Blogs
Dan scrubbed toilets through slump; his store benefits today
Posted 10:25 am U.S. ET, Sept. 2
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For those dealerships that survived, "we're all stronger for it, and it will definitely pay off," said Roseland, who saw revenue at his northern California store drop by almost 40 percent.
Roseland says his expense management will be ...
Continue reading "Dan scrubbed toilets through slump; his store benefits today" » Sep 2 10:25 am U.S. ET
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Fuel pricing not ideal for some new models
Posted 1:28 pm U.S. ET, Sept. 2
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Gasoline prices will stay relatively cheap for the entire Labor Day weekend, according to U.S. Energy Department figures released yesterday. For pump-price watchers, that means $2.68 a gallon on average, up 9 cents from last year but still lower than $3.68 in 2008, $2.80 in 2007 and $2.73 in 2006, according to Reuters.
And the ...
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Credit approvals ease … just a touch
Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Sept. 1
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That’s welcome news for finance managers who have faced tougher loan approvals since the credit crunch began in late 2008.
The average credit score on new-vehicle loans fell a couple of points to 772. That’s down ever so slightly from 774 i ...
Continue reading "Credit approvals ease … just a touch" » Sep 1 12:01 am U.S. ET Post Comment | Permalink
Dealers still want more credit availability
Posted 10:34 am U.S. ET, Sept. 1
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"One of the big drivers of used-car success is the restoration of credit," Maroone told me on Tuesday.
Yes, it's improving. And credit for prime an ...
Continue reading "Dealers still want more credit availability" » Sep 1 10:34 am U.S. ET Post Comment | Permalink
Ohh, that pesky SAAR figure
Posted 6:31 pm U.S. ET, Sept. 1
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But what does it mean? How does it compare? Who won? Who lost? Why?
That's analysis. And that's where the fun comes in.
And of all the tools used to analyze sales data, the seasonally adjusted annualized sales rate (SAAR) is potentially the most confusing. It's designed to level out the differences in demand over the ...
Continue reading "Ohh, that pesky SAAR figure " » Sep 1 6:31 pm U.S. ET Post Comment | Permalink
Hyundai-Kia's U.S. cooperation and competition: It's all in the family
Posted 3:13 pm U.S. ET, Sept. 1
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No official joint venture was announced. And both Kia and Hyundai were unwilling to share details -- including about financial arrangements and production volume -- when I visited the plant ...
Continue reading "Hyundai-Kia's U.S. cooperation and competition: It's all in the family" » Sep 1 3:13 pm U.S. ET Post Comment | Permalink
Used-car business rises, but dealer groups want more credit restored
Posted 11:21 am U.S. ET, Sept. 1
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Difficulty finding good used-vehicle stocks has been a problem all dealerships have faced for many months. Another continuing challenge with the used-car busines ...
Continue reading "Used-car business rises, but dealer groups want more credit restored" » Sep 1 11:21 am U.S. ET Post Comment | Permalink
Note to Mahindra: It doesn’t work that way
Posted 12:13 pm U.S. ET, Sept. 1
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Uhhh … I don’t think ...
Continue reading "Note to Mahindra: It doesn’t work that way" » Sep 1 12:13 pm U.S. ET Post Comment | Permalink
The ‘Big If' factor
Posted 4:20 pm U.S. ET, Aug. 31
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Magna predicts the global market for power decklids will quadruple from about 300,000 in 2009 to more than 1.2 million by 2013. If consumers downsize from their SUVs to cars, they're going to want the same features they've gotten used to, such as power liftgates, Magna says.
Magna's device is a nifty gizmo, ...
Continue reading "The ‘Big If' factor" » Aug 31 4:20 pm U.S. ET Post Comment | Permalink
Fastest growers in auto world? Look to dot-com dealer vendors
Posted 4:17 pm U.S. ET, Aug. 31
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They're automotive tech companies that specialize in dealership management tools.
VAuto.com, which specializes in used-vehicle inventory management systems, ranked No. 125 on the overall list and No. 10 on the list of ...
Continue reading "Fastest growers in auto world? Look to dot-com dealer vendors" » Aug 31 4:17 pm U.S. ET Post Comment | Permalink
Is service at the dealership 34% better than the local garage?
Posted 12:01 am U.S. ET, Aug. 31
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In 2000, it was 33.0 percent; last year it was 28.8 percent and falling, reports the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association. When asked what caused the erosion, research director Ron Rossi told me without hesitation it’s the dealers’ high-priced repairs.
Ro ...
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