Dealers: Page 100


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    EU Opposes Brazil, Argentina Auto Parts Protectionism

    The European Union is protesting Brazil’s hike in taxation of foreign-made components and Argentina’s requirement thatauto-parts importers file a sworn declaration, including production information, to the country’s customs authority.

    By Keith Nuthall • April 11, 2012
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    E-Dealer Pros Sharpen Their Game

    Top performers on the WardsAuto e-Dealer 100 show why they’re all-stars.

    By Mac Gordon • April 10, 2012
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    Trendline

    Artificial Intelligence

    Automakers and dealers alike are increasingly seeing the use case for AI within their operations. Explore some use cases in this trendline.

    By WardsAuto staff
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    NY Auto Show Draws 1 Million Visitors Annually; Many Are Car Buyers

    Many Americans think New Yorkers don’t drive cars, but that is belied by the number of vehicles that cram the city’s roadways.

    By April 5, 2012
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    Auto Makers React Differently to Dealership Upgrade Study

    The National Automobile Dealers Assn. wants evidence that major construction projects will increase car sales.

    By April 5, 2012
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    It Makes Dollars and Sense to Go Green, Dealer Says

    Why in the world would we devote precious attention at our dealership to creating an environmentally friendly place of business?

    By Adam Arens • April 3, 2012
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    All Car Shoppers Use Internet, Don’t They?

    The number of people who use the Internet to research and shop for cars has just about hit the roof.

    By March 30, 2012
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    Study: Dealers Risk Losing Young Service Customers

    Dealership loyalists represent the oldest service customer. Aftermarket chains are grabbing business from dealerships and independent shops, and are best at capturing the young wave of vehicle owners.

    By March 28, 2012
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    Dealers Appear Ready to Fight Auto Makers

    A dispute is escalating over facility-upgrade programs that critics say are too exacting and expensive.

    By Jim Ziegler 1 • March 28, 2012
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    Ford Taurus Suffers From Identity Crisis, Marketing Exec Says

    Although the new model arguably is superior to its predecessors, the average consumer still identifies the nameplate with its older iterations.

    By Byron Pope • March 23, 2012
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    Megadealer Still Likes to Work the Floor

    Tim Michael turned around a struggling Ford store, then became a multi-franchised dealer.

    By Lillie Guyer • March 23, 2012
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    Online F&I Arrives With Challenges

    “We have to be prepared as professionals to provide F&I over the Internet,” says David Duncan, president of Safe-Guard Products International.

    By March 15, 2012
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    Court Ruling Threatens Dealer-Customer Arbitration

    The more proactive the dealer, the better chances of successfully enforcing arbitration against a litigious consumer.

    By Christian Scali • March 14, 2012
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    Japanese Luxury Brand Stores Best Handle Internet Leads

    Overall industry performance improved this year compared with last, but “remains lousy,” Pied Piper CEO Fran O’Hagan says.

    By March 12, 2012
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    Car Dealers Getting Engaged

    Dealers are creating offbeat ads, staging fundraising pie-throwing events, sponsoring various contests, shooting in-house videos – and posting it all on sites such as Facebook.

    By Maureen McDonald 1 • March 12, 2012
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    Gen Y Employees Energize Dealer

    “We can all learn from young people,” says Brian Benstock, head of Paragon Acura-Honda.

    By James Flammang • March 8, 2012
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    Longer Auto Loans Worry Some

    Detractors fear long-term loans increase the chances of defaults, enhance risks to lenders and keep consumers out of the market too long.

    By March 7, 2012
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    Big-Event Marketing Pays Off, Hyundai’s U.S. Chief Says

    Targeted, online messaging to niche audiences does not provide the auto maker the same “echo-chamber effect” as does airing its commercials during heavily watched television events.

    March 6, 2012
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    Dealerships Make Right Moves

    Megadealer David Wilson’s business model is to put top managers in the driver’s seat of individual stores.

    By Lillie Guyer • Feb. 24, 2012
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    Firm Says Service Solves Pricing, Inventory Issues for Dealers

    It’s a cutthroat world, FirstLook and MAX Systems founder Pat Ryan Jr. says, where dealer profit margins are under attack by well-armed consumers and a ferocious used-vehicle market is making it hard to maintain inventories.

    By David Zoia Editor • Feb. 22, 2012
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    It’s Lonely Being a Saab Dealer

    “It’s horrible,” says dealer Nick Letsios. “We’re getting no traffic whatsoever. I’m surviving on used-car sales.”

    By Lillie Guyer • Feb. 21, 2012
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    Dealer Financing Jumps in U.K. in 2011

    Lenders provided £19.8 billion in new- and used-car financing last year.

    By Alan Harman • Feb. 21, 2012
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    Online Auto Chat Freer Than Before

    The social-networking phenomenon has ushered in a wider exchange of information and opinions.

    By Feb. 16, 2012
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    Number of U.S. Dealerships Up Slightly

    The count rose to 17, 767 stores, an increase of 108 over 2010. That may seem miniscule, but a “normal year” sees a 2% decline in dealerships, Urban Science says.

    By Feb. 15, 2012
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    Oz Firm Brings Repair-Analytics Service to U.S. Market

    A long list of auto makers now is onboard and supplying Infomedia with parts data to help dealers compile fast, accurate service quotes. Here in the U.S., the company has deals with GM, Toyota and Chrysler so far.

    By David Zoia Editor • Feb. 8, 2012
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    Still Strength in New-, Used-Vehicle Pricing, NADA Says

    Used-car price gains will peak in March-June. That, in turn, “will fuel a good new-car environment,” says analyst Jonathan Banks.

    By David Zoia Editor • Feb. 6, 2012