People buy everything online these days. Or do they? In reality, there are some items people simply prefer to touch, see, feel, taste, smell, or drive before they consider signing on the dotted line or forking over their credit card. Several automotive leaders have…
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GENERAL MOTORS’ USED CAR PROGRAM –HOW IT WAS BORN - A MODERN CAR GUY FABLE
Once upon a time there was a bunch of executive morons who really disliked and disdained their dealers because they were so superior and so much smarter than the dumb-ass dealers. Especially the little vertically-challenged Brit with the Napoleon complex,…
ARE GM RECALLS STARTING TO HURT SALES FOR GM DEALERS?*****************************************************************************
Initially the answer was NO it really didn't have any noticeable effect. BUT recently I've had a lot of dealers starting to tell me that the customers are beginning to defect because of the repeated bad news and new recalls almost daily. Personally, I think Mary Barra is doing a remarkably credible job…
ALBANY, N.Y. – July 29th, 2013 – Auto/Mate Dealership Systems (http://www.automate.com) announced today it is participating in General Motors’ (GM) new Dealership Technology Assistance Program (DTAP). Auto/Mate’s dealership management system (DMS) and Customer/Mate (CRM) are both certified by GM as part of the program.
“The DTAP certification ensures that dealers using our DMS will have the functionality necessary to…
Would you pay $80 to get a targeted audience of generally between 200 to over 1000 potential qualified clients to view one specific vehicle in just 10 days? The often overlooked eBay motors is the tool that will accomplish this but it will take hard work and an out of the box follow-up processes to close…
If there is a bright spot in the economy these days, it’s the auto industry. Pent-up demand, lower interest rates, great product, and easing gas prices are driving consumers online and into showrooms, ramping up sales for dealers across the country. But it is not all sunshine – at least for new car dealers, who are feeling increasing pressure on margins (attributable to some of the same factors that are also driving sales…
Participating dealers can now use iMR matching funds for customer journey service marketing programs; Service CSI and notification programs eligible for iMR Parts dollars
Daytona Beach, FL– July 25, 2012 – DMEautomotive (DMEa), the industry leader in science-based, results-driven automotive marketing, today announced that five of its leading sales and service…
Why does GM think they have to be so involved? They are like that friends parents in high school that are WAY too involved. Just get out of our way and let us sell some cars. I can't help but think that a majority of dealers have to be smarter than they let on to be. With GM buying Google ad words, and making us compete against ourselves, forcing us to have a Cobalt site, and now taking over our Yelp, Google…
Groundbreaking program increases the number of vehicles on Phoenix lots eligible for certification; provides used car buyers with peace of mind and purchase protection
Venice, CA -- January 18, 2012 –Mota Motors, a leading provider of online vehicle certification and selling platforms, today announced that SureSaleTM Certified, a comprehensive certified pre-owned (CPO)…
There is a huge ‘certification’ gap in our industry that represents a potential loss of billions of dollars by used car dealers.
Consider: over 35 million used cars were sold last year, but fewer than 2 million of them were certified by OEM-sponsored programs. This is a stunning fact given that consumers are willing to pay, on average, a 12-27% premium on a certified vehicle.
Let’s add the numbers up: the average cost of a used…
Digital Automotive VeteranJoins Expanding Team at Online Automotive Innovator
Venice, CA -- November 28, 2011 – Mota Motors, a leading provider of online vehicle certification and selling platforms, today announced that digital automotive marketing veteran Ken Potter has been appointed as the company’s Chief Revenue Officer. Potter joins an expanding team of automotive and digital leaders at Mota as…
Automotive Digital Marketing Pioneer Joins Online Automotive Innovator
VENICE, Calif., Nov. 21, 2011 -- Mota Motors, a leading provider of online vehicle and selling platforms, today announced that automotive digital marketing pioneer Jeffrey Schwartz has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of…
Grand Theft Auto – How Citizens Fought for the American Dream
May 14 and 15, 2009 – two days in which Chrysler and General Motors, with the help of the government, literally stole the life’s work from nearly 2,000 business owners.
Two years later, the history from the dealers’ perspective of those days are hitting the bookstores. And they are must reads for anyone associated with the automotive retail industry.
Once again, another dealership ruins it for the rest of us. Recently, a customer in Anchorage Alaska was the winner of a 2009 Nissan GT-R on eBay Motors with a bid of $55,100. Now, the dealer (Honda of San Marcos) is refusing to sell the vehicle to them. The bugaboo: It was a No-Reserve Auction.
This is another shining example of how a dealership participates in a platform without knowledge, training, or guidance, and gives our industry a black-eye. The dealership is…
This week, two American luxury brands, Lincoln and Cadillac, began rolling out facility redesign initiatives, at significant expense for their dealers.
The question is, do facility redesigns help dealers sell more vehicles?
Ford Motor Co. began talking to its Lincoln dealers last year about the investment they would have to make in their stores if they wanted to continue selling Lincolns. A meeting last week in Detroit with approximately 120 Lincoln dealers…
Apparently, some dealers are keeping the $7,500 tax credit provided by the federal government for buying a new Volt. The practice is creating a little bit of heartache for GM.
I say, apparently, because of a report earlier this week in the National Legal and Policy Center seems to indicate it might be happening.
So here we all sit watching General Motors make another bold move. But first before we talk about the latest and greatest let’s look back. Years ago GM sold off the GMAC unit to a third party. The proverbial cash cow is tossed to the wind. Many in the industry said that was foolish due…