Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Why upset car dealers are trying to find a way around Google]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/why-upset-car-dealers-are-trying-to-find-a-way-around-google/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/why-upset-car-dealers-are-trying-to-find-a-way-around-google/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/02/why-upset-car-dealers-are-trying-to-find-a-way-around-google/#commentsFiled under: ,



Google is always trying new things, and everyone knows that new things don't always work out. But the search engine company's location on the Internet roadmap is a natural lure to its hundreds of millions visitors, so even when not-so-popular Google projects don't work out - like Wave and Buzz, for instance - or get entirely reworked, like Google Sync, it can affect a lot of people and businesses.

In August 2012, Google's social media portal Google+ (think of it as Google's version of Facebook) purged thousands of reviews left on the Google+ pages of car dealerships and changed the algorithm for how reviews are rated. According to Automotive News, one dealer saw 300 published reviews drop to just 11, another lost 145 reviews, yet another dealer had 400 reviews go "poof" over the course of two days. Google never truly explained its actions, noting that its efforts to remove all "spammy" reviews, like those solicited from customers and written at the dealership, for instance, would mean perfectly legitimate reviews might also be eliminated. That sent hundreds of dealers - especially those who had gone from positive to negative overall ratings - immediately on the hunt for another way to get reviews.

Five months later, dealers are still searching, with sites like DealerRater.com, Cars.com, DriverSide.com among the top destinations. The key to finding a supplement to Google+ is ensuring that third-party-site reviews get the prominence they need. A dealership's Google+ page will show reviews from other sites and it's possible to get them to show up in Google search results, but it's more complex than when everything was in one place, and right now, there's still the need to rebuild the goodwill that the purged positive reviews were creating. The power of positive reviews is continually evident in the amount of increased traffic online and in the store, so it's something dealers can't walk away from. Which takes us back to Google's location on the Internet road map: It means dealers could have a long walk ahead.

Why upset car dealers are trying to find a way around Google originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jan 2013 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto salescar dealerscar salesdealer ratingsdealerrater.comdealershipgooglegoogle plusgoogle+review sitesWed, 02 Jan 2013 18:27:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20414473/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/02/why-upset-car-dealers-are-trying-to-find-a-way-around-google/20414473/article-detail.xml 20414473 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/luxury-car-dealer-lot_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/luxury-car-dealer-lot.jpg <![CDATA[Why Google is frustrating your local car dealer]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/28/why-google-is-frustrating-your-local-car-dealer/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/28/why-google-is-frustrating-your-local-car-dealer/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/08/28/why-google-is-frustrating-your-local-car-dealer/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Google logoCar salesmen have long ranked among the most universally reviled members of society, just south of real estate agents and lawyers. But the past decade has seen the plaid sports jacket and gold chain crowd doing much to bolster their image, with many auto dealers building impressive online reputations by cultivating positive customer feedback.

That's where this latest tale of woe begins: Automotive News is reporting that Google has been deleting hundreds of reviews of dealerships from its Google+ Local pages, but doing so in a capricious and arbitrary fashion. The dealerships, as you might expect, are angry.

One Suzuki dealer who reportedly had 400 reviews zapped in two days time told AN, "Google believes it can do whatever it wants and has no accountability." His store saw its positive ranking disappear as a result of the deleted reviews. Google's response was that it has merely been trying to make sure that reviews are "authentic, relevant, and useful," according to the report. The Suzuki store owner and two other dealers have subsequently filed complaints with the Federal Trade Commission.

Google has no formal way for dealers to appeal the deletions, or even understand why they were made, leaving them with little recourse but to go through the process of rebuilding their cache of positive reviews one customer at a time.

Why Google is frustrating your local car dealer originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto dealerscar dealersdealer reviewsdealersdealershipsgooglegoogle reviewsgoogle+google+ localTue, 28 Aug 2012 08:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20309867/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/08/28/why-google-is-frustrating-your-local-car-dealer/20309867/article-detail.xml 20309867 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/google-250_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/google-250.jpg <![CDATA[Big Chevy closeout deals have 2013 Malibu Eco sitting on lots in favor of 2012 models]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/30/big-chevy-closeout-deals-have-2013-malibu-eco-sitting-on-lots-in/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/30/big-chevy-closeout-deals-have-2013-malibu-eco-sitting-on-lots-in/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/30/big-chevy-closeout-deals-have-2013-malibu-eco-sitting-on-lots-in/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2013 Chevy Malibu Eco

First, the good news: The Chevrolet Malibu is selling at a great pace.

