Despite recent production struggles related to natural disasters in both Japan and Thailand, Asian OEMs still top the list when it comes to reliability and “vehicle health”, according to CarMD.com. In its first-ever CarMD Vehicle Health Index, Toyota came out on top and Hyundai and  Honda following closely behind in the index that rank manufacturers […] [Read More]

Women-Drivers.com — a site which connects women and families to certified Women-Drivers Friendly Dealers — recently added new features to its free brand reputation management tools that can help dealers engage and interact with potential customers, site officials explained.   These new tools include access to in-depth analytics regarding female car buyers, as well as […] [Read More]

In addition to more insights from top pre-owned dealers, Day Two of Used Car Week will bring the unveiling of the IntelliChoice.com CPO Awards; as well as a used-vehicle market forecast from top executives at Black Book, Kelley Blue Book, NADA Used Car Guide, J.D. Power and Edmunds.com. The day will kick off with a […] [Read More]

Ally Financial’s SmartAuction announced enhancements to its eVantage inventory management tool on Tuesday. Originally introduced in 2010, Dealer eVantage uses proprietary analytics to create personalized alerts that can help SmartAuction users buy and sell vehicles more effectively. Enhancements to the Dealer eVantage tool include: – Optimized for Mobile Technology: SmartAuction users can now view daily […] [Read More]

 In a special panel Monday at the CPO Forum called “What It Takes to Be the Very Best,” top CPO dealers revealed some key insights into their thinking and tricks of the trade. Representing Honda, BMW, Chevrolet and many more brands, here are a few top dealer thoughts: —“If we’re going to sell pre-owned, we’re […] [Read More]

Along with details about what’s new with the company’s smartphone apps, Black Book’s Ricky Beggs gave dealers some guidance as Thanksgiving quickly approaches. Beggs’ advice stemmed from Black Book editors discovering last week’s overall wholesale price change was a larger decline week-over-week. “But there were still 24 percent of the adjustments requiring raises in values, […] [Read More]

Japan’s three largest automakers are still navigating production hurdles caused by flooding in Thailand, but they appear to be making progress. In an update shared Monday, officials with Honda, for example, indicated that a number of their suppliers have been unable to maintain the supply of parts. As a result, Honda will continue managing the […] [Read More]

In an environment where used inventory is tight and wholesale prices are high, it is even more important than usual for dealers to stay in touch with their current customers and foster brand loyalty, as these customers are often a vital source of used supply. Mitsubishi is helping its dealers do just this by launching […] [Read More]

Audi of America revealed Monday that it has named its first-ever director of customer experience, and filling the newly created position is Jeri Ward. Her most recent post with the company was as general manager of customer advocacy, interactive marketing and launch strategy. Ward — whose new position is effective immediately — joined Audi in […] [Read More]

A white paper now available on StopCurbstoning.com — the website that strives to educate dealers and consumers on how to spot and avoid a curbstoner — details a new strategy individuals are using to profit at the expense of an unsuspecting buyer. The document describes a different kind of curbstoner: rogue tow-truck operators running illicit […] [Read More]