Operations: Page

COURT MEDIATING IS LIKE CAR DEALING

My experience as an automobile dealer and sales entrepreneur is extremely valuable in performing my duties as a court mediator. I'VE SERVED AS A MEDIATOR IN THE MEDIATION Center of the Pacific for the past decade. This post-retirement career began with several intensive weekend training sessions, followed by regular sessions in the local courts. The goal is to settle disputes in lieu of actual court

By Nat Shulman • May 1, 2001

$3.5 million dealership helps sales

I didn't expect the new building would boost business. MIDLAND, MI Seven years after he took over an ailing Chrysler-Plymouth Dodge store in this city of about 65,000, Bob Feeny has relocated into a new $3.5 million structure on the growing north side of town. Chrysler's great range of products has allowed me to fulfill this dream in only seven years, declares Mr. Feeny at his office right alongside

May 1, 2001

Softer economy is a good time to buy more dealerships

To see the Ward's Megadealer 100 list, click here. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader For free download, click here. For more Wards Megadealer 100 information, click here. Auto sales reached a record level in 2000, and that truth is reflected in this years Wards Megadealer 100, which has evolved from just a list of the most successful dealer groups to a barometer of the automotive retail marketplace. Fueled

By Tim Keenan • May 1, 2001

Autobytel to Acquire Autoweb

Automotive dot-com consolidation continues as pioneer third-party lead generator Autobytel.com acquires its struggling competitor, Autoweb. Autobytel President and CEO Mark Lorimer describes it as an “acquisition by merger.” The principals expect to complete the deal in the third quarter. It will involve a tax-free exchange of stocks with an estimated value of $15 million. Autoweb stockholders will

By Cliff Banks • April 12, 2001

New Speed Sensor Boasts Higher Accuracy

Wixom, MI-based A-DAT Corp. introduces a new, more accurate speed and distance sensor for automotive research and development applications. Dubbed OS1, it is claimed to be the first speed and distance sensor based on digital optical correlation which makes it more accurate than current contact and non-contact speed sensors such as those used for 5th wheels (contact) and radar Doppler systems (non-contact),

By Drew Winter • April 1, 2001

American Axle Shows SmartBar, Driveline/Chassis Module

American Axle & Mfg. unveils several new technologies to further expand the company's market reach, including SmartBar, an electronically actuated stabilizer module designed to maximize sport/utility vehicle (SUV) off-road performance. SmartBar employs an integrated electronic control module to disengage the stabilizer bar, allowing full wheel travel on rough terrain, and it can be driver and/or automatically

By David E. Zoia • April 1, 2001

Acunia Presses for Open Telematics Framework

Belgium-based Acunia continues its almost evangelistic efforts to get the telematics world to adopt an open framework for the next generation of telematics devices. Telematics creates the connection that enables drivers to connect to virtually any information or service provider in the world. Acunia, formerly Smart Move, laid out its vision of a telematics future at the 2001 SAE in Detroit early last

By Mike Arnholt • April 1, 2001

American Iron and Steel Institute Makes Budget Cuts

The American Iron and Steel Institute apparently has spared its research and development efforts from substantial budget cuts instituted in March due to declining membership. Once the envy of other material consortiums for its mammoth budget, AISI's UltraLight Steel Auto Body Advanced Vehicle Concept (ULSAB-AVC) program remains on schedule for an October disclosure, an AISI insider assures. Research

By Brian Corbett • April 1, 2001

New Goodyear is pretty corny

Goodyear's new GT3 tire, introduced at the Geneva auto show, is the first tire to use corn that's right, hot off the cob as a filler compound to partially replace traditionally used carbon and silica. The corn-based filler is called BioTRED and was developed at Good-year's Luxembourg technical center over a five-year period. Those five years apparently weren't wasted, as Goodyear says BioTRED offers

By Bill Siuru • April 1, 2001

The Ultimate Gridlock

OK, I'm sure you've seen the stats. There are 6 billion people on the face of the planet, and all of the demographic trends show it will hit 9 billion in the next 25 years. There are 700 million vehicles scurrying about on the world's roads, and that will top 1 billion by the end of the decade. If the rest of the world ever gets to the level of personal automobile ownership that we enjoy in the United

By John McElroy • April 1, 2001

Mitsubishi dealers get first crack at all-new DMS

Diamond Manage is a fully integrated lead generation and dealer management system Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America Inc. (MMSA) rolls out a new dealer management system during the second quarter of 2001. The company expects it to radically change the information processes currently driving automotive dealerships. Installations were slated to begin in the first quarter but were delayed as wrinkles

April 1, 2001

Composite Sketch

Composites are appearing more and more to be the hottest material in the automotive industry. The latest forecast by the Automotive Composites Alliance predicts composites use will rise by 34% from 350 million lbs. in 2001 to 467 million lbs. by 2004. That outpaces the 7% annual growth rate expected for aluminum, a material often in the spotlight because of its high profile battle with steel. The

By Brian Corbett • April 1, 2001

Dealer-customer relationship changes

Peter Brandow has carefully thought through this Internet phenomenon. And the results at his three Philadelphia-area dealerships reflect that pondering. His three stores initiated a total of 1,085 vehicle sales on line in 2000. His definition of an Internet sale is strict. Any sale that could not be done on line because of some aspect of the process is not considered a true Internet sale. So it's