Now, the bad news: It's the wrong Malibu.

Dealer lots are filling up with 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco models as customers turn to the remaining 2012 models still there. After incentives are added up, the older Malibu costs about $6,000 less, Automotive News reported.

Through June, General Motors has sold about 7,000 mild-hybrid 2013 Ecos, which get 25 miles per gallon in the city and 37 mpg on the highway, since it launched in March. During the same time frame, Chevrolet has sold 100,000 2012 Malibus, which get 22 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.

Price trumps mileage, is anyone surprised?

Big Chevy closeout deals have 2013 Malibu Eco sitting on lots in favor of 2012 models originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20122013auto salescar dealerschevroletmalibuMon, 30 Jul 2012 17:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20289024/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/07/30/big-chevy-closeout-deals-have-2013-malibu-eco-sitting-on-lots-in/20289024/article-detail.xml 20289024 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/01-2013-chevrolet-malibu-eco-review_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/01-2013-chevrolet-malibu-eco-review.jpg <![CDATA[NADA: Dealers most happy with Hyundai, Subaru and Lexus]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/28/nada-dealers-most-happy-with-hyundai-subaru-and-lexus/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/28/nada-dealers-most-happy-with-hyundai-subaru-and-lexus/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/28/nada-dealers-most-happy-with-hyundai-subaru-and-lexus/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

NADA logoCar dealers have a strange and oftentimes contentious relationship with the carmakers. Stories of automakers shoveling unsaleable models down the pipeline with unreasonable expectations are legion in the car sales world. With the number of family-owned, single-brand dealerships dwindling, dealers often field competing franchises. The concept of loyalty is as quaint as a Lincoln Town Car. So it's worth noting the automotive brands that are actually liked by the guys selling them.

The National Automobile Dealers Association conducts its Dealer Attitude Survey twice each year, and results from the summer survey are in. Hyundai stayed on top for the third time in a row, followed by Subaru, Lexus, Kia, and Mercedes-Benz. The survey measures three factors: "franchise value, automaker policy decisions that affect the dealership and the automaker's field staff who visit dealerships."

Sixth place went to Toyota, while Volkswagen, Porsche, and Audi followed. Cadillac and Honda tied for tenth. NADA received responses from over 14,700 dealerships, representing almost 54 percent of all dealers nationwide.

Click past the jump to read the full press release.

Continue reading NADA: Dealers most happy with Hyundai, Subaru and Lexus

NADA: Dealers most happy with Hyundai, Subaru and Lexus originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car dealersdealerdealer attitude surveydealersnadanada dealer attitude surveynational automobile dealers associationSat, 28 Jan 2012 16:03:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20158831/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/28/nada-dealers-most-happy-with-hyundai-subaru-and-lexus/20158831/article-detail.xml 20158831 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/nada-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/nada-opt.jpg <![CDATA[TrueCar polishing edges off business model to comply with state regulations]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/19/truecar-polishing-edges-off-business-model-to-comply-with-state/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/19/truecar-polishing-edges-off-business-model-to-comply-with-state/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/19/truecar-polishing-edges-off-business-model-to-comply-with-state/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Man polishing new car in showroom

TrueCar has attracted much unwanted attention recently, drawing the ire of Honda and torquing off regulators in several states. In response, the company has announced a series of changes to its business model, designed to address the legality of its service, according to a report in Automotive News.

The biggest change is that dealers in some states will now have to subscribe to the lead service rather than paying a per-vehicle fee for sales closed from a TrueCar referral. Consumers will now have to sign up with TrueCar, providing contact information in the process. Additionally, TrueCar will drop the term "invoice" when describing the deals it offers.

While these changes are expected to mitigate TrueCar's biggest problems, the company also says it will be making its service more dealer-friendly, according to AN. One of the contentious aspects of the TrueCar business model for some dealers has been the requirement that TrueCar have access to the dealer's computers, such that the company can mine sales data. TrueCar says it will be limiting this in the future, along with establishing a national dealer council to procure feedback from its partners.

TrueCar polishing edges off business model to comply with state regulations originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>below invoicecar dealercar dealersdealerdealersdealershipdealershipstruecarThu, 19 Jan 2012 18:21:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20151056/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/01/19/truecar-polishing-edges-off-business-model-to-comply-with-state/20151056/article-detail.xml 20151056 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/man-polishing-car-in-dealership_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/01/man-polishing-car-in-dealership.jpg <![CDATA[Tight used car supply has dealers looking in their own service bays]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/13/tight-used-car-supply-has-dealers-looking-in-their-own-service-b/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/13/tight-used-car-supply-has-dealers-looking-in-their-own-service-b/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/13/tight-used-car-supply-has-dealers-looking-in-their-own-service-b/#commentsFiled under:

Volkswagen used car lot

Used vehicle prices have been on a tear for over a year now, as slow new vehicle sales during the financial meltdown of 2009 have created a dearth of available used models today. Yet the sluggish economy means demand for used vehicles is high, so dealers are going to ever-increasing lengths to acquire inventory.

