F&I Magazine and Showroom

Auction Genius Launches at NADA

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 12:00:21 PST

The 2012 NADA convention marked the culmination of four years’ of planning, research and development for Todd Kinzle, president of Auction Genius, and his software development team.

Inilex Showcases Recovery, Tracking Devices

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:58:31 PST

Michael Maledon, president and CEO of Chandler, Ariz.-based Inilex Inc., traveled to last weekend’s NADA convention to showcase his company’s SkyLINK device and SkyLINK Protect service, which he described as the “next generation” of vehicle-recovery and –tracking technology.

FordDirect Debuts DealerConnection Elite Website Service

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:48:31 PST

FordDirect announced the launch of its new website solution for Ford and Lincoln Dealers, DealerConnection Elite.

FordDirect Launches DealerConnection Video Showroom

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:47:21 PST

FordDirect, a joint venture between Ford Motor Company and its franchised dealers, launched DealerConnection Vehicle Showroom (VSR). The solution is based on SiSTeR's Technologies' VSHOC and Publisher platform.

Dealer.com Updates SocialRelationship Manager

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:46:19 PST

Dealer.com unveiled an enhanced version of its SocialRelationship Manager (SRM) solution, which aggregates every major online social media channel into a single-login access page called ControlCenter.

Dealer.com Launches Digital Website Suite

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:45:19 PST

Dealer.com announced the launch of Dealer.com Digital Website Suite, an integrated marketing solution that offers tools for video, mobile, enhanced inventory merchandising and management, analytics and reporting.

Manheim Releases Annual Used-Car Market Report

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:33:02 PST

Manheim Consulting’s 17th annual report on the used-car market revealed that auto manufacturers, rental car companies, lenders and dealers increased revenues and earnings in 2011 despite a weak economic backdrop.

CUDL, OVE.com, GE Capital Fleet Services Launch Online Buying Network

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:29:55 PST

CUDL announced a new initiative with Manheim’s OVE.com (Online Vehicle Exchange) and GE Capital Fleet Services that will offer a new online vehicle buying program to CUDL’s dealer network.

Experian Automotive Launches Market Data Tool

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:28:42 PST

Experian Automotive announced the launch of Velocity, an online business intelligence tool that combines automotive data with advanced analytics, enabling automotive professionals to better understand the market, vehicles and consumers.

VW Credit’s Stuart Named Chair of AFSA Vehicle Finance Division

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:26:47 PST

The American Financial Services Association (AFSA) named Andrew Stuart as chair of the trade group's Vehicle Finance Division Advisory Board.

HookLogic Integrates Polk Intelligence

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:24:48 PST

HookLogic announced it will integrate Polk's predictive lead scoring and segmentation data into version 2.0 of its Lead to Show solution for automotive dealers.

Westlake Announces 2011 Top Auctions

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:22:21 PST

Westlake Financial Services named Norwalk Auto Auction as its overall 2011 Auction of the Year.

Economy, Aging Vehicles Drive ‘Do-It-Yourselfers,’ AutoMD.com Reports

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:19:18 PST

The economy and aging vehicle population continues to spur more car owners to do more of their own auto repairs, according to AutoMD.com’s 2012 DIY Report.

Response Logix, Digital Air Strike Announce Merger

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:17:48 PST

Response Logix and Digital Air Strike announced a merger of their two companies at this past weekend’s National Automobile Dealers Association Convention.

AutoTrader.com Launches New Advertising Services

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:15:56 PST

AutoTrader.com has launched make-based, new-car advertising packages, a new display advertising unit and dedicated specialists to assist dealers with co-op fund compliance.

GM, NCM Associates Offer Profitability Consulting for Minority Dealers

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 11:14:21 PST

NCM Associates was selected by General Motors Minority Dealer Development (GM MDD) as the exclusive provider of an in-dealership consulting program designed to improve automotive dealership profitability.

Volvo Launches U.S. Captive Finance Arm

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 9:26:00 PST

Volvo Cars of North America announced the establishment of Volvo Car Financial Services, which will begin providing financial services products to Volvo retailers in all 50 states later this year.

Dominion Launches Inventory Management Tools

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 13:07:51 PST

Dominion Dealer Solutions announced the launch of its integrated Inventory Management system. It combines inventory data, analytics and merchandising.

