Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[eBay Motors begins offering free vehicle history reports from Experian]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/report-ebay-motors-to-offer-free-vehicle-history-reports-from-e/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/report-ebay-motors-to-offer-free-vehicle-history-reports-from-e/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/report-ebay-motors-to-offer-free-vehicle-history-reports-from-e/#commentsFiled under: ,



Consumers wary of purchasing vehicles off eBay may take a bit of comfort in the online auction site's announcement that all vehicles built since 1981 will now include free vehicle history reports effective today. The "AutoCheck" information, supplied by Experian Automotive, will detail whether vehicles have been involved in major accidents, have salvage titles, have been stolen or repossessed, have had their odometers tampered with, or have seen special duty as a taxi or police vehicle. Of course, the service is only able to detail information which has been reported, a common complaint about vehicle history reports. Nicolas Franchet, senior director of U.S. vehicles at eBay Motors, says the free reports will help build the level of trust between the buyers and sellers. "We're interested in being the best place to buy and sell your car online," Franchet said.

Those familiar with eBay Motors will recall that the site has offered vehicle history reports from CarFax, Inc., when supplied by dealers. Those reports are still be available via a link, but the new AutoCheck data supplied without charge is now automatically displayed in a shaded area below the vehicle image in the body of the listing. For more details, check out the official press release after the jump or eBay Motors.

[Source: Experian Automotive | Image: Sean Gallup/Getty]

Continue reading eBay Motors begins offering free vehicle history reports from Experian

eBay Motors begins offering free vehicle history reports from Experian originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 Pontiac G8 GXP - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you're looking to get your hands on a Pontiac before the General Motors division shuts its doors for good, you'd better act fast, because stocks are dangerously depleted.

According to Pontiac's Twitter page, there are only some 3600 units left of some of the brand's most desirable products left at dealers across the United States. If the G8 sedan is what you fancy, there are only 570 GT trims left, and only 16 examples of the top-tier G8 GXP. We'll have to assume any remaining parts stock is will remain in Australia.

The Solstice is similarly low on stock, with only 139 base coupes and 160 GXP coupes left on dealer lots. Pontiac also reports there are only 1500 G5s, 530 G6 GXPs and 350 Vibes left in stock. If that kind of announcement doesn't spur some sort of driving excitement among prospective Pontiac buyers, nothing will.


Gallery: In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Pontiac G8 GXP


[Source: Pontiac via Twitter]

While Supplies Last: Pontiac says only 16 G8 GXPs left at U.S. dealers (among other things) originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Toyota Prius - Click above for high-res image gallery

The last time we heard about gouging on the Toyota Prius was, oh, just last summer when gas prices put the frugal flyer at the top of shopping lists. Things were so bad then that used Priuses were going for more than new models because dealers couldn't keep the fresh stuff in stock.

Cash-for-Clunkers appears to have had the same affect on some Toyota dealers this summer. Even though cars like the Ford Fusion and Toyota Corolla grabbed the top slots and headlines, the Prius was so popular as a swap-car that dealers again ran short on inventory. Daily Tech reports that the tight supply llead some dealerships to start adding a Market Value Adjustment (MVA) to the MSRP of up to $5,000.

It wasn't all Toyota dealers that took to making dough while the sun shone, of course - and the gist of the story appears to be that if you really want a Prius, shop around for MSRP and you'll probably find it. In the long run, until the Prius gets some real competition for the mantle of Greenest Thing on Earth, be ready to hear this story again.


Gallery: 2010 Toyota Prius


[Source: Daily Tech]

Going for Gold: Toyota dealers reportedly price gouging on 2010 Prius originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car buyingCarBuyingdealerdealersdealershipgougegouginghatchbackhybridmarket valuemarket value adjustmentMarketValueMarketValueAdjustmentprice gougingPriceGougingpriustoyotatoyota dealertoyota dealerstoyota dealershiptoyota priusToyotaDealerToyotaDealersToyotaDealershipToyotaPriusWed, 26 Aug 2009 16:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Dealer accidently unveils Audi R8 Spyder in classified ad?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/05/dealer-accidently-unveils-audi-r8-spyder-in-classified-ad/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/05/dealer-accidently-unveils-audi-r8-spyder-in-classified-ad/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/05/dealer-accidently-unveils-audi-r8-spyder-in-classified-ad/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Stafford Audi, a U.K. Audi dealer, placed an advertisement on the popular website Pistonheads for the forthcoming R8 Spider. For a picture of the car, they used an uncamouflaged picture of an R8 Spider from the Iron Man sequel, as you can see from the California license plate that reads "Stark." According to the ad, though, the car was "spotted testing in Germany."

