Operations: Page

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    A Chance To Shine

    Quasar International Inc. may be on the path to becoming a star.

    By David E. Zoia • April 1, 2007
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    Industry Debates DMS Security

    So, what is the deal with the Reynolds and Reynolds Co.'s third-party integration strategy?

    By Cliff Banks • April 1, 2007
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    Trendline

    Automotive Manufacturing

    Production strategies are changing rapidly as tariffs and shifts in consumer buying patterns affect the industry.

    By WardsAuto staff
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    Subprime Becomes Deal-Saver ‘Must’

    Subprime is growing so rapidly as a revenue source for franchised dealers that it has become indispensable for closing sales on almost every new-vehicle and used-vehicle brand

    By Mac Gordon • March 23, 2007
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    Phil Long Customers Have It ‘My Way’

    A Colorado-area dealer group implements “My Ride-My Way” sales process to enhance its customer relationships.

    By Emily Prawdzik Genoff • March 12, 2007
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    Saab Moving 9-3 Range to BioPower

    Saab will start sales of the 9-3 BioPower models in the Nordic markets, the U.K. and Ireland.

    By Scott Anderson • March 5, 2007
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    Freudenberg’s MicronAir Striving for N. American Sales

    Cabin air filters are common in Europe and Asia but remain a tough sell in North America, where less than half of new cars have them.

    By Tom Murphy • March 5, 2007
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    Monte Carlo Reaches End of Line

    The decision to end Monte Carlo output reflects sagging sales, as well as the need to prepare for the late-2008 start of Camaro production at Oshawa.

    By Scott Anderson • March 1, 2007
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    Pre-Owned Gains Importance

    LAS VEGAS Franchised new-car dealers will sell more used vehicles this year, predicts Paul Taylor, chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Assn.

    By • March 1, 2007
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    Attacking Blindspots

    Teenagers in drivers training classes learn not to lurk in the “blindspot,” that area beside and slightly behind a vehicle that is hard to see with conventional side-view mirrors.

    By Tom Murphy • March 1, 2007
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    Bullet-Proof Your Dealership

    At 7:00 a.m. in a perfect world, there wouldn't be a criminal coming to a dealership for vehicle service, wandering the showroom while waiting for his car, and deciding to take a credit application and several copies of drivers' licenses that were left on a salesperson's desk the night before.

    By Robert W. Linkonis Sr. • March 1, 2007
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    Researchers Strive to Eliminate Rattles

    University researchers develop an analytical tool to help eradicate rattles.

    By Herb Shuldiner • Feb. 26, 2007
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    Malibu Output to Fall in May

    About 35% of Malibu output goes to rental fleets, but GM plans to reduce that to 25% with the ’08 model.

    By Ward's Staff • Feb. 22, 2007
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    Big Sales Anticipated for New Mini

    Mini expects record sales in the U.S. to return with the second-generation subcompact, even if total sales fall shy of the U.K.’s anticipated tally for the year.

    By Alisa Priddle • Feb. 14, 2007
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    Scion xA Could Make Comeback

    The No.1 customer complaint was the old xA and xB were not powerful enough.

    By • Feb. 8, 2007
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    AskPatty Partners With MyCarPage, Chrome Systems

    The MyCarPage.com partnership will allow women to create a personal vehicle Web page that will provide them with service reminders and other information.

    By Emily Prawdzik Genoff • Feb. 6, 2007
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    eBay Motors Provides Dealers With More Options

    eBay Motors unveils Local Market, a subscription-based service that enables franchise dealers to list their used-car lot to area buyers.

    By Emily Prawdzik Genoff • Feb. 5, 2007
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    Astra, G8 Crossing Pond for Chicago

    The Astra sold five times as many units in Europe vs. the Ion it replaces in the U.S.

    By Scott Anderson • Feb. 4, 2007
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    NYC Fire Chief Shares Inspirational 9/11 Experience

    Retired New York City Fire Chief and World Trade Center survivor Richard Picciotto shares his experience at NADA.

    By Emily Prawdzik Genoff • Feb. 3, 2007
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    NADA, EPA Urge Dealership Energy Conservation

    A new joint program aims to cut dealerships’ energy use by 10%, which could save nearly $193 million and prevent more than 1-million tons of CO2 emissions annually.

    By • Feb. 1, 2007
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    Automotive Web Sites Often Fall Short

    You can't frustrate and annoy people into liking your brand. Yet a lot of automotive websites seem to be trying to do that, says Ron Rogowski, a senior analyst for Forrester Research.

    By • Feb. 1, 2007
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    Aisin Building Czech Plant

    Japan's Aisin AI Co. Ltd. plans to construct a new 6-speed transmission plant in Brno, Czech Republic, the country's second-largest city.

    By Peter Homola • Feb. 1, 2007
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    Train Those Service Advisors

    Many dealerships have paid for service-advisor sales training, only to learn they wasted their money. Dealer principals and managers often tell me they didn't receive a return on their investment of time or money in such training.

    By Lee Harkins • Feb. 1, 2007
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    Get Ready for Soft Year in ‘07

    After a year of record level sales, auto remarketers were optimistic, yet realistic, about 2006 numbers. Last year's sales did show weakness, but there were many pockets of strength in the industry

    By Emily Prawdzik Genoff • Feb. 1, 2007
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    Be a Great Online Marketer

    The surge in online car shopping underscores how important it is for dealers to market inventories on the Internet in a way that grabs shoppers' eyes.

    By Jim Leman • Feb. 1, 2007
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    Baggage Free

    It's just not cool to make minivans anymore.It's debatable if minivans ever were cool — just ask any 30-something who grew up sandwiched between a cooler of Capri Sun and mesh bag of soccer balls.

    By Scott Anderson • Feb. 1, 2007