Dominion Launches 'Be Back' Mobile App

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 13:06:11 PST

Dominion Dealer Solutions has launched the "Be Back" app, a dealer-branded consumer mobile app designed to give vehicle management oversight on the owner's mobile device.

ADP Dealer Services, Cisco Release Video-Enabled Products

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 13:05:02 PST

ADP Dealer Services and Cisco announced the launch of Cisco Cius and Cisco TelePresence, two video-enabled products geared towards streamlining dealership selling and service processes.

DealerTrack Introduces Inventory Management Platform

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 13:03:43 PST

DealerTrack announced the introduction of DealerTrack eCarList, an inventory management and merchandising platform that combines live retail market data with historical data to appraise, price and merchandise vehicles.

DealerTrack Launches DealerTrack Mobile

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 13:02:45 PST

DealerTrack announced the release of DealerTrack Mobile, a mobile application that enables dealers to manage and monitor finance and consumer credit application activities in real-time from their Apple iPhone or iPad.

VIDEO: Tip of the Week

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:41:12 PST

If the customer says “No” to a product, don’t ask “Why?” Instead, have a conversation. Gerry Gould shows you how in this week’s Tip of the Week.

New-Car Sales to Reach 13.9 Million, NADA’s Taylor Predicts

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:21:49 PST

Paul Taylor, chief economist of the National Automobile Dealers Association, said 2012 will be another rebuilding year for the industry, and predicts sales will reach 13.945 million units this year.

Barrett Rejoins Resource Automotive

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:20:53 PST

Steve Barrett has returned to Resource Automotive, where he will once again oversee the company’s reinsurance offerings.

AAGI Announces Key Appointments

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 12:20:13 PST

American Auto Guardian Inc. announced the promotions of Kristen Gruber and Andrew Wilson. Gruber was named vice president of product development, while Andrew Wilson has joined the sales team as Eastern regional vice president.

Polk Provides Internet Lead Conversion Reporting for Autobytel

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:38:03 PST

Polk announced it will provide internet lead conversion reporting to Autobytel.

New-Car Dealers Question Factory Image Programs, NADA Reports

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:36:37 PST

Many new-car dealers have questions and are not convinced that the factory upgrades they are being asked to complete will result in an increased return on investment, according to a study commissioned by the NADA.

DMEautomotive Launches Mobile App

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:33:54 PST

DMEautomotive unveiled its Driver Connect dealer-branded mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

Used-Car Prices Will Rise Again in 2012

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:31:41 PST

Increasing demand and a drop in the supply of used cars and trucks will lead to higher used-vehicle prices in 2012, says NADA Used Car Guide’s Jonathan Banks.

Reynolds Upgrades docuPAD

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:31:03 PST

Reynolds and Reynolds Co. announced a number of enhancements to docuPAD, the company’s interactive F&I selling tool and document processing system.

TIME, Ally Financial Honor 2012 Dealer of the Year

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:29:08 PST

Mike Shaw, dealer principal of Denver-based Mike Shaw Chevrolet Saab, Colo., was named the 2012 national TIME Dealer of the Year at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention & Exposition in Las Vegas on Feb. 4.

Ally: Auto Dealers Optimistic in 2012

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:27:10 PST

A survey by Ally Financial revealed that nearly half the dealers polled at the 2012 National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention expect their sales to increase by 10 to 20 percent this year.

Dynamique Auto Dealer Solutions Launches Sales DMS

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:25:36 PST

Dynamique Auto Dealer Solutions Inc. (DADS) announced the release of the Sales Edition of their DMS, which includes desking, F&I, and tablet-computing trade inspection application products.

Allstate to Open In-Dealership Insurance Agencies

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:24:22 PST

Allstate Insurance Co. and Allstate Dealer Services announced that auto dealers will have the opportunity to open full-service Allstate agencies inside their dealerships.

CarsDirect Adds Carfax Vehicle History Reports

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:23:00 PST

CarsDirect announced it has added Carfax Vehicle History Reports to its used-car listings at Carsdirect.com and Sellmycar.com.

Reynolds Adds Functionality to ERA-IGNITE DMS

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:21:55 PST

Reynolds and Reynolds Co. has announced a number of new functions and enhancements available for the company’s ERA-IGNITE dealership management system.

