Owners of Hyundai vehicles that have been targeted by thieves after viral videos showed how to hot wire their cars will be able to purchase a Compustar security kit for $170 starting Oct. 1.
Friday, September 30, 2022
Hyundai to offer security kit to stem raft of vehicle thefts popularized on social media
Most Florida dealers dodge destructive Hurricane Ian
An influx of flood-damaged vehicles might create a troublesome situation, Morse Automotive Group CEO Teddy Morse said.
Selling parts online can grow business
Opening an e-commerce parts channel can help dealerships weather the parts shortage and supply chain crisis.
CDK to give dealers ability to share data with software vendors
Dealership management system provider CDK Global will allow auto retailers to share data directly with third-party software providers, a change from its existing vendor integration practices.
Ford, Subaru, Hyundai and GM dealerships trade hands in 4 deals
Four transactions involved Ford, Subaru, Hyundai and GM dealerships in California, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming.
Thursday, September 29, 2022
U.S. light-vehicle sales expected to continue to stagnate in Q3
Cox Automotive lowered its sales forecast for the third time this year as rising interest rates now threaten to stall demand for new vehicles.
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Dealerships close in Florida as Hurricane Ian unleashes ‘catastrophic' conditions
Shuttered dealerships moved vehicles inside ahead of life-threatening storm surges, hurricane-force winds.
Ford and Tesla boast high brand loyalty rates, but do they attract buyers?
S&P Global Mobility goes beyond loyalty rates to evaluate the conquest and defection ratios of brands, which analysts say paints a broader picture of success.
Carvana executive faces criminal charges in Illinois
In mid-May the Illinois Secretary of State filed several motor vehicle-related charges against Paul Breaux, who is identified on Carvana's investor relations website as the company's general counsel since August 2015.
Feds: Stolen IDs used in deals for 3 Range Rover Sports
Suspects' photos allegedly appeared with stolen victim information on drivers' licenses used in deals for $297K worth of late-model Range Rover Sports.
Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Asbury, CarMax shutter car dealerships ahead of Hurricane Ian
Hurricane-force winds, flooding among threats to dealerships in Florida from Hurricane Ian, according to the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center.
Monday, September 26, 2022
Carvana executive faces criminal charges in Illinois
In mid-May the Illinois Secretary of State filed several motor vehicle-related charges against Paul Breaux, who is identified on Carvana's investor relations website as the company's general counsel since August 2015.
Survey finds 74% of participants prefer to buy EVs at dealerships
The 2022 report shows legacy and EV specialist automakers should consider an omnichannel approach to selling EVs.
Survey finds 74% of partipants prefer to purchase EVs at dealerships
The 2022 report shows legacy and EV specialist automakers should consider an omnichannel approach to selling EVs.
Sunday, September 25, 2022
Ad manager accused of $1.3 million scheme
Prosecutors say the man pretended to hire marketing and advertising firms that were actually shell companies he created to funnel money into his personal accounts.
Friday, September 23, 2022
Ford dealer all-in on new order process
The Las Vegas dealership saw Ford Motor Co. moving toward customer orders for its vehicle models and set up its own retail ordering process, which included updating the store's website and creating spreadsheets to track order status.
JAMA's Anita Rajan: EV tax credit restrictions likely to hinder adoption
Anita Rajan, the new general director of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association's U.S. branch office, says the eligibility restrictions in the new electric vehicle tax credit could impede EV adoption in the U.S.
Former dealership employee accused of stealing $1.3 million
A former employee of Pine Belt Nissan of Toms River, a dealership in New Jersey, has been charged with money laundering and theft via an advertising scheme, with prosecutors alleging he stole more than $1.3 million.
Diehl Automotive Group slated to buy 6 dealerships, report says
Diehl Automotive Group is expected to buy six dealerships in eastern Ohio, including import and domestic stores, according to a report.
Thursday, September 22, 2022
Hyundai, Nissan, Honda and Toyota dealerships sell across 4 states
Hyundai, Nissan, Honda and Toyota dealerships trade hands in deals in Indiana, New Jersey, California and Alabama.
NADA: 2022 shaping up to be another good year for franchised dealerships
New data from the National Automobile Dealers Association shows that while new- and used-vehicle sales are down through the first half of the year, demand for both sales and service remains high.
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
General Motors, GM Financial seek similar EV lease penetration as gas-powered cars
GM Financial CEO Dan Berce said experience with the Chevrolet Bolt shows ALG EV residuals to be conservative and the vehicles to have better resale value than forecast.
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Plenty of questions remain in shift to online ordering
Will other automakers follow Ford Motor Co.'s lead in wanting customers to order vehicles? What will that mean for franchised dealers?
Monday, September 19, 2022
Louisiana Hyundai dealership employee shoots co-worker, police say
An employee at a New Orleans-area Hyundai dealership has been arrested following the shooting of a co-worker in the store's service center.
Tesla weighing reset for China retail strategy
Tesla is reevaluating the way it sells cars in China, its second-largest market.
Back in the business, Dobbs ready to grow
Dobbs Family Automotive, the automotive platform of Dobbs Equity Partners, has 10 dealerships across six states and wants to rapidly expand its holdings.
Sunday, September 18, 2022
Back in the business, Dobbs ready to grow
Dobbs Family Automotive, the automotive platform of Dobbs Equity Partners, has 10 dealerships across six states and wants to rapidly expand its holdings.
Ford herds retailing into EV future
The automaker told dealers it will ask them to invest up to $1.2 million for the right to sell EVs but showed that it's not ready to abandon combustion vehicles yet as it showed off the pony car's seventh generation.
Column: American Action Forum says cost-benefit ratio of proposed car dealer rules closer than FTC projects
Federal Trade Commission predicts car shoppers would save three hours as a result of its new proposed regulations on car dealers. Think tank argues this is not so.