According to Ward's Auto, the latest tactic is buying vehicles from service customers. Dealers are appraising customer cars and trucks before they pay their repair bills, then offering to buy the vehicles rather than charge the owners for the service visit. Dealers are even giving service personnel incentives to bring in trades.

One dealer said his service areas have signs reading, "Before you pay your service bill, you might want to find out the value of your car."

Tight used car supply has dealers looking in their own service bays originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car dealercar dealerscar dealershipsdealershipsused car dealerused car pricesused carsTue, 13 Dec 2011 18:40:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20126325/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/13/tight-used-car-supply-has-dealers-looking-in-their-own-service-b/20126325/article-detail.xml 20126325 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/usedvw-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/usedvw-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Kevin Youkilis, Herb Chambers and Biz Markie walk into a car commercial...]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/26/kevin-youkilis-herb-chambers-and-biz-markie-walk-into-a-car-com/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/26/kevin-youkilis-herb-chambers-and-biz-markie-walk-into-a-car-com/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/26/kevin-youkilis-herb-chambers-and-biz-markie-walk-into-a-car-com/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

biz markie herb chambers and kevin youkilis

Being from the Boston area means you learn handful of facts specific to The Hub. One of them is that Kevin Youkilis (A.K.A. "The Greek God of Walks," "Youk") is a great pro baseball player with a few years left in the tank (despite his 2011 woes). Another fact is that you can't throw a stone in New England without hitting a Herb Chambers dealership. As a former resident of the great state of Massachusetts, your author is an Escalade-sized Red Sox fan and also worked a summer shuttling rental cars between two of Chambers' dealerships.

It seems Chambers and Youk are working together now, but their approach is... unique. Sitting at a piano, the duet attempts to warble out a version of Biz Markie's classic Just A Friend. Predictably, it's not exactly Grammy worthy. Hell, it's not even worthy to make the first round of American Idol auditions. Luckily, Mr. Markie isn't far away and steps in to help the pair get the song just right.

The message? Herb Chambers has got what you need, thanks to his 48 dealerships located around New England. Click past the jump for the clip.

Continue reading Kevin Youkilis, Herb Chambers and Biz Markie walk into a car commercial...

Kevin Youkilis, Herb Chambers and Biz Markie walk into a car commercial... originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biz markiebostoncar dealercar dealersherb chambersherb chambers commercialjust a friendkevin youkilismassachusettsone hit wonderred soxvideoFri, 26 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20027941/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/08/26/kevin-youkilis-herb-chambers-and-biz-markie-walk-into-a-car-com/20027941/article-detail.xml 20027941 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/we-got-what-you-need_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/08/we-got-what-you-need.jpg <![CDATA[Number of U.S. car dealer rises for first time in a decade]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/25/number-of-u-s-car-dealer-rises-for-first-time-in-a-decade/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/25/number-of-u-s-car-dealer-rises-for-first-time-in-a-decade/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/25/number-of-u-s-car-dealer-rises-for-first-time-in-a-decade/#commentsFiled under:

lamborghini newport beach

For the first time in a decade, the number of new car dealerships in the United States has risen. Mind you, it wasn't a large increase, but the 66 additional dealerships represent a 0.4 percent increase that brings the U.S. total to 17,725. That's an encouraging economic sign considering we haven't seen any growth in ten years.

According to Detroit-based retail consulting firm Urban Science, that growth is occurring in and around metropolitan areas, which an 0.7 percent increase in the number of new car dealerships. Conversely, however, rural areas fell by 0.5 percent. Still, the overall picture is healthier for U.S. dealerships, with automakers reporting their dealers averaging more sales per lot compared to the year prior, and an increase in overall dealer profitability.

This growth, however minor it may appear, is a strong indicator that the industry is stabilizing after taking a beating the last few years. In 2008, the U.S. had 20,000 dealers, which may sound like a lot, but it's a far cry from the 47,000 dealers in the country at the end of World War II. We probably don't need to return to 47,000 and we probably don't even need to climb back to 20,000, but it's good to see growth in an industry that's faced a few years in decline.

