As regular readers know, I’ve long argued that packs on used vehicles are problematic for dealers in today’s marketplace. First, packs burden every car with additional cost. Velocity dealers know full well how challenging it can be to acquire and recondition vehicles in a manner that allows sufficient margin for a respectable front-end gross profit. […] [Read More]

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems, which offers dealership management system software, announced this week that it will take part in a new program aimed to assist auto retailers with the use of industry-related technology. The company will participate in General Motors’ new Dealership Technology Assistance Program, after Auto/Mate’s dealership management system and Customer/Mate both received certification from […] [Read More]

Car and truck wholesale prices in July are continuing to ease slightly, making for what NADA Used Car Guide’s Jonathan Banks is calling “another mild month.” So far this month, used prices have fallen 1.3 percent, similar to June’s 1.1-percent rate of depreciation. “Although July’s month-to-date figure is a bit higher than June’s rate, depreciation […] [Read More]

Toyota Financial Services will soon have a new president and chief executive officer.   The company announced Monday that George Borst is retiring at the end of September, and filling his shoes as president and CEO will be Mike Groff, who is currently senior vice president of sales, marketing and product development. Upon retiring from […] [Read More]

Because convincing a potential buyer to take that next step after seeing or hearing a dealership advertisement can be a challenge, Cars.com offered managers some recommendations on how to refine a call to action. In a recent blog post titled, “4 Steps to Writing an Effective Call to Action,” Thomas Muellner of Cars.com acknowledged that […] [Read More]

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Ford is recalling the 2013 C-Max Hybrid not equipped with panoramic roofs, which includes a little more than 33,000 vehicles. During vehicle testing, NHTSA indicated the unit exceeded a head injury criteria requirement set by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 201 titled, “Occupant Protection in Interior Impact.” […] [Read More]

CAR-Research XRM named a new vice president of sales, the company announced this week. Responsible for all sales and marketing functions of the company and reporting directly to CAR-Research president and chief operating officer Patrick Kelly is Jeff Loos. Loos, who will be based out of Kansas City, Mo., brings extensive experience at several top […] [Read More]

If other commercial consignors are experiencing similar lease return trends as what Manheim chief economist observed about Ford Credit in the company’s latest fixed income call, there may be some good news on the used-car supply front. [Read More]

When looking at its consolidated international results, Group 1 Automotive drove its retail used-vehicle sales volume up by more than 16 percent, helping to push used retail revenue to nearly $535 million for the second quarter. More specifically, consolidated used retail revenue was at $534.8 million, a 17.2-percent uptick from the same period of 2012.  […] [Read More]

The free upcoming Auto Remarketing Training Series webinar is bringing together experts from Manheim, Dominion Dealer Solutions, Carfax and ShipCarsNow to help dealerships of all sizes improve their used-vehicle departments. The next ARTS webinar is set for 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Here is a rundown of the agenda: —Jennifer Ryan, director of inventory solutions […] [Read More]