The ad copy goes on to say that the production car will differ from the coupe in the lack of side blades, extra air intakes behind the rear seats, a different location for the fuel filler cap, and the addition of rollover hoops that we assume are hidden until needed.

The car won't make its debut until the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010, but you can deposit down on one right now with Stafford. Estimated price: £105,000 ($177K U.S.).


Gallery: 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro



[Source: Pistonheads]

Dealer accidently unveils Audi R8 Spyder in classified ad? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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General Motors wants to shrink its dealer network by around 2,500 outlets and has sent closure notices to more than a thousand already. Still, the General has left a door open that allows affected dealers to appeal the decision and show proof of why they should not be cut from the herd.

According to reports, almost the entire affected body of dealers appealed, and 500 of those appeals are still pending. Thirty dealers have had their sentences overturned and will be allowed to stay open. It is good news for the dealers... and yet the math remains the math: strorefronts have got to go.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd | Photo by MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty]

GM grants reprieve to 30 dealers, reviewing more originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac is one of the core brands that will form the new General Motors, but the dealership network can't continue in its current guise, according to GM sales head Mark LaNeve. There are 1,422 Cadillac dealers nationwide, more than four times the number of Mercedes-Benz dealers and more than six times the number of Lexus dealers. That kind of saturation meant that in 2008, the average Cadillac dealership did one-sixth the business of a Mercedes dealer and one-tenth the business of a Lexus dealer.

To be fair, Cadillac has fewer cars on offer than Mercedes, BMW, or Lexus. Still, GM wants to gets its dealer volume numbers closer that of the competition - proportionally speaking - and that means more dealer closings. GM hasn't said how many, but to even get close to retail parity they'd be looking at many hundreds of closures, with many of them likely to be in metropolitan areas. Whenever those dealers are chosen, as with the others, they will be allowed to remain open until their franchise agreements on October 31, 2010.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Under Fire: GM targeting metropolitan Cadillac dealers for closure? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After the suggestion of Congressional hearings on the matter, Chrysler's Jim Press assured Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) that Chrysler dealers with leftover inventory after June 9 would "receive a fair and equitable value." It appears that Chrysler is making good on that promise.

The company's head of sales, Steven Landry, outlined the measures being taken to relieve shuttered dealers of their wares and remunerate them for it. Of the 42,000 cars held by the 780 dealers whose franchises were nixed, 26,000 of them have been sold. The rest, save for 220 cars, have been assigned to be moved to dealers that are still in business. Those last 220 cars are in the possession of dealers who haven't yet agreed to Chrysler's plan, but the cars already have new dealer homes waiting if and when things are agreed.

As for payment, after the cars arrive at their redistribution point, the new dealer's finance company will pay off the old dealer's finance company for an inventory acquired, save for $350 in destination fees. All else, according to Landry, including holdback and advertising funds, will be repaid. There is at least a little good news to start the week...

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd | Photo by Scott Olson/Getty]

Dealer Bailout: Chrysler to redistribute all new inventory originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On April 8, 50-year-old Charles P. Dimmick died doing what he loved to do: watching his favorite driver, Jeff Gordon, run in the Phoenix round of NASCAR. Dimmick was also the marketing manager at Lund Cadillac Hummer Saab in Phoenix, and if you believe the person who wrote his obituary, he also loved to sell cars.

In the notice itself (after the details of his death and before the details of the wake), was this line: "We are sure he would still want all to know that 0.9% financing is still available on all New 2008 Hummer H2's." It isn't clear who wrote the obituary, but tasking someone with selling H2 inventory even after they die sounds a bit like something Dante might be involved in.

[Source: Yahoo!]

Dealer still pitching cars from the afterlife? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On top of the 1,124 General Motors dealers that will be closed next year, the ailing automaker is reportedly going to announce another round of dealer closings on Monday when its bankruptcy declaration is expected. According to two Automotive News sources, 450 dealers will not see their dealer franchises renewed. For his part, Mark LaNeve, GM's VP of North American sales, said the number would be "less than half that."

No matter the number, it's more of the same bad-yet-necessary news being spread around. LaNeve notes that the dealers who won't be renewed "have very specific issues" including "specific performance issues." Among them are supposed to be some stores that are skewed exclusively or heavily Pontiac. These dealers will be shutting up shop when their franchise agreements expire in October 2010.