RouteOne Launches BlackBerry App

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:20:53 PST

RouteOne announced the availability of its free BlackBerry app, available for download from RouteOne’s website.

Auto/Mate Releases F&I Desking System

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:19:38 PST

Auto/Mate Dealership Systems announced the introduction of Desk/Mate, an F&I desking system for auto dealers that is available as part of Auto/Mate’s dealership management system (DMS) software.

Dealer.com Launches Advertising Solution

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:18:37 PST

Dealer.com announced the launch of Dealer.com Advertising, an integrated automotive advertising solution which pairs paid search and display advertising capabilities with dealers’ inventory and incentives.

Dimension, NASC Announce Merger

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:17:11 PST

Dimension Service Corp. (DSC) and National Administrative Service Co. (NASC) announced the merging of their two companies to form Allegiance Administrators LLC.

Ally Tops Experian Rankings

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:15:13 PST

Experian Automotive announced that Ally Financial was the top consumer auto sales financier in the U.S. marketplace.

Experian Automotive Launches AutoCheck Elite

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:13:51 PST

Experian Automotive has launched AutoCheck Elite, a program for automotive dealers that provides information and insights into the market, vehicles and customers.

Chrysler Group, Carfax Renew Partnership

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:12:23 PST

Chrysler Group LLC and Carfax announced that Carfax Vehicle History Reports will continue as the sole source of vehicle history information for the Chrysler Certified Pre-Owned program.

F&I Takes Center Stage

Mon, 6 Feb 2012 14:11:41 PST

Establishing a better connection between the F&I office and today's Internet customer was top of mind at this year's annual dealer conference. Word in the aisle ways is that solutions aimed at doing just that will be hitting the market this summer.

Head of the Class

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 9:04:48 PST

Since buckling down and hitting the books in 2011, the finance team at Hoy Fox Toyota has been enjoying bigger numbers and stronger confidence in their store’s processes.

ODE, CUDL Announce DMS Integration

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 8:22:23 PST

Open Dealer Exchange LLC announced an agreement for integration with CUDL, which will provide lenders with direct credit application and contract validation data directly from the dealership management system.

Sales Pace at 14.18 Million in January

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 7:39:05 PST

Retail sales rose 11.4 percent in January, with the industry pacing at a 14.18 million seasonally adjusted annual sales rate — the highest rate since the government’s Cash for Clunkers program in August 2009, according to AutoData.

Return to Normalcy

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:51:47 PST

The industry shifts its gaze to leasing as the segment realizes gains and prompts dealers to update their processes.

Closing the Gap

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:49:05 PST

Get a complete breakdown of a GAP objection-handling technique insurance companies don’t want you to know about.

F&I’s Social Link

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:45:44 PST

Social media represents an opportunity for the F&I office to be seen, heard and trusted.

Selling the Service ‘Up’

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:41:18 PST

Fixed-ops expert opens his four-part series on establishing a sales process for parts and service with a primer on what considerations need to be made.

Reading the Tea Leaves

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:33:42 PST

The industry has been waiting for signs on how the CFPB would approach anything auto. The magazine’s resident legal wiz says the agency has finally tipped its hand.

Winning Online

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:29:16 PST

The magazine’s resident sales strategist breaks down the key investments dealers need to make to win online.

The Culture Equation

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:25:31 PST

If you want to be a top-flight dealership, you’ll need to be clear about who you are and what you’re about. ‘Da Man’ explains.

Word for Word

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:23:03 PST

Our from-the-trenches columnist says that word-tracks still have their place in the industry — even if he doesn’t necessarily subscribe to their intended purpose.

Under Construction

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:21:42 PST

Building the virtual F&I office really shouldn’t be that difficult. If you know how to overcome an objection, you already have your first post.

NADA University Launches Dealership “All-Stars” Program

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:13:35 PST

NADA University has launched a video series called “NADA U All-Stars” to recognize dealership personnel who have turned skills and ideas generated from NADA U programs into successful practice at their stores.

MBFS to Appear on DealerTrack Credit Platform

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:12:41 PST

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC and DealerTrack announced that MBFS will become a lender on the DealerTrack credit application network beginning in March.

Subaru Selects Carfax for Certified Pre-Owned Program

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:11:18 PST

Subaru of America Inc. has named Carfax as its official provider of vehicle history information for the Subaru Certified Pre-Owned program.