Number of U.S. car dealer rises for first time in a decade originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car dealerscar salesdealerdealershipnew car dealersnew car dealers risingnew car dealershipsnew car salesThu, 25 Aug 2011 10:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20026173/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/08/25/number-of-u-s-car-dealer-rises-for-first-time-in-a-decade/20026173/article-detail.xml 20026173 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/02/lamborghini-newport-beachlede_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/02/lamborghini-newport-beachlede.jpg <![CDATA[NADA and banks working to curb new federal oversight efforts]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/25/nada-and-banks-working-to-curb-new-federal-oversight-efforts/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/25/nada-and-banks-working-to-curb-new-federal-oversight-efforts/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/25/nada-and-banks-working-to-curb-new-federal-oversight-efforts/#commentsFiled under: ,

nada logoIn 2010, the Federal Trade Commission received 1,339,265 complaints. According to the National Automobile Dealer's Association, less than one percent of those complaints were related to new or used auto sales. That relatively low number (compared to the 250,854 people who complained of identity theft) has NADA upset over the government's decision to pursue the creation of an automotive lending consumer advocacy agency.

NADA has given its official support to the congressional Republicans who are looking to put the clamps on this new oversight group.

This agency will be formed as part of legislation that seeks to simplify auto loan disclosure forms, and the entire process of borrowing money to obtain a new set of wheels. On the contrary, NADA believes this advocacy agency could lead to financing abuses related to the level of power granted to those in charge.

NADA and banks working to curb new federal oversight efforts originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car buyingcar dealer complaintcar dealersdealership complaintfederal trade commissionftcnadanational automobile dealers associationoversightWed, 25 May 2011 17:32:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19948531/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/05/25/nada-and-banks-working-to-curb-new-federal-oversight-efforts/19948531/article-detail.xml 19948531 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/nada-logo-11_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/nada-logo-11.jpg <![CDATA[Last domestic car dealership in San Francisco shuts its doors]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/11/last-domestic-car-dealership-in-san-francisco-shuts-its-doors/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/11/last-domestic-car-dealership-in-san-francisco-shuts-its-doors/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/05/11/last-domestic-car-dealership-in-san-francisco-shuts-its-doors/#commentsFiled under: , ,

San Francisco Chrysler closed sign

According to The San Francisco Chronicle, the very last domestic dealership in the greater San Francisco area closed its doors a little over 10 days ago. Previously, San Francisco Ford, Lincoln, Mercury was the only dealership selling new products with an American badge on the grille in all of the 47.6 square miles of the city (the Chrysler-Jeep dealer shown above went bust in 2008). Ford took over operations at that dealer almost three years ago after the original owners walked away. After talks with various other local franchise owners fell through, Ford has finally cut off the lights for good.

But domestic dealers have faced a tough climate in San Francisco for years thanks to a much larger share of import sales compared to the rest of the country. According to one source quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle, import vehicles outsell their domestic counterparts 4:1 in the Bay area.

Those rare San Francisco domestic owners will now have to travel outside of the city for their factory maintenance and repair, which likely won't do anything to help American manufacturers better their outlook in the near future.

Last domestic car dealership in San Francisco shuts its doors originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 May 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto dealerscar dealersdomestic dealershipfordsan franciscosan francisco dealershipsshowroomWed, 11 May 2011 13:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19937631/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/05/11/last-domestic-car-dealership-in-san-francisco-shuts-its-doors/19937631/article-detail.xml 19937631 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/san-fran-chrysler-dealer-sign_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/05/san-fran-chrysler-dealer-sign.jpg <![CDATA[Ninja Alert! Beware of car salesmen trained in the art of phone calls]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/25/ninja-alert-beware-of-car-salesmen-trained-in-the-art-of-phone/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/25/ninja-alert-beware-of-car-salesmen-trained-in-the-art-of-phone/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/25/ninja-alert-beware-of-car-salesmen-trained-in-the-art-of-phone/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



It may sound obvious to say you should be wary of car salesmen on the phone, just as you should be wary of car salesmen in general. To hammer the point home, though, here are some audio files of Jerry Thibeau training salespeople at car dealerships, in this case a BMW dealership, to schmooze and potentially ensnare customers before they even walk on the lot.

With the Internet stealing large portions of business from car dealerships, there's a real need for dealers to invest in this kind of telephone training. Thibeau answered the call when he started New York-based Phone-Up Ninjas back in late 2009.

