Reconditioning Gets Undeserved Bad Rap, from Wards Auto. Avoid spending too much getting a car ready for resale. But don’t skimp either. And skip looking for service-department scapegoats. I started selling cars in 1968 and the first vehicle I sold

The Dealer for the People, from Auto Dealer Monthly. Jill Merriam, the co-owner and COO of Key Hyundai, with locations in Manchester and Milford, Conn., bills herself as the “Dealer for the People.” And it’s more than a tagline. Merriam — alo

When ‘No’ Means ‘Maybe’ at Auto Dealerships, from Wards Auto. Ten percent of customers who first declined to buy a service contract, ended up purchasing one when a dealership tried again. It happens in dealership finance and insurance offices

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Encroachment Into the F&I World, from GSFS Group. When Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, both the auto dealer and insurance industries were at the table to

GM Financial Triples Share of GM Leases, from F&I Magazine. Ally’s reaction to General Motors internalizing its leasing program came up at the end of GM Financial’s fourth quarter 2014 earnings call. Daniel Berce, the captive’s president a

Ford, Nissan exceed estimates with January auto sales increases, from Chicago Tribune. Ford beat estimates with U.S. auto sales rising 16 percent in January, while Nissan’s 15 percent increase also exceeded projections. Fiat Chrysler Automobile

Mercedes-Benz, BMW See Boost from Super Bowl Ads, Edmunds Reports, from Auto Dealer Monthly. Mercedes-Benz and BMW saw the most significant traffic spikes on Edmunds.com after ads from the two companies ran during the Super Bowl, according to a real-

Ford Expands Performance Segment With Focus RS Hatchback, from Bloomberg Business. Ford Motor Co. introduced its Focus RS hatchback as the automaker adds more performance vehicles to its U.S. lineup to help spur sales. “The demand was consumer driv

CPO Sales Start Year Ahead 17%, from Auto Remarketing. Certified pre-owned sales picked up right where they left off — and actually got stronger. Following the fourth consecutive best-ever year for the market, CPO sales climbed more than 17 percent