By Cliff Banks • April 1, 2001

SAE 2001: Wacker-Chemie Touts Silicone Products

Wacker-Chemie GmbH, one of the world's largest silicone producers, and several of its subsidiaries used SAE 2001 to tout a range of silicone materials and gasket materials. The parent company, based in Munich, Germany, exhibited at SAE with a variety of other German companies. At a news conference, officials of Wacker Silicones Corp., a subsidiary based in Adrian, MI, explained how the company is

By Drew Winter • March 9, 2001

SAE 2001: Acunia Presses for Open Telematics Framework

Belgium-based Acunia continues its almost evangelistic efforts to get the telematics world to adopt an open framework for the next generation of telematics devices. Telematics creates the connection that enables drivers to connect to virtually any information or service provider in the world. Acunia, formerly Smart Move, laid out its vision of the future of telematics at the 2001 SAE in Detroit on

By Mike Arnholt • March 7, 2001

SAE 2001: New Speed Sensor Boasts Higher Accuracy

A new, more accurate speed and distance sensor for automotive research and development applications was introduced Tuesday at SAE 2001 by Wixom, MI-based A-DAT Corp. Dubbed OS1, it is claimed to be the first speed and distance sensor based on digital optical correlation -- which makes it more accurate than current contact and non-contact speed sensors such as 5th wheels (contact)and radar doppler

By Drew Winter • March 6, 2001

SAE 2001: Three Companies Collaborate to Form SmartSim

MTS Systems Corp., Mechanical Dynamics and nCode International announce the formation of the SmartSim Community to expedite the process of design to production for the auto industry and to promote data sharing. By integrating physical and virtual testing, SmartSim reduces the time, cost and risk normally associated with new vehicle design and development. SmartSim brings together the proving ground,

By Christie Schweinsberg • March 6, 2001

Back in the Saddle?

Northwest Airlines flight 334 from Los Angeles circles, then smoothly lands at Detroit's Metropolitan Airport. As it taxis to the gate, the tall septuagenarian closes the briefcase on his lap, then asks himself: What the hell am I doing here? Unlike the old days, there are no TV cameras, no grungy print reporters and no hangers-on waiting as he walks briskly along the ramp and into the airport. Despite

By David C. Smith • March 1, 2001

WHAT’S ALL THIS ABOUT INCENTIVES?

$Zero down, $zero interest, zero payments ever! This would be the perfect incentive. Who could resist? They'll sell a million cars. If you can find a better deal, take it. OK, fun's over. Let's talk about incentives. First, there always have been incentives, at least since I wrote my first car story back in 1958. But in the distant past they went to the dealer and salespeople: $200 for every sale

By Jerry Flint • March 1, 2001

3RD PARTY DOT-COMS FEWER BUT LOUDER

Although they were considerably fewer in number this year, the third-party dot-com companies still had plenty to say at the NADA convention in Las Vegas. From announcements of new products to strong statements responding to their many critics, the Internet companies still standing show they have plenty of fight left. Here are some examples: Autobytel.com Mark Lorimer opened Autobytel.com's NADA press

By Cliff Banks and Steve Finlay • March 1, 2001

F&I CAN OFFSET VEHICLE SALES SLUMP

Dealers' finance & insurance departments offer a tremendous opportunity to bolster revenues and profits in the face of a domestic-brand sales slump. With sales of domestic new units on the downside lately, dealers are relying on their F&I managers to pursue all possible sources of sales on pre-owned vehicles, as well as new units. So says Michael McHugh, senior vice-president of F&I provider Universal

By Maynard M. Gordon • March 1, 2001

HOW TO PROFIT IN A SALES DOWNTURN

I'm not suggesting that you write the franchise a termination letter, but rather take as much control as possible of your individual destiny. During this year's NADA Convention in Las Vegas, I visited with many dealers whose optimism fell below last year's convention. This year, there seemed to be a common theme to most of the conversations I had with dealers. The most commonly repeated comments I

By Tony Noland • March 1, 2001

What Fools These Mortals Be

When I was a little boy, there were three newspapers in Detroit including The Detroit Times, which had a pink front page. But what I remember best were the swell Sunday comics which we called the funnies: Maggie and Jiggs, Dagwood and Blondie, The Little King, Flash Gordon, Prince Valiant, all the good ones. On the top of the first comics page there was a drawing of this Cupid-like kid (it was someone

By Jerry Flint • March 1, 2001

Incentives: the drug of the auto industry

Incentives are addictive, and it will be tough to get consumers to kick that habit, says Rik Kinney, vice president of the Dohring Co., an automotive industry research firm. Incentives have become like a drug, he says. And, he adds, rehab won't be easy. I don't know if there is a methadone for incentives. I think they're here to stay. Incentives propped up last year's record high vehicle sales as

By Steve Finlay • March 1, 2001

The Big Hangover

What a party. Lots of great food and good company, the wine overfloweth. Things got a little wild. You remember the table dancing, followed by the spur-of-the-moment trip on the company jet to Memphis for fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches. So now that New Year's Eve is over, you feel like two miles of the Southfield Freeway. The human body, you mutter, isn't supposed to take this much abuse.

By Tom Murphy • March 1, 2001