In announcing a renewed agreement with Experian Automotive for AutoCheck as the official vehicle history report in its certified pre-owned program, Mazda North American Operations revealed Friday that its CPO offering now includes a three-year AutoCheck Buyback Protection program. This is designed to foster greater peace-of-mind among Mazda’s CPO shoppers. Greater confidence among buyers, of […] [Read More]

What’s in the cards for this year’s National Remarketing Conference presented by SmartAuction? After kicking off with a quartet of workshops that delve into elements of the wholesale industry, Day 2 of the event — scheduled for Nov. 14–16 during the Used Car Week conferences — will feature an iRemarketing presentation, which will share the […] [Read More]

RVI Group’s third-quarter risk outlook showed how the used-vehicle price softening analysts found in August reinforces the possibility that an even greater price decline is coming next year. The group determined used prices for two- to five-year old models (seasonally adjusted) dipped by 0.7 percent last month when compared to July figures. However, analysts acknowledged […] [Read More]

Automotive retail sales were tepid in August, consistent with the sluggish U.S. economy, according to Dataium’s latest Automotive Shopper Intensity index. Released late last week, the index illustrated that auto demand was up just 3.5 percent from July. Maintaining their lead in ASI were Toyota and Hyundai, which ranked highest among all makes. Rounding out […] [Read More]

General Motors is recalling more than 470,000 sedans, including late models from two nameplates the automaker no longer manufacturers. The recall covers the Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura and Pontiac G6 from the 2007 through 2010 model-years to repair a condition in which the transmission gear position may not match the gear on the shifter, which […] [Read More]

A new remarketing solution is meant to draw customers to dealer showrooms like a magnet. OnlineDrive announced its latest product late last week, called RemarketingMagnet, which the company says is designed to drive returning website visitors to a dealership’s physical showroom. Larry Bruce, OnlineDrive’s president and chief executive officer, explained: “RemarketingMagnet takes remarketing to the […] [Read More]

Hyundai is asking its customers the following question: “Is your driveway in need of a makeover?” To celebrate the new Elantra GT, coupe and sedan, the OEM has introduced an online tool that “allows customers to style and tailor their favorite Elantra model, in the comfort of their home.” [Read More]

BANDON, Ore., and CHICAGO — Part of the reason CNW Research projected used-vehicle sales to climb by more than 8 percent this month is the soaring number of subprime loan approvals. According to the firm's September Retail Automotive Summary, subprime approvals for both new- and used-vehicle sales are 62.5 percent higher this month than they […] [Read More]

NEW YORK — A recent report by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services reiterated that the U.S. subprime auto finance market is growing again and — despite some potential risks — its near-term growth prospects look good. As increased capital flows into this market and competition strengthens, S&P analysts acknowledged that they were reminded of the […] [Read More]

IRVING, Texas — Specialty auto finance company Exeter Finance Corp. announced the completion of its second rated term securitization late last week, issuing $300 million in notes backed by subprime auto installment receivables. The company indicated the notes were purchased by qualified institutional buyers, and accredited investors in a private placement offering pursuant to Rule […] [Read More]