The nation’s first auto auction is celebrating its fifth time taking home GM Financial’s top auction award. As part of the lender’s annual nationwide Auction of Excellence program, Rawls Auto Auction was named the 2013 Auction of the Year. GM Financial reviewed its 44 participating auctions for their performance in areas including customer service, marketing […] [Read More]

Amid the increased buzz in the new- and used-car markets that comes with the start of the spring selling season, there are three connected trends at play that are likely to downwardly impact used-car prices, according to AutoTrader.com. Juan Flores, director of operations for the Trade-In Marketplace at AutoTrader.com, said that as the season begins […] [Read More]

Women-Drivers.com’s 2014 Women’s Car Buying Report didn’t just cover the top brands as rated by female vehicle buyers, with Mercedes-Benz topping the list.  It also pointed out a few marketing strategies that may attract more women buyers to your dealership. According to the report, female buyers are spending less and less time shopping around and […] [Read More]

Used-car prices began falling as the year began, bringing a taste of what is expected to be the annual trend after dealers wade through tax season price hikes at auction. According to the latest RVI Market Update, wholesale prices for 2- to 5-year-old vehicles fell by 4.1 percent in January when compared to December. That […] [Read More]

Don't miss the opportunity to honor the exceptional women of the remarkeitng industry. The March 7 deadline for nominations for the 2014 Women in Remarketing class is less than two weeks away. Do you work with an exceptional female colleague? Know any leading ladies in the industry? Auto Remarketing is opening up nominations for the […] [Read More]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission approved final consent orders this week, settling charges that two dealers deceptively advertised the cost or available discounts for their vehicles. The FTC charged Don White's Timonium Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Cockeysville, Md., with advertising "dealer discounts" and "Internet prices" that the FTC […] [Read More]

“Tax season has appeared,” says Black Book’s Ricky Beggs. But it’s not only the arrival of W-2s and tax returns that indicates such an arrival — the proof is in the auction lanes, as well. Beggs said the season “finally raised its head this past week, causing more aggressive bidding for some vehicles in some […] [Read More]

The wintry weather that has wielded its wrath throughout the U.S. in early 2014 appears to have varying impacts among publicly traded dealer groups. In a conference call with Wall Street analysts this week, Sonic Automotive executives said that the weather will likely have a modest downward impact on earnings, but it’s nothing “catastrophic” and […] [Read More]

There were 2.11 million certified pre-owned sales in 2013, according to Autodata Corp., representing the best year ever for the CPO market, the third straight year of record-breaking sales and the first time the industry has ever reached the 2 million unit threshold. And this historic sum will likely be “blown away” by what happens […] [Read More]

Dealers now have another exclusive, direct avenue for acquiring used inventory, thanks to a new used-car sales program announced by Avis Budget Group. The company introduced Avis Direct, which provides a dedicated website and gives dealers a means to purchase from a wide array of late-model, off-rental units from the Avis, Budget, Payless and Zipcar […] [Read More]