Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group is no longer up for sale. Having received no offers that it believes avoid regulatory hurdles, the company announced Tuesday that it is moving on as a standalone company. This apparently ends a heated saga between three rental-car giants that lasted nearly a year-and-a-half. In recent developments in the pursuit of […] [Read More]

The Federal Trade Commission invited the National Vehicle Leasing Association’s legislative coordinator to participate in the next session of roundtable discussions officials have orchestrated since April. The event scheduled for Nov. 17 at the FTC’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., will include David Blassingame, who also is NVLA’s Texas chapter chair. Blassingame, senior vice president of […] [Read More]

Online advertising company MAX Systems announced Monday that more than 1,000 franchisees now use its product MAX Ad to help guide “smarter” Web advertising. Furthermore, MAX reached this milestone in less than a year (11months) after its initial launch. “As consumers increasingly turn to the Internet to research purchases, it is becoming more important than […] [Read More]

To capitalize on strengthening consumer smartphone use, Liquid Motors launched a QR code product for dealers Tuesday. The tool can allow dealers to place QR codes — short for quick-response codes — on window stickers and buyer guides. Liquid Motors believes shoppers want more information and QR codes on the window sticker or buyer guide […] [Read More]

Charleston Auto Auction’s “Hoedown Mega Sale” last week not only set a record for new-car dealer trades consigned, the event raised more than $2,000 for the Ronald McDonald House of Charleston, S.C. Included in the event were more than 600 dealers, 1,400 vehicles and $50,000 worth of cash and prizes doled out. There were more […] [Read More]

For the second month in a row, the same three brands set all-time records for certified pre-owned sales, according to Autodata Corp., which said the overall CPO market in September beat year-ago figures and continued to outpace 2010 on a year-to-date basis, as well. Overall, certified sales increased 4.6 percent year-over-year and hit 141,516 units […] [Read More]

Black Book’s Ricky Beggs has mingled within a fair share of auction lanes, but he witnessed activity developing last week he doesn’t ever remember seeing before. What was it? The vice president and managing editor explained during his weekly video series “Beggs on the Used Car Market.” Beggs began with, “While I was standing on […] [Read More]

Izmocars and AskPatty.com recently revealed they are partnering in an effort to provide dealers with the training and tools they need to effectively market and sell auto accessories to women. Interestingly, according to the companies, this is especially important because women purchase nearly as many accessories and aftermarket products as men. Jody DeVere, chief executive […] [Read More]

Based on September new-vehicle sales, TrueCar discovered the average fuel economy has grown on vehicles consumers are purchasing. According to the company, the TrueMPG increased to 22.0 miles per gallon from 21.4 mpg in the same month a year ago. The September reading also represents an uptick from August when the TrueMPG stood at 21.7 mpg. “Hyundai […] [Read More]

The CarMax Foundation has now given $10 million to nonprofits since its inception in 2003. In celebration of this milestone, the foundation announced it will now include wellness as one of its focuses.   To kick off the celebration, the CarMax Foundation revealed it intends to double all volunteer team-builder grants from $500 to $1,000 for any associate groups […] [Read More]