[Source: Automotive News -sub req'd | Image: Mark Ralston/Getty]

REPORT: GM preparing to give more dealerships the axe originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 May 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bankruptcycar salesCarSalesdealerdealersdealershipdealershipsgeneral motorsGeneralMotorsgmgm bankruptcygm dealersGmBankruptcyGmDealerspontiacshowroomFri, 29 May 2009 18:29:00 EST<![CDATA[BREAKING: GM <strike>reportedly set to</strike> <i>confirms it will</i> pink-slip 1,100 dealers [*UPDATED]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/15/breaking-gm-reportedly-set-to-pink-slip-1-100-dealers-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/15/breaking-gm-reportedly-set-to-pink-slip-1-100-dealers-today/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/15/breaking-gm-reportedly-set-to-pink-slip-1-100-dealers-today/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


According to Bloomberg News, General Motors is set to send some 1,100 notices today to U.S. dealers detailing the manufacturer's plans to sever their relationship. The move comes on the heels of yesterday's news detailing fellow beleaguered automaker Chrysler's announcement that they are firing some 25% of their own network (some 789 showrooms).

If the news agency's sources are accurate, those 1,200 dealers have possession of about 120,000 vehicles, or roughly $2.5 billion in unsold inventory. The deep dealer cut is not expected to be the last by GM, who has designs on chopping its dealer network to 3,600 stores (representing a 42% cut) by the end of 2010.

Unlike Chrysler, which is looking to lose its disenfranchised dealers by June 9 (as part of its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings), Bloomberg's source says it expects an "orderly wind-down of the affected dealers over the next year or so," which essentially means that the dealers will close when their inventories are sold-through. In contrast, Chrysler has already said it is under no obligation to reimburse its closing dealers for vehicle, parts, or tooling, though it will try to pair up affected dealers with those that are staying on in an effort to transfer inventory.

*UPDATE: GM has confirmed that it will seek to sever relations with 1,100 dealers, characterizing the affected dealers as "underperforming and very small sales volume" stores. The official word is that GM will not be terminating any dealerships today, but that they will be discussing their plans with dealers over the next few weeks. Official press release has been added after the jump.

[Source: Bloomberg | Image: Scott Olson/Getty]

Continue reading BREAKING: GM reportedly set to confirms it will pink-slip 1,100 dealers [*UPDATED]

BREAKING: GM reportedly set to confirms it will pink-slip 1,100 dealers [*UPDATED] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 May 2009 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingbreaking newsbreakingnewscar salesCarSaleschryslerdealerdealershipGeneral MotorsGeneralMotorsGMFri, 15 May 2009 09:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Speculation: Chrysler to cut loose 800 dealers on Thursday]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/13/speculation-chrysler-to-cut-loose-800-dealers-on-thursday/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/13/speculation-chrysler-to-cut-loose-800-dealers-on-thursday/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/05/13/speculation-chrysler-to-cut-loose-800-dealers-on-thursday/#commentsFiled under: ,



Chrysler has a lot of work to do in bankruptcy court to be eligible to receive another $6 billion in loans from the U.S. government. Among the many tasks requiring completion is the reduction of its dealer body. Chrysler hasn't set a timetable or announced how many dealers will be cut, but one lawyer claims to know the number and the date. Stephen Lerner from the law firm Squire Sanders reportedly said in a conference call that Chrysler is planning to cut 800 of its 3,200 dealers by Thursday of this week.

Chrysler calls the figure pure speculation, with spokeswoman Kathy Graham telling the Associated Press, "We do not have any finalized list as of this point in time." Few doubt that retail stores will be cut, though. The expected criteria for escaping the chopping block includes sales volume, profitability, available capital, strength of facilities and having all three Chrysler family brands. What hasn't been answered is whether dealers will be compensated for more than just existing inventory if the bankruptcy court agrees to tear up their franchise agreements.

We also don't know whether Stephen Lerner actually has any inside information regarding dealership closings. Squire Sanders is reportedly offering to represent any dealer that feels it could be on the closing list for $4,000. While that sounds like small change, the law firm could make millions if a large number of dealers participate in the suit. We'll find out tomorrow if Lerner is right.

