Mart and to all the donors who make life-saving breast cancer research possible,” she went on to say.
Byrider didn’t let the pandemic slow its effort to raise money for the American Heart Association.
The network of buy-here, pay-here dealerships recently announced it has raised more than $38,000 for the American Heart Association’s 29th annual Indianapolis Heart Walk and 5K. This year marks 20 years Byrider has participated in the Indianapolis Heart Walk and been a partner of the American Heart Association.
During the last two decades, Byrider said it has raised more than $1 million for the non-profit organization.
“We are proud of our long-term partnership with the American Heart Association,” Byrider chief executive officer Craig Peters said in a news release. “This cause is a deeply personal cause for many of us and it is a privilege to be a part of their life-saving work.
“Our fundraising efforts, the Heart Walk and other American Heart Association events are integral parts of what makes us who we are as an organization, and we look forward to participating each year,” Peters continued.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Byrider indicated this year’s official Heart Walk took place virtually on Sept. 12. Participants were able to walk remotely and engage on social media through the hashtag #IndyHeartWalk.
Byrider said its employees participated in the Heart Walk virtually and in addition, more than 80 Byrider employees walked together on Aug. 24 with social-distancing guidelines in place to ensure the safety of all who chose to participate.
To support fundraising efforts, Byrider organized more than 13 internal teams competing and contributing to raffles, silent auctions and more, in order to meet established personal and team goals.
Additionally, Byrider gifted a red 2011 Chevrolet Camaro to the American Heart Association to auction off as an additional donation. The virtual auction was live from Sept. 15 through Sept. 29 and the winning bid was $7,500 for the American Heart Association.
Back in February, Byrider also participated in the eighth annual Red Dress Dash in downtown Indianapolis to raise awareness about heart disease during American Heart Month.
“Byrider plans to offer continued support for the American Heart Association in future years to help fund research and care on behalf of those living with heart disease,” the company said.
Illinois independent dealer Eric Nelson isn’t really sure what he’s going to do with his new acquisition. That really wasn’t on his mind when he bought the head-turning, late-model sports car.
Rather, Nelson was thinking more about where his money was going.
Nelson, owner of Nelson Automotive in Mt. Prospect, Ill., and the 2015 Illinois Quality Dealer of the Year, placed the winning bid of $20,300 for a red 2019 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Fastback in an auction held Tuesday during the final day of the NIADA|NABD Virtual Convention and Expo Series, with all of the proceeds going directly to the National Independent Automotive Dealers Association.
The vehicle was donated by ADESA, which held the auction on the new ADESA Simulcast+ platform.
The NIADA Foundation coordinates NIADA’s commitment to charitable giving as well as awarding to deserving college-bound students across the United States.
The vehicle will be delivered to Nelson free by ADESA.
“I just wanted to help push the bid price up, since it was going to benefit an organization with a great mission,” Nelson said in a news release from NIADA. “It’s certainly not a car I would usually buy. It’s not quite in my wheelhouse.
“I don’t keep anything, really. My wife Sarah and I, we keep rotating cars. Maybe she’ll drive it for a month, then it’ll go onto the lot in inventory. I’m just happy to be able to help the NIADA Foundation,” Nelson went on to say.
The auction marked the eighth consecutive year ADESA has auctioned off a nearly new, front-line ready vehicle during NIADA’s annual convention. Those auctions have raised a total of $196,000 to support the foundation’s initiatives.
“ADESA and the KAR Global family of companies are vital partners to NIADA, our member dealers and the NIADA Foundation base,” NIADA interim executive vice president Shaun Petersen said. “Their generous donation of vehicles over the past eight years has played a big part in funding the NIADA Foundation’s numerous charitable activities and scholarships for outstanding high school and college students.”
This year’s auction was the first to be held online, as the convention was moved to a virtual format because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This year especially, we realize that our dealer community needs resolute, dedicated partners to support their success and help them prevail through unforeseen challenges,” KAR Global senior vice president of dealer sales Steve Jordan said. "It’s one reason why we accelerated deployment of our ADESA Simulcast+ platform, which simulates the live auction environment in a fully digitized, highly automated, live streaming format.
“ADESA is committed to the NIADA Foundation and is thrilled to once again give back to the many deserving dealers, family members and communities positively impacted by its work,” Jordan added.
The charity auction directly followed KAR Global president Peter Kelly’s convention keynote address, “The Road Ahead: How Independent Dealers Can Win in an Age of Change.”
Other participants from KAR Global included “Sourcing Inventory in the COVID Era: an Auction Perspective” with panelist John Hammer, who is chief commercial officer at KAR and president of ADESA, and “The Future of Floorplanning” with panelist Jim Money, who is president of AFC.
The NIADA Foundation coordinates the association’s commitment to charitable giving and education.
In addition to making numerous donations to charities nationwide and providing matching funds for local charitable projects, the goundation has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to assist members of the automotive community affected by hurricanes and other disasters, and has established endowments that fund university scholarships for students pursuing careers in the automotive industry.
Learn more about the NIADA Foundation at www.niada.com/foundation.php.
