In a move that can help dealers generate much-needed trade-ins, AutoTrader.com’s Trade-In Marketplace will now be integrated into vAuto’s suite of inventory management tools, the companies revealed Monday. The integration was planned to enable “dealers to efficiently acquire more trade-ins and deliver a more market-transparent and customer-satisfying appraisal and purchasing process,” officials explained. Both companies […] [Read More]

The National Automobile Dealers Association is hosting a free Webinar this week to explain the tax implications of tangibles regulations, a rule that came on the books last year. The 90-minute session — which is set to include several experienced certified public accountants — is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday. NADA […] [Read More]

Car review and data site The Car Connection is adding something new to its information offerings: searchable new- and used-vehicle inventories. High Gear Media, publisher of The Car Connection, has announced that within a matter of days it will launch this vehicle search section on the company’s flagship site, integrating the listings with its research, […] [Read More]

In an effort to help dealers attract and retain used- and new-car customers, instaVIN revealed it has launched two new offerings. Dealers utilizing the company will now be able to purchase certified pre-owned warranties, as well as service contracts. First up, “The new instaVIN CPO program enables franchised dealers to certify their off makes and […] [Read More]

Lithia Motors on Monday announced its acquisition of a longtime Texas dealership, boosting the company’s overall number of stores to almost 90. The newly-acquired dealership is Connell Chevrolet in Killeen, Texas, which will now be renamed as All American Chevrolet of Killeen. Lithia reports that the deal adds $60 million in estimated annual revenues to […] [Read More]

After years of a back-and-forth saga involving three companies, a move has officially been made. Hertz Global Holdings and Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group announced Sunday that the two companies have entered a definitive merger agreement. Under this deal,  Hertz would purchase Dollar Thrifty for $87.50 per share in cash, translating into a purchase worth a […] [Read More]

Despite concern from the Independent Automobile Dealers Association of California about how state legislators still do not have firm classification of what a buy-here, pay-here dealer is, bills are continuing to work their way toward becoming law in the Golden State. Repeated opposition from IADAC and others has done little to keep a trio of […] [Read More]

Five new locations in five separate states were recently added to the growing number of automobile dealerships throughout the country now offering CarMark Certified Pre-Owned vehicles to consumers, announced today by Bill Zadeits, manager of POADA, which owns the CarMark Certified program. [Read More]

While the expectations may hurt used-vehicle sales, the August new-vehicle sales projection by Kelley Blue Book as well as the forecast developed by J.D. Power and Associates’ Power Information Network and LMC Automotive show franchised dealers are continuing to move new metal at greater rates — possibly the highest clip in more than four years. […] [Read More]

A new report released by Maritz Research recently claims that four in 10 customers are not even test driving their cars before purchasing. This is an astounding number of consumers, even if half of them didn’t tell the truth. This phenomenon of customers bypassing the test drive can actually cause a backlash of issues for […] [Read More]