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In This Corner: Ric Flair Finance
Billed as The Nature Boy during his long and lively professional wrestling career, Ric Flair is now in the loan business, including direct auto financing. The response to Ric Flair Finance's website, www.ricflairfinance.com, was reportedly so great, it was shut down for a period after it debuted. There are click links for mortgage, auto-loan and loan- refinancing applications. A come-on on the homepage
By Steve Finlay • Feb. 1, 2008 -
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Information Used To Score Internet Sales Leads Comes From All Sorts of Sources
Information used to score Internet automotive leads comes from various sources, such as data from auto makers indicating which prior Internet prospects became car buyers. Past behavior predicts future performance, says Jack Bowen, chief marketing officer for Urban Science a firm that developed lead scoring seven years ago. Other buying predictors include lists of previous owners, people with vehicles
By Steve Finlay • Feb. 1, 2008 -
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Sorry Old Chap, We’re Repossessing Your Car
British politeness extends to how vehicles are repossessed in the U.K., says Roger Gewolb, an American who heads a Britain-based lending firm, Park Finance Holdings. We have a police cruiser nearby when we repossess cars, but a huge number of people miraculously go in the house and come out with the money so they can keep the car, he says at a recent Auto Finance Summit. All British people are polite,
By Steve Finlay • Feb. 1, 2008 -
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Hummer H3T Crew-Cab Pickup to Bow in Chicago
GM placed an overriding priority on the H3T’s off-road capability in an effort to maintain a brand character that dates back to the first H2 in 2002 and the military-bred H1 from 1992.
By James M. Amend • Jan. 31, 2008 -
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Sky’s Limit for Webasto’s New Sunroof
Webasto plans an “unparalleled push” to get auto dealers to sell its new aftermarket sunroof.
By Steve Finlay • Jan. 30, 2008 -
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Auto Makers Ask EU to Support Eco-Driving
Europe has no legislation encouraging drivers to keep steady speeds, avoid sharp accelerations and other behaviors that increase emissions.
By Chris Jones • Jan. 29, 2008 -
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New Coating Process Cuts Sludge 80% at CAMI
While zirconium has been used in other industries for corrosion protection, it has taken 13 years for PPG to develop it for the automotive industry.
By William Diem • Jan. 18, 2008 -
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CHAMCO Looks to Begin Exports to U.S. This Year
Half of the importer’s 150 dealers have been lined up and it is working on establishing an R&D facility on the West Coast under the direction of Steve Saleen.
By Christie Schweinsberg • Jan. 17, 2008 -
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MDI Air Car to Be Built in Melbourne
The OneCAT, which can cover nearly 100 miles on compressed air alone, will go on sale later this year following demonstrations in France, Australia and New Zealand.
By Alan Harman • Jan. 16, 2008 -
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Mini Sales Hit All-Time High in 2007
The auto maker's U.S. sales hit 42,000 units last year, up 7% from 2006.
By Drew Winter • Jan. 14, 2008 -
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Tata Unveils Highly Anticipated One Lakh Car
The Indian auto maker promises 47 mpg and emissions that are below current Indian regulatory levels.
By Christie Schweinsberg • Jan. 10, 2008 -
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Oak Ridge Creates Super-Water Repellant
The crushed glass-based nano-coating holds microscopic air pockets, allowing water and grime to bounce off coated surfaces.
By Herb Shuldiner • Jan. 3, 2008 -
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Optessa Solves Production Hiccups
A vehicle assembly plant copes every day with a dizzying array of build configurations. Between color changes, different drivelines and dozens of optional features, there's enough mathematical equations to stump Isaac Newton. But Sir Isaac didn't have today's computers with massive processing power to enable lightning-fast calculations. Optessa Inc., an upstart technology specialist based in Edmonton,
By Tom Murphy • Jan. 1, 2008 -
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4 Questions for DMS providers
If you're looking to replace your current dealer-management system vendor, get ready for an extensive and time-consuming process. Going through the process can be like negotiating your way through a financial minefield. We've heard the horror stories from dealers paying incredibly high prices for their systems. But there are a number of issues beyond price you should consider before you sign a DMS
By Wayne A. Fortier • Jan. 1, 2008 -
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Some People Never Will Get F&I Ethics
The industry has come a long way cleaning up its act. But some dirty characters remain.
By Steve Finlay • Dec. 17, 2007 -
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Two Cases of What Not to Do
I received the e-mail below in response to one of my Ward's Dealer Business columns on proper selling of vehicle. This person, a salesman by trade, shared two remarkable experiences that offer hard lessons for every car dealer, manager and sales staffer. Dear Richard: I recently read your article while waiting in my dealership for my car to be serviced. As a salesperson myself (electronics) I couldn't
By Richard F. Libin • Dec. 1, 2007 -
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Bose Says Suspension Drawing Interest From OEMs
The Bose active suspension responds in milliseconds to negate bumps, using an electric motor to retract and extend the shock’s strut.
By Herb Shuldiner • Nov. 30, 2007 -
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Pontiac G8 Production to Stay in Oz
Media speculation has suggested GM was considering moving output to an under-utilized plant in North America.
By Alan Harman • Nov. 30, 2007 -
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BorgWarner Refining Dual-Clutch Technology for New Applications
Next-generation systems designed for emerging markets and different drivetrain configurations will help boost DCT production 500% by 2013.
By Mike Sutton • Nov. 20, 2007 -
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UAW’s Bluestone Dead at 90
Irving Bluestone served as administrative assistant to UAW founding president, Walter Reuther.
By Ward's Staff • Nov. 19, 2007 -
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ZAP Launches Chinese Production of Sedans, Pickups
The new facility in China's Shandong province has capacity to produce up to 4,000 electric vehicles per month.
By Alan Harman • Nov. 5, 2007 -
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New Day for Plastic Panels
With a new name and owner, the former GE Plastics is trying to re-introduce auto makers to the unique benefits of composites.
By Drew Winter • Nov. 2, 2007 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Scoring Internet Leads Next Up
Manhattan Beach, Ca With youthful enthusiasm but no customer base, David Metter began his automotive career at a Dayton, OH, dealership as the youngest person on the sales floor. He says he realized quickly there was much more to selling cars than greeting customers at the door. So he took it upon himself to build a prospecting and follow-up system. It helped make him a top Chrysler salesman in the
By Steve Finlay • Nov. 1, 2007 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Dealers Sell Cars Below Invoice
Selling below invoice once was something a dealer would do for a special customer, close friend or relative. Today, it's a common occurrence. And given market conditions, selling below invoice threatens to become even more prevalent. Edmunds.com through May found almost 60 nameplates representing 21 brands selling below invoice, the wholesale price the dealer pays the auto maker. The models, all '07s,
By Frank S. Washington • Nov. 1, 2007 -
Courtesy of WardsAuto
Spare Tires Face a Phase Out
Slowly but surely, spare tires are being phased out as original equipment on new vehicles, as auto makers turn to run-flat tires or inflation kits to save space and reduce weight. Run-flats, which have been on the market for years, are on average nearly twice the price of traditional tires. They also affect vehicle performance, making it necessary for auto makers to work closely with tire suppliers
By Byron Pope • Nov. 1, 2007
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