Both the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and the American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA) welcomed their respective new chairman for 2018 this past weekend.   The new NADA chairman and president of Extreme Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram in Jackson, Mich., Wes Lutz, outlined his goals and focus areas for the coming year at NADA 2018; while AIADA named its […] [Read More]

For the second time in the past five years, a dealer from the Tar Heel State has claimed one of the highest honors for a franchised operator. Jack Salzman, owner of Lake Norman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Cornelius, N.C., was named the 2018 TIME Dealer of the Year over the weekend during the 101st […] [Read More]

From Washington, D.C., to Walla Walla, Wash., Mark Scarpelli simply wants a retail environment where regulations do not inhibit dealerships from delivering vehicles their customers can afford and enjoy. In his final remarks as 2017 chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association, Scarpelli saluted franchised dealers for their successful advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill fighting […] [Read More]

An automated verification solutions provider that’s flourishing in the mortgage space now is bringing its technology into auto finance. Start-up company TurboPass, which is powered by FormFree, says its tool can eliminate the hassle and risk associated with traditional asset and net income verification. Instead of requiring potential vehicle buyers to submit paper or electronic […] [Read More]

S&P Global Ratings used two words in a single sentence that finance companies catering to consumers with soft credit histories should be tickled to see. A recent report published by S&P Global Ratings indicated collateral performance in the U.S. subprime auto loan asset-backed securities (ABS) sector appears to have stabilized in 2017 after having deteriorated […] [Read More]

Sonic Automotive has EchoPark and Penske Automotive Group has CarSense; specific store branding initiatives to turn used vehicles. Now another of the large publicly traded groups is venturing down this road, too, as Group 1 Automotive recently explained the principles of its latest used-car project — Val-U-Line — a proprietary brand for high mileage pre-owned […] [Read More]

CarGurus announced Friday the launch of SEM Plus — the newest addition to its dealer product suite — at the 2018 NADA Show. SEM Plus is designed to help dealerships run their online marketing programs more efficiently when working to drive consumer traffic directly from both online and physical sites. Via CarGurus’s proprietary customer acquisition algorithm, […] [Read More]

Another year has come and gone, which means another Women & Automotive: Canadian Leadership Forum is here! Having been fortunate enough to attend every event to date, I’m very excited to be hosting a panel at this year’s event. This year’s conference, happening March 29, will focus on accountability, networking, innovation, leadership and mentorship. I […] [Read More]

ADESA, a business unit of KAR Auction Services, announced Wednesday that it has brought aboard Gil Hyder to serve as its executive sales director. Hyder brings more than 15 years of automotive industry experience to the auction company, and most recently served as director of commercial sales for KAR business unit Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA). (KAR […] [Read More]

Dealers are changing their sales process and upgrading technology, not only to boost close rates and customer satisfaction — but also to help retain staff — says new dealer research concerning turnover and sales processes. A sizable amount of dealers hold that both sales process and technology changes can combat the biggest factors that lead to […] [Read More]