Dealers' termination tales: ?It just wasn't right'

Dealers' termination tales: ?It just wasn't right' https://ift.tt/2WAh0i4 the 2010 lawsuit filed by 280 Chrysler dealers who lost their franchises heads to a trial in the Federal Court of Claims next week, many dealers are reminded of the trauma they faced a decade ago.

Ira Rosenberg, who co-founded Prime Motor Group, dies at 82

Ira Rosenberg, who co-founded Prime Motor Group, dies at 82 https://ift.tt/2HRBz68

Dealer Ira Rosenberg, who started Ira Motor Group near Boston in 1975 and sold it 25 years later to public retailer Group 1 Automotive Inc., died last week from complications following a fall in February. He was 82.

GPB legal troubles of Prime concern

GPB legal troubles of Prime concern https://ift.tt/2WHVtUT federal and state investigations into the majority owner of Prime Automotive Group intensify, concern grows about the future of one of the largest, and fastest-growing, dealership groups in the country.

Jettisoned Chrysler dealers challenge U.S. in court

Jettisoned Chrysler dealers challenge U.S. in court https://ift.tt/2HQV7rg

Almost 300 of the Chrysler dealers whose franchises were terminated in the 2009 bailout will continue their fight in Washington on April 8, nine years after they sued the U.S. Treasury.

Young buyers will want small, efficient

Young buyers will want small, efficient https://ift.tt/2WEoW1T

Young car buyers will want small, fuel-efficient vehicles and automakers should prepare for the demand, write one Automotive News reader in a letter to the editor.

U.S. sales drop with no reason for buying

U.S. sales drop with no reason for buying https://ift.tt/2HNnBlO

"Consumers simply haven't had a compelling reason to buy," Cox Automotive's chief economist said.

Lender seeks Nissan store, car wash foreclosure

Lender seeks Nissan store, car wash foreclosure https://ift.tt/2Ww4YWM dealership group owned by two former NFL players and auto industry veteran Michael Saporito faces new litigation by Nissan Motor Acceptance Corp., which seeks to foreclose on a Nissan dealership and a car wash in Luzerne County, Pa.

Jeep Gladiator pickup will be a premium player

Jeep Gladiator pickup will be a premium player https://ift.tt/2TJ4RFu

Jeep is following the same pricing mantra as it does for the Wrangler: Versatility comes with a cost. The priciest Gladiator pickups, fully loaded, will top $60,000.

Jeep Gladiator will be a premium player, starting above $35,000

Jeep Gladiator will be a premium player, starting above $35,000 https://ift.tt/2HMQPkL

Jeep is following the same pricing mantra as it does for the Wrangler: Versatility comes with a cost. The priciest Gladiators, fully loaded, will top $60,000.

Ira Rosenberg, longtime New England dealer, dies at 82

Ira Rosenberg, longtime New England dealer, dies at 82 https://ift.tt/2U3koVQDealer Ira Rosenberg, who started Ira Motor Group near Boston in 1975 and sold it 25 years later to public retailer Group 1 Automotive Inc., died Thursday from complications after a fall last month. He was 82.

Auto industry unites to oppose Trump import tariffs

Auto industry unites to oppose Trump import tariffs https://ift.tt/2CKGAJB

Groups representing many arms of the auto industry -- automakers, dealers, parts suppliers and aftermarket companies alike -- are in lockstep in their opposition to new import levies being considered by the White House, a rarity for an industry that often disagrees on major policies.

U.S. auto sales expected to fall again in March

U.S. auto sales expected to fall again in March https://ift.tt/2TGUqT8

New U.S. light-vehicle sales are projected to fall for the third straight month in March. Affordability concerns, higher interest rates and an uncertain regulatory outlook are keeping some would-be shoppers at home, analysts say.

Proposed FTC rules mean dealers should bolster consumer data protection

Proposed FTC rules mean dealers should bolster consumer data protection https://ift.tt/2ux9Or3

Dealers should be most concerned about proposed amendments to the Safeguards Rule, which would require the use of encryption and multi-tiered authentication for access to sensitive customer data and periodic reports on customer data protection to the leadership team.

Compliance remains key, even in seemingly dry regulatory climate

Compliance remains key, even in seemingly dry regulatory climate https://ift.tt/2UZeVff

The stream of regulatory actions brought against auto dealers in the past few years appears to have slowed to a trickle, and the retailers are taking note. But even in such a climate, dealers need to make compliance a priority.

Ford pilots site for online used vehicle shopping

Ford pilots site for online used vehicle shopping https://ift.tt/2Ui92wo

FindYourFord.com compiles a listing of used vehicles from multiple dealerships in one place.

Nissan captive agrees to pay $2.2 million to settle robocall suit

Nissan captive agrees to pay $2.2 million to settle robocall suit https://ift.tt/2uuI5XZNissan Motor Acceptance Corp. was accused of calling noncustomer cellphones without obtaining consent, violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. As many as 10,000 consumers could have been affected.