[Source: MLive, Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty]

Speculation: Chrysler to cut loose 800 dealers on Thursday originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 May 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a special broadcast to dealers yesterday, General Motors' sales chief, Mark LaNeve, explained that the automaker would buy back unsold new vehicles and parts from dealerships slated to be phased out by the end of 2010, but GM wouldn't pay off dealers for their franchises.

As reported earlier this week, GM plans to cut it U.S. dealerships by 42% by the end of next year, reducing the total number of retailers from 6,246 to 3,605. Beginning this May, GM will begin sending letters to around 1,200 dealers informing them that their franchises will not be renewed and "they will not be part of a reinvented GM going forward."

According to LaNeve, the 1,200 or so dealerships slated to be cut are "very poor performing and not adhering to the sales and service agreement obligations." Joining the underperformers will be an additional 500 dealerships in saturated urban markets, another 500 that will be shuttered by the end of the year due to normal attrition, yet another 500 retailers that carry Hummer, Saab and Saturn vehicles - brands which GM is desperately trying to unload - along with 35 stand-alone Pontiac dealers that will meet their demise when the brand is phased-out at the end of 2010.

How this is all going to sit with dealer franchise laws remains to be seen, but after watching the Oldsmobile debacle play out, we doubt any resolution between GM and its dealers will be easy.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req. | Source Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty]

REPORT: GM won't pay dealers for franchises, will buy back parts, vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford's dealer development program works to help people become dealer principles who might not otherwise have the chance. The 64 members of the program, most of them black or Hispanic, are set up with stores by Ford and then buy out Ford's interest in the dealership with revenues. To give them a boost and, presumably, free up Ford money, Automotive News is reporting that Ford is offering dealers in the program an offer they'll have a hard time refusing: complete ownership of their stores for $1.

To take advantage, though, the dealers will need to have private financing for their operating capital in place by September 30. If they can prove to Ford that they have enough private resources, they will take complete control of their stores and Ford will forgive any money the dealer still owes to The Blue Oval. Even though Ford would technically lose money on any dealer who accepted the offer, the automaker would no longer need to be involved in the dealership or in its floorplan financing.

With the state of car sales, there are likely to be dealers who can't take advantage of the program. For those who haven't been able to pay Ford back at all, the decision will be taken on a case-by-case basis about what to do with their stores. For those dealers in good standing who simply can't get outside financing, the arrangement will continue as is.

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]

REPORT: Ford offering dealerships for $1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>car dealerCarDealerdealerdealer development programDealerDevelopmentProgramdealersdealershipfinancingfordford dealerford dealer development programford dealershipsford financingFordDealerFordDealerDevelopmentProgramFordDealershipsFordFinancingshowroomWed, 22 Apr 2009 16:29:00 EST<![CDATA[GM reportedly accelerating the closure of 1,700 dealers]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/16/gm-accelerating-the-closure-of-1-700-dealers/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/16/gm-accelerating-the-closure-of-1-700-dealers/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/16/gm-accelerating-the-closure-of-1-700-dealers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

June 1, 2009 is turning into the equivalent of General Motors' D-Day, and every day seems to bring new events that are being planned in advance of it. GM had more than 6,000 dealerships at the end of last year, and in the initial viability plan it offered to the government, the automaker pledged to close 25% of those over the next five years. As with the rest of the plan, the Auto Task Force said "That isn't enough."

So GM has turned the big guns on its dealership closures, having seen 200 of them shut down this year already. It is not waiting for attrition to rid itself of others, but pin-pointing under-performing locations and "could move to terminate franchise agreements." And GM is doing so with a different payment scale than it had when it closed down the 2,800 Oldsmobile dealerships, which ran up a tab of $1 billion.

Also, it appears, the bell tolls louder for a GM bankruptcy. Tucked in the article was this line: "The issue of how many U.S. dealerships GM can support has been one of the hot-button issues for U.S. officials as they drive GM toward a stepped-up restructuring that many observers have now concluded will include a bankruptcy filing."

[Source: Yahoo!]

GM reportedly accelerating the closure of 1,700 dealers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Perhaps it began as an innocent experiment among dealer personnel: what would happen if three dealership executives all disappeared on the same day and 81 of the dealership's cars showed up at auto auctions in two other states? The answer to that question is that the FBI went bird-dogging on the hunt for owner Allen Patch, controller Rachel Fait, and General Manager Rick Covello on "suspicion of theft."

