By the time this article is published, buy-here, pay-here dealers will be well into the 2016 tax refund season. The good news is that tax refund advances are back for the first time since 2012.  The bad news is that refunds are tracking behind schedule through February, but are starting to “trickle through” as we head […] [Read More]

In commentary paired with the company’s 2015 Used Vehicle Market Report, Edmunds.com director of industry analysis Jessica Caldwell said the certified pre-owned and late-model used-car markets are currently in “a Golden Age.” In addition to hitting another record year in 2015 and reaching 55-percent sales growth over the last five years, CPO has also become an […] [Read More]

Though depreciation had slowed a bit at the start of the year, wholesale depreciation is now continuing at a steady pace, and the industry isn’t seeing much of the usual tax season strength. This is true especially for some of the smaller car segments, which are seeing significant price drops. According to the latest Black […] [Read More]

GWC Warranty offered four suggestions to help vehicle deliveries from disintegrating at the point when F&I products are offered to the customer. The company insisted that dealers know a vehicle service contract is a sound purchase that will help protect that customer for many miles to come. But “when F&I products infringe upon the monthly payment […] [Read More]

In our urgency to get online inventory frontline ready, the importance of how we merchandise those vehicles can get lost. However, how you image inventory and the order in which you display those pictures online matters — especially if your goal is to sell cars, not just get clicks. In addition, also important is how […] [Read More]

After moderating a few Used Car Week conference sessions, I'm going to try my hand at moderating a webinar.  Fortunately for this first go-round, I’ve got a solid co-pilot: Tom Webb, chief economist of Cox Automotive. Tom is the type of source that journalists, particularly those of us in the auto business, love to interview. You […] [Read More]

In a previous article I provided tips on how dealerships can prepare to receive vehicle shipments, and emphasized the importance of doing a thorough inspection at both the origin pickup location and destination (receiving) location. In that article, I pointed out the distinction between normal wear and tear versus major damage. It’s difficult to define […] [Read More]

Much like the dealer consignment side of the auction lane, you can expect commercial consignment to rise this year and next. According to a National Auto Auction Association forecast in Manheim’s 2016 Used Car Market Report, the drivers of the expected gains in commercial consignment are the spikes from prior years in new-car leases, outstanding […] [Read More]

Insurance Auto Auctions recently announced the grand opening of its IAA Louisville North location in Eminence, Ky. The new location officially opened on Feb. 22, featuring a ribbon cutting ceremony and selling more than 150 vehicles, including a 2013 Rolls-Royce Ghost that sold for $93,000. “The IAA Louisville North facility will expand the company’s presence […] [Read More]

Automotive diagnostic tools and information provider CarMD.com now is offering vehicle history reports to anyone who can access the Internet. Now accessible online as well as via the new CarMD App, site officials Monday expanded the availability of their Health and History reports, which they believe are ideal to assist used-vehicle buyers in their purchase decisions. With each […] [Read More]