Consumer Confidence Experiences 3 Percent Dip

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:10:18 PST

The Conference Board announced that the Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased in December, retreated in January. The Index now stands at 61.1, down from 64.8 in December.

Vehix and Carfax Announce Further Integration

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:06:10 PST

Vehix and Carfax have extended their partnership to include Carfax vehicle history links with every vehicle listed on Vehix.com.

GM Financial Selects DataScan for Commercial Lending Business

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:05:12 PST

GM Financial announced it has chosen DataScan Technologies LLC as its systems provider for the captive’s Commercial Lending Services business.

ActivEngage, HookLogic Announce Integration Strategy

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:03:48 PST

ActivEngage and HookLogic announced a strategic alliance combining the companies' live chat and targeted incentive technologies into a comprehensive solution for automotive dealers.

KBB Values Integrates with Auction Genius

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 15:02:44 PST

Kelley Blue Book (KBB) announced that its Auction Value solution has integrated with Auction Genius, a web-based software provider for auto dealers buying vehicles at auction.

E-Credit Express Announces Partnership

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:28:29 PST

E-Credit Express Inc. announced that it has integrated Carleton’s SmartDocs and SmartCalcs hosted web services into the company’s lender management platform.

eBay Motors Updates iPhone App

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:22:35 PST

eBay Motors has updated its eBay Motors Apple iPhone app to allow users to simply take a picture of a vehicle to instantly search for it on eBay and stream live, exclusive content.

Chrome Enhances VIN Decoding Solution

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:21:18 PST

Chrome Data Solutions LP announced the release of Automotive Description Service (ADS) 7.0, along with a new basic description version of the web-based service.

Perception Trumps Reality for New-Car Buyers, Study Finds

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:19:57 PST

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 Avoider Study indicated that more than 40 percent of new-vehicle buyers said they based their opinions on conventional wisdom or common knowledge rather than personal experience, reviews, ratings or recommendations.

Flagship Credit Renews and Increases Credit Facility

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:18:40 PST

Flagship announced that it has entered into an agreement with Wells Fargo Bank to renew and increase its commercial credit facility to $175 million.

Delinquency Rates Improved in 2011, Equifax Reports

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:17:54 PST

Equifax's December National Credit Trends Report revealed that U.S. consumers were much more diligent in paying down their debts in 2011.

vAuto Inventory Management System Goes Mobile

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:17:19 PST

vAuto’s Provision inventory management system is now available on Android- and Apple-powered smartphones and mobile devices.

Auto/Mate Launches Data Protection Service

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:15:50 PST

Auto/Mate’s new service audits vendors that have access to the company’s dealership management system and provides a monthly report of all the vendors that have access to dealership data.

MPi to Reveal EDGE WorldClass PORTAL at NADA

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:14:55 PST

MPi’s EDGE WorldClass PORTAL takes the company’s Know Your Vehicle Report and generates personalized web pages that include detailed service recommendations, photos, videos and diagnostics.

'Dr. J' to Sign Autographs in Safe-Guard NADA Booth

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:13:46 PST

Basketball legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving will be available for autographs and pictures during a meet and greet in Booth No. 330 at the 2012 NADA Convention & Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

ODE Integrates With VW Credit

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:12:52 PST

The partnership between Open Dealer Exchange and VW Credit includes processing credit application and contract data within the dealer management system.

CAR-Research XRM to Unveil New Mobile CRM

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:10:59 PST

CAR-Research XRM’s mobile CRM enables users to update accounts, access sales and service stats, follow up on leads and more from their smartphone.

VinSolution Integrates Dealer Chat Software

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:10:04 PST

VinSolutions has integrated Contact At Once! dealer chat software, enabling fully integrated tracking of website visitors using real-time analytics and proactive chat greetings.

Ford Motor Credit Earns $1.8 Billion Net Income in 2011

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:09:05 PST

Ford Motor Credit Company reported net income of $1.8 billion in 2011, compared with $2 billion a year earlier. On a pre-tax basis, Ford Credit earned $2.4 billion in 2011, compared with $3.1 billion in the previous year.

SFG Finance Launches Loyalty Program

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:08:18 PST

A new partnership between SFG Finance and Subprime Analytics will provide dealers with access to the SFG Finance National Subprime Loan portfolio program. Sellers of portfolios also will gain access to key analytics.