Guys like Thibeau charge $2,000 a day plus expenses to visit car dealerships for these training sessions. They can also do the work remotely, dubbing constructive criticism into mystery shopper phone calls to point out where a salesperson's pitch could use some help.

The car salesman on the other end of the line has a job to do: make you buy a car (or how about this nice SUV that's just a little more per month?). Just remember that, next time, you may be talking to a ninja.

Our advice? Hang up. Read the full report at AOL Autos to learn more about how this industry operates.

[Source: AOL Autos | Image: Getty]

Ninja Alert! Beware of car salesmen trained in the art of phone calls originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmwcar dealersdealersdealershipsjerry thibeauphone-up ninjasMon, 25 Apr 2011 17:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19870721/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/04/25/ninja-alert-beware-of-car-salesmen-trained-in-the-art-of-phone/19870721/article-detail.xml 19870721 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/04/bldjh200405100709-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/04/bldjh200405100709-opt.jpg <![CDATA[FTC to probe auto dealer practices]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/13/ftc-to-probe-auto-dealer-practices/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/13/ftc-to-probe-auto-dealer-practices/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/13/ftc-to-probe-auto-dealer-practices/#commentsFiled under: ,

Car dealerThe Federal Trade Commission will hold a series of roundtable discussions about car dealers' business practices next month. The talks will be held across the country in an effort by the FTC to get a feel for how car dealers are conducting themselves and whether their practices are fair to the consumer.

The discussions kick off on April 12 at Wayne State University Law School in Detroit and are free and open to the public. The main topic will be dealer financing, which is almost always a confusing, complicated process that can wind up costing car buyers more money than they originally intended.

The FTC is in the process of identifying experts in the field to attend the talks, including auto industry representatives and consumer advocates. More meeting times and discussion schedules will be posted to the FTC website as they're made public.

[Source: FTC via The Truth About Cars]

Continue reading FTC to probe auto dealer practices

FTC to probe auto dealer practices originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Mar 2011 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car dealersdealer financingfederal trade commissionftcSun, 13 Mar 2011 12:35:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19877540/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/03/13/ftc-to-probe-auto-dealer-practices/19877540/article-detail.xml 19877540 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/03/party-marty-close-up_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/03/party-marty-close-up.jpg <![CDATA[Report: Ford now has more dealers than Chevy for first time in many years]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/22/report-ford-now-has-more-dealers-than-chevy-for-first-time-in-m/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/22/report-ford-now-has-more-dealers-than-chevy-for-first-time-in-m/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/22/report-ford-now-has-more-dealers-than-chevy-for-first-time-in-m/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ford dealership

2010 was a good year for Ford. The Blue Oval outsold long-time rival Chevrolet by 160,000 units, but that's not the only area where Ford managed a lead over the Bowtie. Ward's Automotive reports that the Dearborn automaker ended the year with 47 more U.S. dealerships than its cross-town nemesis. The General lost 372 dealers during 2010, compared to just 61 for Ford.

Both companies shed a lot more dealers when counting all the brands that fall under their respective umbrellas, and both moves have helped helped remaining retail stores increase profits. In fact, Wards claims that sales are up between 38 and 129 percent per store. But given the atrocious 2009 automakers endured, 2010 looked like a dream year despite the fact that sales were still among the lowest in three decades. In all, there are about 17,660 car dealerships in the U.S. spanning all automakers.

[Source: Ward's Automotive | Image: Paul Sakuma/AP]

Report: Ford now has more dealers than Chevy for first time in many years originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car dealerscar saleschevroletchevydealershipfordshowroomTue, 22 Feb 2011 17:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19848918/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/02/22/report-ford-now-has-more-dealers-than-chevy-for-first-time-in-m/19848918/article-detail.xml 19848918 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/12/ford-logo-with-flag_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/12/ford-logo-with-flag.jpg <![CDATA[Report: 64 axed Chrysler franchisees file suit against U.S. Treasury]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/18/report-64-axed-chrysler-franchisees-file-suit-against-u-s-trea/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/18/report-64-axed-chrysler-franchisees-file-suit-against-u-s-trea/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/02/18/report-64-axed-chrysler-franchisees-file-suit-against-u-s-trea/#commentsFiled under: ,

Chrysler badge

Back in June of 2009, Chrysler terminated relationships with 789 dealerships in an effort to cut its dealer network down by 25 percent. A few of those dealerships didn't think too highly of the move, which was orchestrated in part by the federal government. As a result, 64 former Chrysler franchisees have reportedly filed a suit against the United States Treasury and are seeking at least $130 million in damages.

