It’s been a little while since I’ve made an entry into my diary about navigating through the rigors of the National Automotive Finance Association’s Consumer Credit Compliance Certification Program. I’m happy to report I can see the certification summit. While I didn’t get here with climbing boots and a backpack, it’s been just as rewarding […] [Read More]

Consumers' heightened interest in compact SUVs and midsize utility vehicles over sedans is driven by cargo and a high vantage point, rather than the recent drop in gas prices nationally, says Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Autotrader. “KBB did a quick poll, not scientific necessarily,” she said during a conference call with the media on […] [Read More]

Asbury Automotive Group chief executive Craig Monaghan doesn’t downplay the impact that swelling supply and off-lease volume has on pricing in the used-car market. That said, he’s not hitting the panic button, instead treating the pre-owned sector as a “trading business” and leaning on fast turns. “We think that’s going to create some pressure on […] [Read More]

Jim Ellis Automotive Group announced recently that Jimmy Ellis, president of the family-owned and operated dealership network, has decided to launch a giving campaign that will benefit local first responders in Atlanta. Each of the group's 14 locations will participate in the first responder campaign. A portion of the profit from every new or pre-owned […] [Read More]

For well over a decade, I have worked with, led and trained some of the best sales professionals in the world. They all, without exception, share a single common trait.  Somehow they know more about their customers’ business and what their customers are trying to accomplish than customers do.  The reason for this is simple: Most successful […] [Read More]

Union Pacific has earned the 2016 Toyota Logistics Excellence Award in customer service for the ninth consecutive year, along with the automaker's Kaizen Excellence Award in recognition of excellence in continuous improvement, the company announced on Monday. "We’re honored to receive the inaugural Kaizen award, demonstrating our dedication to continuous improvement, efficiency and shipment quality," […] [Read More]

The T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research has announced that it will honor Facebook's U.S. Automotive director Stephanie Latham at the Women of Influence Awards and Luncheon next week. Latham, a breast cancer survivor and passionate supporter of the cause, will join five other women in accepting their awards during the foundation's […] [Read More]

Wise F&I recently announced that it is expanding its vehicle service contract programs and has developed WiseMVP, a pre-owned motor vehicle service contract that provides coverage for vehicles that are up to 20 years old and that have up to 200,000 miles. The company said its new plan allows consumers who purchase an older vehicle […] [Read More]

Generally speaking, consumers and dealers often don’t seem to see eye-to-eye when it comes to trade-in appraisal, says Black Book senior vice president of sales Jared Kalfus. “The consumer feels that the appraisal being delivered by dealers is not necessarily as accurate as compared to the valuations that they’re doing themselves online,” Kalfus said in a […] [Read More]

The latest move from Lithia Motors continues what has been an active few years on the acquisition side of the business.  The retailer has expanded its operations to Pennsylvania with the purchase of Baierl Auto Group in Pittsburgh. Lithia announced the acquisition on Monday afternoon. Baierl, which  has Acura, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Kia, Subaru and […] [Read More]