Legacy Auto Sales in Omaha, Nebraska was said to be in financial trouble. The three vanishing execs are suspected of trying to sell nearly all the dealership's inventory and then... well, at this point no one knows what they were going to do. But on Saturday and Monday night, transporters arrived at the dealership (that's one of them pictured) and began hauling cars away. When employees showed up for work on Tuesday, the higher-ups were gone and their desks were cleaned out.

The cars, worth $2.5 million, were found being sold at an auto auction in Salt Lake City, Utah, and also discovered in Las Vegas, Nevada. GM Covello apparently turned himself in. Fait was arrested in Tooele County, Utah on Wednesday, while Patch was located at his attorney's office in Utah and has probably been arrested by now. File this one under "Sounded like a good idea at the time..." Hat tip to WS.

[Source: Omaha.com]

Three Nebraska auto execs disappear... along with 81 cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crimedealerdealersdealershipdealershipsetcfordnebraska dealerNebraskaDealerstolenthefttoyotaThu, 12 Mar 2009 11:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Audi partners with PDM to create 'Holographic Virtual Assistant']]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/16/audi-partners-with-pdm-to-create-holographic-virtual-assistant/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/16/audi-partners-with-pdm-to-create-holographic-virtual-assistant/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/16/audi-partners-with-pdm-to-create-holographic-virtual-assistant/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



The woman you see in the picture above isn't an actual human -- she's a life-sized hologram. PDM, an Australian out-of-home digital media company, created the hologram to present "customers an entertaining way to gather product knowledge and information about Audi's offering."

A load of tech and a 10 mm piece of perspex are what was needed to make the walking talking customer service rep. Of course, since we are still in the first inning of this technology, she's a bit stiff and not a little uncanny to watch. But as a sign of things to come, whatever her name is, she is our introduction to another corner of the car buying future.

[Source: Prime Digital Media]

Audi partners with PDM to create 'Holographic Virtual Assistant' originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 07:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiaustraliacar buyingCarBuyingdealerdealershiphologramholographicpdmprime digital mediaPrimeDigitalMediatechtechnologyMon, 16 Feb 2009 07:28:00 EST<![CDATA[GM plans to trim 400 dealers per year until 2012]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/26/gm-plans-to-trim-400-dealers-per-year-until-2012/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/26/gm-plans-to-trim-400-dealers-per-year-until-2012/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/26/gm-plans-to-trim-400-dealers-per-year-until-2012/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Dealership rationalization was something General Motors was looking at well before the economy went pear-shaped. GM still has more than 6,300 dealerships in the U.S., and it is even more important now to start shedding some of that financial burden. That is why The General told dealers at the NADA conference that it plans to get rid of 1,600 dealerships by 2012.

GM's initial viability plan to Congress proposed an eventual reduction to 4,000 dealerships. No one knows yet, though, how GM plans to do that. GM said it will explain the dealer elimination plan in the follow-up viability plan it submits to Congress on February 17. Said one GM dealer, "They basically said, 'We're looking for strong dealers, and if you're not a strong dealer, you better evaluate your options."

GM did say that 400 dealers per year being shut isn't a firm number, simply a target. Nevertheless, dealers are none too happy. Some dealers say GM is using GMAC to force dealers out by setting capital requirements beyond a dealer's reach. GM says it has no intention of using GMAC in such a way. When the time comes, dealership liquidation will be be judged market by market, and based on a number of factors including age, location, volume, capitalization and customer satisfaction. While the plan will obviously save GM money in the long term and make it more efficient, in the short term it is going to cost GM a fortune to close 1,600 locations.

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd, Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty]

GM plans to trim 400 dealers per year until 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bridge loanBridgeLoancongressdealerdealersdealershipdealershipsgmgm bailoutgm dealersgm dealershipsGmBailoutGmDealersGmDealershipsnadaMon, 26 Jan 2009 14:43:00 EST<![CDATA[<i>Motor Trend</i> getting into the used car business?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/24/i-motor-trend-i-getting-into-the-used-car-business/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/24/i-motor-trend-i-getting-into-the-used-car-business/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/24/i-motor-trend-i-getting-into-the-used-car-business/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Motor Trend is lending its name and brand to a certified used car program at Planet Honda in Union, New Jersey. The program is actually "powered by" EasyCare, a company that provides a suite of contract services like maintenance and repair warranties and GAP insurance to new owners. (EasyCare was a Motor Trend "Best Buy" last year.) Formerly called APCO, EasyCare was until last year a Ford subsidiary. As a private company, it still oversees the certified used car programs for Land Rover, Volvo, Mazda and Jaguar, and works with 3,000 dealerships in the U.S.