Was the move to terminate these dealerships a violation of the U.S. Constitution? According to the lawsuit, the automotive task force violated the Fifth Amendment, which essentially states that property cannot be taken away and used for public purposes without adequate compensation.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req. | Image: Drew Phillips/AOL]

Report: 64 axed Chrysler franchisees file suit against U.S. Treasury originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Car dealersChryslerChrysler lawsuitDealer relationsDepartment of the treasuryFifth amendmentLegalUs treasuryFri, 18 Feb 2011 09:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19848998/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/02/18/report-64-axed-chrysler-franchisees-file-suit-against-u-s-trea/19848998/article-detail.xml 19848998 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/02/chrysler-badge_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/02/chrysler-badge.jpg <![CDATA[Study: How car dealers treat customers is more important than price]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/23/study-how-car-dealers-treat-customers-is-more-important-than-pr/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/23/study-how-car-dealers-treat-customers-is-more-important-than-pr/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/23/study-how-car-dealers-treat-customers-is-more-important-than-pr/#commentsFiled under: ,

Car Shoppers

Today's piece of blatantly obvious news comes courtesy of J.D. Power and Associates. According to a new study, a whopping 52 percent of new car buyers said the main reason behind picking one car dealer over another was how they were treated on the lot. In fact, of those surveyed, only 38 percent pointed toward the vehicle's purchase price as the main reason for laying down their hard-earned cash in one place over another. That means that for all the incentives and bargain specials, it really is customer satisfaction that moves vehicles off the lot.

The J.D. Power study also found that the ease or difficulty of price negotiation had the largest impact on just how satisfied customers were with their purchase at the end of the day. That's likely because agreeing on a price takes the largest amount of time during the car buying process aside from actually choosing a model. J.D. Power says that on average, negotiation takes around 53 minutes.

With all of the options available to car buyers these days, dealers would do well to heed the information in this particular study. Head over to the J.D. Power site for a closer look.

[Source: J.D. Power | Image: Getty]

Study: How car dealers treat customers is more important than price originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car buyingcar dealersdealerdealersjd powerjd power and associatesTue, 23 Nov 2010 09:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19728606/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/11/23/study-how-car-dealers-treat-customers-is-more-important-than-pr/19728606/article-detail.xml 19728606 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/car-shoppers_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/11/car-shoppers.jpg <![CDATA[Report: Chrysler wins 73 of its dealer arbitration cases, loses 32]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/28/report-chrysler-wins-73-of-its-dealer-arbitration-cases-loses/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/28/report-chrysler-wins-73-of-its-dealer-arbitration-cases-loses/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/28/report-chrysler-wins-73-of-its-dealer-arbitration-cases-loses/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Arbitrators have finished wading through the 105 cases of rejected Chrysler dealerships, determining that Chrysler was right to send the lots packing in 73 instances. According to Automotive News, those who weighed in on the cases typically cited the carmaker's plans to sell all four of its brands through the same dealerships as reason enough for ousting those that couldn't come up with the facilities to do so.

Chrysler offered around 232 dealers the chance to return to the company after kicking 789 sites off of the corporate life boat. The 32 dealerships that won their cases were part of the group that received the Pentastar olive branch, but to date, only 29 of the 232 have signed letters of intent with Chrysler that outline their terms of reinstatement. Few of those that won their arbitration case have accepted the letter of intent, though that number is expected to grow over the next few months.

There is some indication, however, that not every dealer is happy with their final agreements. Some have come forward with complaints that the terms of reinstatement are harder for those that got the boot than for dealerships that managed to survive the company's bankruptcy. Calls for facility upgrades have caused at least two dealers to file lawsuits contesting the letters of intent.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.| Image: Jeff Robertson/AP]

Report: Chrysler wins 73 of its dealer arbitration cases, loses 32 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car dealersCarDealersChryslerChrysler Arbitrationchrysler dealerschrysler dealershipchrysler lawsuitChrysler Letter of IntentChryslerArbitrationChryslerDealersChryslerDealershipChryslerLawsuitChryslerLetterOfIntentdealer arbitrationDealerArbitrationWed, 28 Jul 2010 11:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19571713/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/07/28/report-chrysler-wins-73-of-its-dealer-arbitration-cases-loses/19571713/article-detail.xml 19571713 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/chrysler-dealer-locked-ap_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/07/chrysler-dealer-locked-ap.jpg <![CDATA[DetNews: Ford's slow revival of Lincoln taking heat from dealers]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/16/detnews-fords-slow-revival-of-lincoln-taking-heat-from-dealers/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/16/detnews-fords-slow-revival-of-lincoln-taking-heat-from-dealers/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/16/detnews-fords-slow-revival-of-lincoln-taking-heat-from-dealers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2010 Lincoln MKT - click above for high-res image gallery

In a nutshell, the problem with Lincoln is that on the Taurus SHO launch, Ford brought along an Audi A6 4.2 for comparison's sake. Says one Lincoln dealer, "It's hard to sell a $48,000 MKS when the Ford guy down the street has a Taurus with the same features for $10,000 less." Put another way, despite the polarizing new sheetmetal, it's still obvious to consumers that the MKZ is a Fusion, the MKS is a Taurus, the MKX is an Edge and the MKT is the Flex.

