Fasten on Tuesday launched its Dealer Calculator, a tool that can help partner dealers demonstrate to prospective buyers the long-term value and cost savings of working with their dealership. The provider of driver rewards and customer loyalty solutions for dealerships explained that the Dealer Calculator breaks down the total cost of ownership, including factors such […] [Read More]

Arra Finance announced via social media on Tuesday that it has closed its acquisition of Crescent Bank’s auto-finance division in a move originally revealed in June. When Arra Finance first announced the acquisition, the subprime auto finance company said Crescent will retain its branch and online retail banking platforms, as well as its commercial lending […] [Read More]

Safe-Guard Products International now has more brick-and-mortar resources to house its platform for private label protection products for the automotive, RV, marine, and powersports industries. On Tuesday, Safe-Guard said it has opened an expanded call center in Greenville, S.C. Located at 2 Independence Point, the 30,375-square-foot facility currently houses 130 employees with plans to expand […] [Read More]

A coalition of executives involved in streaming media, data and advertising technology has formed the Automotive Streaming Council, a new alliance created to establish guidelines, uphold ethical standards and promote greater transparency and performance in streaming advertising for the auto industry. In a news release, the ASC said it is a self-regulatory body that will […] [Read More]

Click-Ins’ damage-identification technology is now patented. The provider of artificial intelligence-powered vehicle inspection systems announced the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted U.S. Patent No. 12374135B2 to its DamagePrint technology, which Click-Ins called “a novel method of creating a unique digital signature of damage from a single image.” The company said the newly […] [Read More]

Eddie Lafferty’s auto industry career began when his friend’s grandfather asked him to help manage his Porsche dealership. “I ended up doing very well and sold out his cars, and then it kind of led to a life in retail,” Lafferty said. He eventually moved to wholesale and is currently general manager at Manheim Seattle. […] [Read More]

AutoNation’s vast collection of dealerships has grown again. The national retailer announced it has acquired two more luxury stores in Chicago, purchasing Fletcher Jones Audi and Mercedes-Benz of Chicago from Fletcher Jones Automotive Group. The additions, which represent some $325 million in revenue and 4,500 retail new and used vehicle sales annually, give AutoNation 10 […] [Read More]

There’s a new head of medicine, so to speak, at CarDr.com. The automotive technology company named Greg Lubrani as its new CEO and president. Lubrani’s 38-plus years of remarketing and diagnostics industries leadership includes time in senior roles with companies like Repairify, ACV, Copart and Manheim, among others. Having experience in both diagnostics technology and […] [Read More]

As it prepares for its first eSTART Modernization Forum next week, the eSTART Coalition has unveiled its inaugural awards program, recognizing two government leaders for playing pivotal roles in modernizing vehicle title and registration systems through legislative leadership and operational innovation. State Rep. Brenden Jones of North Carolina was named the recipient of the Advocacy […] [Read More]

Experts agree the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will trim interest rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday. How long it will take for that cut to lift the fortunes of dealerships and finance companies is much less clear. That’s the overall assertions from TransUnion, Edmunds and S&P Global Ratings, which shared data […] [Read More]