Planet Honda - a three-time Honda Excellence Award winner - has been named a Motor Trend Certified Advantage Dealership. That means it has a vehicle certification program approved by MT and provides "a noticeably better buying and ownership experience." Now, not only does Planet Honda guarantee the quality of the vehicle, but buyers will also get other EasyCare services like paintless dent removal and 24/7 concierge service with the car.

There are three MT Certified Advantage dealerships as of now, and probably more on the way. Sounds like a fine idea; after all, if you have the brand equity, no reason not to cash in on use it. If this does well for them, we just hope they don't pull a Ferrari and keep squeezing the licensing teat until every possible appliance has been sprayed with the Motor Trend logo. You can read the press release on the program after the jump.

Continue reading Motor Trend getting into the used car business?

Motor Trend getting into the used car business? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Jan 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingcar buyingCarBuyingdealerdealershipetchondalifestylemaintenancemarketingmotor trendmotor trend certified advantageMotorTrendMotorTrendCertifiedAdvantageused car dealerused carsUsedCarDealerUsedCarsSat, 24 Jan 2009 16:01:00 EST<![CDATA[MINI dealers abroad asked to create separate stores]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/11/mini-dealers-abroad-asked-to-create-separate-stores/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/11/mini-dealers-abroad-asked-to-create-separate-stores/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/11/mini-dealers-abroad-asked-to-create-separate-stores/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for our John Cooper Works MINI and Clubman high-res gallery

European MINI dealers are being asked to distinguish their stores from the BMW brand by creating a separate showroom for sell the British/Bavarian small-car. This entails new main entrances, and dedicated reception and service desks. While most of the dealers in the United States currently operate in this manner, most European retailers still share space with BMW. If dealers don't move enough volume to justify the investment, they will be dropped. In 2007, there were about 750 MINI retailers in Europe. That number is expected to fall to about 650 by the end of this year (worldwide, MINI has about 1,500 dealers in 70 countries). Unlike nearly all other automakers who are experiencing a sales slump, MINI's global sales are reportedly up more than 12 percent for the first nine months of 2008 -- no doubt credited to their diminutive size and fuel efficient engines.

Gallery: 2008 John Cooper Works MINI and Clubman

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

MINI dealers abroad asked to create separate stores originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dealerdifferentiateEuropefranchiseMINImini coopermini cooper clubmanmini cooper convertiblemini cooper smini cooper s john cooper worksmini salesMiniCooperMiniCooperClubmanMiniCooperConvertibleMiniCooperSMiniCooperSJohnCooperWorksMiniSalesseparateshowroomTue, 11 Nov 2008 08:33:00 EST<![CDATA[U.S. Army declares Arizona car dealer a no-go zone]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/11/u-s-army-declares-arizona-car-dealer-a-no-go-zone/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/11/u-s-army-declares-arizona-car-dealer-a-no-go-zone/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/11/u-s-army-declares-arizona-car-dealer-a-no-go-zone/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you believe the Johnston family, owners of Wildcat Mitsubishi in Tucson and Ideal Automotive in Sierra Vista, Arizona, they have a little communication and paperwork problem. If you believe the soldiers at the Army base in Fort Huachuca, the Better Business Bureau, the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions, the Arizona Transportation Department, the police department, and at least one civilian customer, the Johnstons have a much larger number of far more serious problems.

The Army base has banned personnel from patronizing the dealerships, alleging its soldiers have been abused. Soldier James Tuman traded in an SUV and a motorcycle and got financing from Ideal Automotive to buy a used car. When he tried to return the car because of mechanical issues, the Johnston's wouldn't give him his money back, instead saying he could buy another car on the lot. When he threatened to complain, they said they'd declare the car repossessed, which could hurt Tuman's security clearance. Tuman ended up with no money and no car.

Other complaints against Johnstons range from financing auto loans without a license and issuing temporary tags with the wrong VIN numbers. The Johnstons say they are sorting things out... but until the Army et al sort things out with the Johnstons, you might want to give Wildcat and Ideal a wide berth.

[Source: Auto News, sub req'd]

U.S. Army declares Arizona car dealer a no-go zone originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arizonaarmydealerdealersdealershipdealershipsideal automotiveIdealAutomotivesierra vistaSierraVistawildcat mitsubishiWildcatMitsubishiMon, 11 Aug 2008 14:29:00 EST