Xtime, a customer retention solution for automakers and dealer service departments, was selected as the exclusive service automation provider for Mazda North American Operations. Providing integrated service recommendations, pricing, scheduling and service lane check-in through cloud-based applications, Xtime can increase customer loyalty and improves the ownership experience. “For over a decade, Xtime has delivered a […] [Read More]

Swapalease.com reported on Wednesday that lease credit approvals during November continued to increase, fueling even more end-of-year momentum for lease applications and vehicle exchange rates. Site analysts noticed November’s reading marked the second-highest monthly lease approvals rate, coming in at 84.2 percent. They recapped that the August rate was 85.7 percent. Swapalease explained that the monthly approvals […] [Read More]

Asbury Automotive Group announced its second Ford dealership acquisition in as many weeks, revealing Wednesday that it has bought Texas Motors Ford. With the purchase of this Fort Worth dealership, the retailer now has seven stores in Texas. The dealership, which has annual revenues of about $140 million, will be rebranded as David McDavid Ford Fort […] [Read More]

It goes without saying that technology has made changes to nearly every area of business operations for companies large and small. Car dealerships are certainly no exception. However, many business people get stuck doing things the way they’ve always done them, failing to take advantage of the possibilities new technology can offer. As a manager […] [Read More]

Reports of rising auction prices are coming in from November — a seasonally unusual trend as we head toward the end of the year. Though prices in the lanes normally trend downward before gaining strength in the first couple months of the year, the Manheim Canada November Index increased nearly 2 points from October to […] [Read More]

Nissan announced it is appointing a new vice president of field sales and operations in Canada. Ted Lancaster, currently regional general manager for the Nissan Canada East Region and a 20-year veteran of the automotive industry, will be appointed to the position, effective Jan. 1. Lancaster will be replacing Mike Colleran as he moves into his new […] [Read More]

Here’s a little-known fact: the vast majority of new vehicles are transported by rail. When cars come off the line at the plant — or arrive at a port, as is the case for imports — they are hauled via enclosed rail cars to rail terminals. Trains are responsible for the long haul, then trucks […] [Read More]

BillingTree offered four trends the payment processing solutions provider thinks will impact the industry in the coming year. The projections cover a wide array of elements auto finance executive might or might not already see on their radar, as well. 1. Payments Really Are Going Mobile BillingTree indicated that in North America, the number of […] [Read More]

Since the last Global Asset and Auto Finance Survey, the global economy looked to be entering a period of sustained growth and expansion — indicating good news for the auto and equipment finance industry. However, it has not all been plain sailing. Although it can be said the industry is on a firmer footing than […] [Read More]

Consumers are going to continue to ramp up their auto loan debt in 2015 while delinquencies are projected to tick higher, too. That’s the two main segments of TransUnion’s annual auto loan forecast that calls for auto loan debt to rise to $18,244 at the end of 2015. That forecast would mark 19 consecutive quarters […] [Read More]