Auction Genius Launches Auction Software

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:06:47 PST

Auction Genius announced the launch of its web-based software solution for auto dealers buying vehicles at auction.

Hyundai Tops Rankings in NADA Dealer Satisfaction Survey

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:05:54 PST

Hyundai topped the rankings for the third consecutive time in the NADA’s Dealer Attitude Survey. Subaru and Lexus came in at No. 2 and 3, respectively.

Consumer Interest in Trucks Sign of Mending Economy, AutoTrader Reports

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:00:47 PST

Significant interest in full-size trucks is a positive indication that the economy is on the mend, according to AutoTrader’s New Car Insights Report for January.

Web Traffic Up on NADAguides.com

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:59:50 PST

Traffic and visitor activity on NADAguides.com picked up between the third and fourth quarter of last year, the site reported today.

Iapps24 Launches iDealer Mobile App

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:57:11 PST

Mobile app creator iapps24 launched iDealer, a customer-facing mobile solution for car dealers that features hyper-local and interactive tools.

Social Media Links Increase Website Usefulness, New Study Finds

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:48:13 PST

The most useful automotive websites consistently integrate access to social media platforms throughout their pages, a new study by J.D. Power and Associates indicates.

J.D. Power Sees 6 Percent Sales Increase in January

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:46:16 PST

J.D. Power and Associates and LMC Automotive project January new-vehicle sales to be at 681,000 units, a 6 percent year-over-year increase.

Consumers See Less Difference Between Car Brands, Survey Finds

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:45:16 PST

A survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center revealed that the difference perceived between the top car brands and the challengers is shrinking.

DealerSocket Adds Rating Tool to MarketPlace Line

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:43:50 PST

DealerSocket’s MarketPlace Social features customizable options and allows dealers to solicit ratings for social media rating sites such as Yelp, Google and DealerRater.

KBB Predicts 10 Percent Increase in January New-Car Sales

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 9:57:59 PST

Kelley Blue Book analysts project January new-vehicle sales to pace at a 13.2 million seasonally adjusted annualized rate, and lists the European debt crisis and heightened tensions with Iran as threats to industry sales this year.

Media Firm, Experian Team Up on TV Advertising Solution

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 9:31:29 PST

TRA Inc. and Experian Automotive announced the launch of “Media TRAnalytics TV Auto Ratings," a patented software solution designed to help advertisers target networks and programs that best reach their desired consumers.

Meet the Chairman

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:16:25 PST

William P. Underriner is NADA’s 2012 chairman, and he’s looking forward to a good year for dealers.

6 Digital Marketing Tools to Consider

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:57:28 PST

Digital marketing tools are sure to line the aisle ways at this year’s annual dealer conference. The magazine’s marketing expert lists six solutions you need to consider.

10 ‘Next’ Practices for F&I

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:48:33 PST

Don’t let so-called ‘best practices’ get in the way of your performance or your customers’ needs. The magazine’s resident F&I expert lists the 10 ‘next practices’ that are driving processes at top dealerships.

Changing the Rules

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:38:44 PST

Mota Motors isn’t looking to jump into the pricing game with its new platform for marketing used inventory online. In fact, the company’s chief executive says Mota is creating a whole new category for digital marketing.

Lenders Talk Shop

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:29:12 PST

At the magazine’s annual conference, finance executives reflected on the trends that defined 2011 and reaffirmed their commitment to the indirect lending channel in the year ahead.

10 Predictions for 2012

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:24:30 PST

The magazine’s legal wiz shines up his crystal ball to offer his predictions on how the CFPB and the FTC will flex their regulatory muscles in 2012.

Under Fire

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:13:04 PST

After his business came under intense scrutiny, TrueCar’s Scott Painter began reaching out to media outlets to tell his side of the story. The following is an abridged version of the editor’s discussion with the company’s founder.

Pa. Bill Striking F&I Markup Cap Awaits Gov.’s Signature

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:28:20 PST

Legislation aimed at eliminating a 10-year-old cap on markups of certain F&I products was sent to Gov. Tom Corbett’s office yesterday after passing the Pennsylvania General Assembly. He is expected to sign the legislation into law in 10 days.

VIDEO: Tip of the Week

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:33:04 PST

F&I Coach John Vecchioni details a simple and effective process for introducing customers to the service department.