Lexus on track in transition to electric vehicles
Dejuan Ross sees Lexus remaining steady on its planned transition to an all-electric vehicle lineup by the next decade, beginning early next year with the RZ 450e.
Friday, September 16, 2022
Daytona’s Garage custom shop builds customer loyalty
Daytona's Garage technicians build customer loyalty by helping them with creative customizations.
Sharing is key to combating cyberthreats
Sharing information and boosting transparency between companies is crucial to avoiding hacks and other cyber risks that can grind the industry to a halt, executives and regulators say.
Thursday, September 15, 2022
Honda brand dinged by dealers in NADA survey for scant product availability
Honda dropped from the top five spots listed in the National Automobile Dealers Association Dealer Attitude Survey for the time since 2015. Low inventory is the root cause of the slide.
Lincoln president expects further dealer consolidation, doesn't plan buyout offers in EV pivot
Lincoln President Joy Falotico said she expects the luxury brand will end 2022 with under 600 retailers, down from the 685 it had as of the latest dealer census.
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV heads to market with no EV credit
Under new rules, Mitsubishi's Japan-made Outlander PHEV loses eligibility for a $7,500 federal EV incentive.
Lincoln president expects further dealer consolidation, doesn't plan buyout offers in EV pivot
Lincoln President Joy Falotico said she expects the luxury brand will end 2022 with under 600 retailers, down from the 685 it had as of the latest dealer census.
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
American Action Forum: Cost-benefit ratio of proposed car dealer rules closer than FTC projects
Federal Trade Commission predicts car shoppers would save three hours as a result of its new proposed regulations on car dealers.
Automaker lobby seeks revamp of FTC 'cumbersome' car dealership disclosure plan
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation also asks the FTC to clarify its language banning car dealers from selling F&I products duplicating auto warranties.
American Action Forum: Cost-benefit ratio of proposed car dealer rules closer than FTC projects
Federal Trade Commission predicts car shoppers would save three hours as a result of its new proposed regulations on car dealers.
Ford dealers must set no-haggle prices, invest up to $1.2 million to keep selling EVs
Dealers have until Oct. 31 to opt into one of two EV certification tiers that cover varying investment levels in fast chargers and staff training.
Tuesday, September 13, 2022
AutoNation sells BMW dealership, its second luxury store divestiture in a month
AutoNation sold a BMW dealership in New York last month, marking its second luxury store divestiture in August.
Monday, September 12, 2022
Massachusetts AG, alliance at odds over next steps in court case on revised ‘right to repair' law
A federal judge asked litigants for information on two outstanding issues — their interpretation of the updated law's language and any steps taken by automakers to implement the law's requirements.
Carvana, Illinois regulators ‘in discussions' about retailer's ability to sell in the state
Carvana and Illinois secretary of state met Wednesday for a scheduled hearing, the latest in a legal challenge that's unfolded over the online retailer's license to sell used cars and trucks in the state.
Sunday, September 11, 2022
Study: Large dealership groups pulling ahead in web responsiveness
The largest dealer groups in the United States are pulling ahead in online customer service, according to retail service tracker Pied Piper.
Saturday, September 10, 2022
VW makes appeal to India's fast-growing female customer base
A new dealership in India is staffed entirely by women, in a bid to attract female buyers and promote diversity in the industry.
Friday, September 9, 2022
Inventory in U.S. inches up to 1.21M
After seven months of being mired in a narrow band, new vehicle inventory in the United States climbed to 1.2 million units last month, the highest levels since June 2021.
Ford wants its dealers to match Tesla's lower selling costs
Ford has told dealers that one key topic for the meetings will be a discussion of new agreements that would govern how dealers sell Ford's expanding lineup of electric vehicles.
The writing is on the wall for ringless voicemails
The legal consensus, based on numerous court decisions, is that ringless voicemails are illegal without prior consent. And that means dealerships should be careful.
Dodge dealership to pay $935K in EEOC discrimination claim
Christopher's Dodge Ram in Colorado agrees to a $935,000 payment related to a gender discrimination claim brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Kia, Volvo, Ford-Lincoln and Honda dealerships sell across 4 states
Auto retail groups acquire Kia, Volvo, Ford-Lincoln and Honda dealerships in purchases involving stores in Indiana, Hawaii, Ohio and Wyoming.
Thursday, September 8, 2022
Dealer anniversaries
Dealers featured this week include Linda Leith, dealer principal of Mercedes-Benz of Raleigh in North Carolina; Dale Zude, owner of Kimberly BMW of Davenport in Iowa; and Rick Sparks, dealer principal of Sparks Toyota in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Wholesale used-vehicle prices fell ‘substantially' through August
Cox Automotive said wholesale prices declined 4 percent compared with July.
Ineos' dealer network for the Grenadier takes shape
Ineos, the British chemical company whose first vehicle, the Grenadier SUV, is now in production, is gearing up for its North American launch about a year from now.
Cox: Car dealers' sentiment dips in Q3 on concerns about economy, inflation
Nearly half of franchised dealers surveyed said economic conditions were holding back their business during the third quarter, and 40 percent said interest rates were holding their companies back. Those proportions rose significantly from the second quarter.
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Mercedes-Benz, Ford-Lincoln, Chevy and Stellantis dealerships change hands in 4 deals
Four dealership groups, including a growing Canadian auto retailer, completed third-quarter, second-quarter and first-quarter transactions of single stores across four states.
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
Market Scan: Some incentives not promoted
Payment calculation and analytics provider Market Scan says its data shows auto dealerships aren't presenting special manufacturer promotional deals to customers if the retailer can't add margin to interest rates.