AR: Where was home for you growing up? Costabile: Actually, it might be surprising to some, but I grew up right here in Michigan … in Flint, which is only about an hour north of Detroit. I’ve lived in a number of other places in between, but I am a Michigan girl at heart. AR: […] [Read More]

AR: Tell us a little about where you grew up. Schwartz: Home was in Columbus, Ohio, the son of two immigrant parents. My mother and father were both born in Poland. An interesting story is that they both were Holocaust survivors and  met in Germany after the war (World War II). AR: Let’s pause there […] [Read More]

AR: Tell us where you grew up. Smith: The nearest real town was Rocky Mount, N.C., about 60 miles east of Raleigh. I actually grew up in a rural community called Dortches, which had a population of about 300. [Read More]

On Thursday afternoon, Manheim revealed it is purchasing Dealer Services Corp. of Indiana in an effort to “reinforce its commitment to provide inventory financing to independent dealers.” The deal is designed to complement the lending Manheim already offers via its financial services arm — Manheim Financial Services. “Manheim is always looking for ways to enhance […] [Read More]

Automotive retailer AutoNation revealed Thursday it finished the year off on a strong note breaking all-time company records, as well as posting fourth quarter gains for 2011. The numbers reveal that rises in used-vehicle sales during the last three months of 2011, as well as the overall year, contributed to a climb in both adjusted net […] [Read More]

When a shopper avoids a model because of quality or reliability concerns, it may not always stem from tangible proof or some specific experience.  "Pre-conceived notions” can often be heavy influencers when shoppers form a certain perception about a brand’s quality/reliability,  according to J.D. Power and Associates. As such, the firm urged automakers who have […] [Read More]

One nominee got into the auto business by responding to a newspaper ad. Two others followed in the footsteps of family members. In the next group of profiles of nominees for TIME Dealer of the Year Award, these store executives all share what’s important to them — in and out of the showroom. The awards […] [Read More]

By leveraging the power of knowing what vehicles consumers have in their driveway and what show is on their TV, TRA, a media marketing and analytics software company, and Experian Automotive launched new patented advertising software on Thursday. The companies explained Media TRAnalytics TV Auto Ratings is designed to be a solution enabling advertisers to […] [Read More]

While brand officials highlighted their upcoming Super Bowl commercial, the National Highway Traffic Administration revealed a recall Kia Motors America is orchestrating. NHTSA indicated Kia is recalling the Optima from the 2006 through 2008 model years and the Rondo from the 2007 and 2008 model years for a problem associated with the front air bags. […] [Read More]

NADAguides.com said the second half of 2011 showed continued growth for the site, as the unique visitor count climbed 12 percent. August, in particular, was the most heavily trafficked month the online research portal indicated it has ever had. As for the automotive section, it showed a 9-percent traffic hike versus calendar-year 2010. Officials said […] [Read More]