"I have more dedicated Lincoln-Mercury employees than Ford Motor Co. does. They don't have any executives who wake up every day thinking about these brands." Says Lincoln/Mercury dealer owner Chris Lemley to The Detroit News in what might just be the "ouch!" comment of the year.

Part of the problem is without question the not-so-great state of the economy, with luxury sales tanking by nearly 25 percent in 2009. Still, with Lincolns priced lower than the competition, one might think they'd be selling better. For instance, the Lincoln MKT (priced at $49,995 with all the fixins) matches up quite well with the much more expensive Audi Q7 ($61,825). However, "If people were cross-shopping Audi and Lincoln, that would be great," said one analyst. "Audi buyers are shopping for a style statement. They're not even looking at Lincoln. Lincoln still has not gotten back up to first-tier luxury." Hence all that dealer fury.


Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost


[Source: The Detroit News]




DetNews: Ford's slow revival of Lincoln taking heat from dealers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Audi Q7AudiQ7Car DealersCarDealersDealersLincolnLincoln DealerLincoln DealersLincoln MKSLincoln MKTLincoln MKXLincoln MKZlincoln-mercuryLincolnDealerLincolnDealersLincolnMksLincolnMktLincolnMkxLincolnMkzMKSMKTMKXMKZTue, 16 Feb 2010 17:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19360488/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/02/16/detnews-fords-slow-revival-of-lincoln-taking-heat-from-dealers/19360488/article-detail.xml 19360488 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/02/630mkt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/02/630mkt.jpg <![CDATA[It's On Like Donkey Kong: Jilted Hyundai Genesis Coupe buyer jilted again, lawyers up]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/25/its-on-like-donkey-kong-jilted-hyundai-gen-coupe-buyer-jilted/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/25/its-on-like-donkey-kong-jilted-hyundai-gen-coupe-buyer-jilted/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/25/its-on-like-donkey-kong-jilted-hyundai-gen-coupe-buyer-jilted/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



This ended about how we predicted. You all no doubt remember McFly, the guy that won a legit eBay auction for a slightly used Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T for $16,125. Problem was that the seller - Glenn Hyundai of Lexington, KY - felt the car was worth more ($19,700) and refused to sell it to McFly. They claim they set a reserve price (even though they didn't) and wouldn't budge. End of story, kind of.

See, the internet got a hold of the McFly's tale of woe, and few things excite people (us included) more than tales of bald-faced greed mixed with dishonest car dealers. Not surprisingly, the story took off like wildfire and Glenn Hyundai soon found itself inundated with phone calls, emails, faxes - you name it. The onslaught became so bad that Glenn Hyundai got in touch with McFly and told him that if he would call off his dogs (remove his forum posts, plead with Gencoupe.com forum members to stop harassing the dealership, somehow get Digg.com to do... exactly what we're not sure, etc.) they would presumably sell him a Genesis Coupe for $16,125.

Why do we say presumably? Because we never knew the details of the agreement McFly worked out with Glenn Hyundai. Or, as McFly puts it an updated post, "For the record I have not shared any part of the verbal agreement." Despite this agreement never being finalized, some felt that McFly's saga was over (while some nearly broke their hands patting themselves on the back). We ourselves were reluctant to think or declare anything until McFly had the Genesis Coupe in hand. Guess what?

No Genesis Coupe 2.0T for McFly. He's claiming that Glenn Hyundai has breached the "verbal agreement" he reached with them. He's refusing to give any details of said verbal agreement, but maintains that Glenn Hyundai owes him a Gen Coupe for $16,125. Also, McFly's retained a lawyer. Also-also, he's contacted Hyundai USA but received no response. We'll keep you updated. Thanks to Bora for the heads up!