Potential tariff hikes threaten Subaru's 87-month U.S. streak

Potential tariff hikes threaten Subaru's 87-month U.S. streak https://ift.tt/2TC1UH4

Subaru's more than seven year-long string of monthly U.S. sales gains may end if the Trump administration increases tariffs on cars and auto parts.

Potential tariff hikes threaten Subaru's 87-month U.S. sales streak

Potential tariff hikes threaten Subaru's 87-month U.S. sales streak https://ift.tt/2JInvOk

Subaru's more than seven year-long string of monthly U.S. sales gains may end if the Trump administration increases tariffs on cars and auto parts.

EV startup startup Canoo will offer cars by subscription only

EV startup startup Canoo will offer cars by subscription only https://ift.tt/2WoHPpq

Canoo is positioning itself as a "boutique California EV brand" and said it will start sales in the United States in 2021, eventually expanding to China.

Dealers get a glimpse of Bronco prototype

Dealers get a glimpse of Bronco prototype https://ift.tt/2YlRoqMThe SUV will headline a "family" of off-roaders that will eventually include a small unibody pickup.

Porsche stores to the max

Porsche stores to the max https://ift.tt/2Tu5G4X

Just opened in Southern California this month, Porsche Palm Springs is the first store out of the chute for Destination Porsche, the new design plan for the brand's stores worldwide.

Want that security deposit? See you in court

Want that security deposit? See you in court https://ift.tt/2YdO3Km

The collapse of the Reagor Dykes retail group has left behind a mess at its store in Plainview, Texas. And the landlord wants it cleaned up.

Porsche sketches a future built of brick and mortar

Porsche sketches a future built of brick and mortar https://ift.tt/2JDsr7b

The brand envisions its dealerships as places to not only transact business, but also soak up Porsche culture.

Solar garden aims to cut energy, insurance costs

Solar garden aims to cut energy, insurance costs https://ift.tt/2TXgrSE

Dallas-area dealer Stan Graff plans to install 37 new car canopies topped with solar panels that could lower his hail insurance costs.

Check out the top 150 U.S. dealership groups

Check out the top 150 U.S. dealership groups https://ift.tt/2JBZPuI

Industry disruption? Our annual ranking shows big retailers aren't hesitating to invest more of their profits in the traditional dealership model.

Dealer anniversaries

Dealer anniversaries https://ift.tt/2OsQBju

Featured this week is Larry Wind, president of Woltz & Wind Ford in Heidelberg, Pa.

Rocky start?

Rocky start? https://ift.tt/2HQbS5i

Despite the early stumbles, vehicle subscription services aren't going away.

Time for no-haggle?

Time for no-haggle? https://ift.tt/2urlkUJHere's a story about a dealer who did something unconventional, and it paid off, at least in the short term.

Who will call the shots?

Who will call the shots? https://ift.tt/2HPAyLi

As digital retailing moves to the forefront, some dealers worry that automakers will dictate their paths to the future.

Automakers have historically required dealers to use specific vendors for various tasks. John Malishenko, director of operations for Germain Motor Co., a dealership group with stores in Ohio, Michigan and Florida, questions whether automakers trust dealers' ability to adapt to digital retailing.

"In the dealer body, there's this lowest common denominator of guys that are just still doing business the way they've always done it," he said. "And then there's guys like us that are a bit more innovative, more digital. We've embraced the changes in the market."

Malishenko predicts that more automakers will mandate a centralized digital system.

"But that lowest common denominator solution is antiquated for me. It's actually limiting for me because I want to move beyond that. I want to go deeper," Malishenko said. "I want to do more, but you have this standardized, centralized solution."

Kevin Frye, e-commerce director for Jeff Wyler Automotive Family — with dealerships in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana — agrees. With the number of franchises Jeff Wyler has, the stores could end up using eight to nine digital retailing platforms to fulfill automaker mandates.

"Our brand is Jeff Wyler, and we want to have one uniform experience for online digital retailing," Frye said.

Still, Frye added, automakers realize that many dealers are reluctant to change, and one of automakers' priorities is protecting their brand image, value and position in the market.

For example, if one automaker mandates a digital retailing platform and another doesn't, and the dealers that don't have a mandate aren't pursuing digital retailing strategies on their own, the second automaker may be at a disadvantage. "The earliest example of something similar to this would be the early days with [General Motors] mandating websites" with a specific vendor, said Frye. Some dealers, he added, "were too stubborn to believe in the Internet and to get websites, so they had to protect their brand."

Diving into digital

Diving into digital https://ift.tt/2urzFRa

Auto dealerships face a challenge: They have to put the digital retailing system in place, market it to consumers and change the culture in-store.