It’s not uncommon these days to find a dealership that will turn to the service lane or reach out to its existing customer base to generate a trade-in and boost its used inventory. But these are current and/or prior customers; what about advertising to the public and telling them, “We’ll buy your car if you […] [Read More]

After discussing 2012 repossession volume and where levels could be heading, Manheim explained how the remarketing of repo units remains a “struggle” as auto finance companies are looking to move substantial volume upstream and online. Manheim acknowledged lenders are focused on converting repossessed units into cash as quickly as possible. Although the biggest stumbling block […] [Read More]

Since the Internal Revenue Service needed more time to get online tax filing systems up and running so potential used-vehicle buyers could get refunds, Black Book found that dealers are talking up “spring market” and “tax time” as they walk the lanes nowadays. Black Book managing editor Ricky Beggs said this year’s electronic filing date […] [Read More]

Do things like star ratings and likes on Facebook really make a difference? With companies stressing the importance of online reputation management at the NADA Conference and Expo this past weekend, a DealerRater/Polk joint study aims to reveal what will most affect potential online leads. The new study finds that dealers with higher average online […] [Read More]

The first Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index reading of 2013 represented a 1.8-percent decline from a year ago, settling at 123.4. As a result, wholesale prices (on a mix-, mileage-, and seasonally adjusted basis) fell by 0.6 percent in January. Manheim said that absent the seasonal adjustment, the decline in vehicle values was half that […] [Read More]

As many budget-minded consumers hold onto their cars longer, dealers are finding new opportunities in the service lanes, as consumers seek more information on maintenance and repairs. A move announced on Monday by Cars.com means to address both issues, and to help dealers better compete for service business. Cars.com announced its strategic investment in online […] [Read More]

FLD Inc. has announced the launch of eCR, or electronic condition report, which the company calls the first smartphone app guaranteed to provide fleet managers the true fair market value of their vehicles. The patent-pending app runs independently and places no demand on a fleet manager’s existing IT structure or personnel resources. Instead, FLD said, […] [Read More]

The company whose mascot has become a household name in the country said it has reached an industry milestone. Carfax announced this past weekend at the NADA 2013 Conference and Expo that its database of vehicle history information has reached 11 billion records. Furthermore, the database is made up of information from more than 75,000 […] [Read More]

Pittsburgh Independent Auto Auction recently announced several major organizational changes involving key personnel.  Promoted to general manager is Chris Angelicchio, who has  worked in various positions at PIAA for more than 10 years including serving as assistant general manager for the past 5 years, the company shared. Furthermore, Aaron Bell has been appointed director of […] [Read More]

On Sunday, Digital Air Strike announced the winners of its first-ever Social Media and Reputation Awards at the NADA Convention & Expo. The awards focused on calendar year 2012 and spotlighted 13 dealers and and a handful of automakers as being “the best-in-class marketers on the social web.” In determining the winners, data was pulled […] [Read More]