[Source: Gencoupe.com]

It's On Like Donkey Kong: Jilted Hyundai Genesis Coupe buyer jilted again, lawyers up originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AuctionAuctionsCar DealerCar DealersCarDealerCarDealersDealersDealershipseBayeBay AuctionEbayAuctionGenesis Coupe 2.0TGenesisCoupe2.0tGlenn HyundaiGlennHyundaiHyndaiHyundai Genesis CoupeHyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0THyundaiGenesisCoupeHyundaiGenesisCoupe2.0tUsed CarUsed Car DealerUsed Car DealersUsed CarsUsedCarUsedCarDealerUsedCarDealersUsedCarsMon, 25 Jan 2010 19:38:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19331124/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/01/25/its-on-like-donkey-kong-jilted-hyundai-gen-coupe-buyer-jilted/19331124/article-detail.xml 19331124 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/gencoupe111_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/gencoupe111.jpg <![CDATA[REPORT: Stand-alone Lincoln-Mercury dealers being scaled out of existence]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/report-stand-alone-lincoln-mercury-dealers-dying-off/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/report-stand-alone-lincoln-mercury-dealers-dying-off/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/09/report-stand-alone-lincoln-mercury-dealers-dying-off/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



In 2006, Ford began to shrink its dealership network in order to more efficiently align its distribution network. Three years later, it appears that the hardest hit are the company's stand-alone Lincoln-Mercury dealerships. While there were 619 Lincoln-Mercury dealerships nationwide just a few years ago, the number had dwindled down to just 357 at the beginning of 2009.

Automotive News recently spoke with Ford CEO Alan Mulally about the future of the Lincoln brand and its stand-alone Lincoln-Mercury stores. While Ford's current strategy is pushing combo Ford-Lincoln-Mercury retailers, Mulally would not confirm that eliminating the stand-alone Lincoln-Mercury dealerships was the desired end result. When pushed on the question, Mulally reiterated that Ford was focusing on building a distribution network which allowed sales volume, product breadth, and profitability... qualities that are apparently better served by the Ford-Lincoln-Mercury store.

Mulally added that although these combo dealerships will be selling the Lincoln MKS on the same lot as the Ford Taurus (both vehicles share platforms and mechanicals), retailers will learn how to deliver the sales experience that fits the vehicle and differentiates the brand. Whether this concept works or whether car salesmen simply take the easy route and sell the less expensive Ford remains to be seen.

Either way, it has to be asked - is peeling away at the automaker's stand-alone LM dealers part of a larger plan to do away with Mercury altogether? Inquiring minds want to know...

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. | Image: Stephen Brashear/Getty]

REPORT: Stand-alone Lincoln-Mercury dealers being scaled out of existence originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alan mulallyAlanMulallycar dealercar dealerscar showroomCarDealerCarDealersCarShowroomCombinationConsolidationDealershipsDualFordFord dealershipsford mercuryFord-Lincoln-MercuryFordDealershipsFordMercurylincolnLincoln-Mercurlincoln-mercuryMercurymulallyMullallyshowroomMon, 09 Nov 2009 18:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19228972/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/11/09/report-stand-alone-lincoln-mercury-dealers-dying-off/19228972/article-detail.xml 19228972 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/78285970-630op_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/78285970-630op.jpg <![CDATA[REPORT: Rejected GM, Chrysler dealers telling their story on YouTube [w/VIDEO]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/30/report-rejected-gm-chrysler-dealers-telling-their-story-on-you/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/30/report-rejected-gm-chrysler-dealers-telling-their-story-on-you/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/30/report-rejected-gm-chrysler-dealers-telling-their-story-on-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Holdiman Motor terminated dealer plea - click above image to watch the video

Since government money washed in to pump out General Motors' and Chrysler's swamped and nearly sunken businesses, there's been little mention of the cuts to the dealer base that both automakers have made as part of their rebirth. Tammy Darvish, whose DarCars Automotive Group lost two Chrysler outlets, has started a YouTube channel that encourages terminated dealers to send in videos telling their stories.

Co-chair of the Committee to Restore Dealer Rights, Darvish feels that the dealers' stories have largely been ignored. Many of the videos tell tales of long family histories in the dealership business, and all have an air of incredulity about how their American Dreams could be snatched away. These personal accounts may not return any franchises to operation, but at the very least, the effort is cathartic and airs the plight of the many hardworking employees that found work at the now-closed stores. An example of the numerous videos on the channel posted after the jump.

[Sources: Automotive News - sub req, YouTube]

Continue reading REPORT: Rejected GM, Chrysler dealers telling their story on YouTube [w/VIDEO]

REPORT: Rejected GM, Chrysler dealers telling their story on YouTube [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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