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February 18, 2013
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ON THE WEB: Carfax Warns of Open Recalls Sold Online
Internet Drives AutoNation Name Change
Carfax is warning consumers about the number of cars with open recalls being sold online. New research from Carfax shows the number of cars for sale online with unfixed recalls increased an average of more than 25 percent in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Manheim Hosts Spanish Sales
Manheim California hosted its first-”Manheim en Español” auction Feb. 1. The sale will be held weekly and will be conducted exclusively in Spanish. It was designed in collaboration with Spanish-speaking dealer customers in Southern California.
NADA Launches Online Education Service
NADA U FUEL, a private online community, is being launched by NADA University, the education and training arm of the National Automobile Dealers Association.
Photo by The Associated Press GOING, GOING, GONE: Traditional dealership names such as Maroone in Florida are being rebranded as AutoNation stores. By Ted Craig
ORLANDO, Fla. – Dealership names familiar to generations of car buyers are disappearing across the nation. Gone are Maroone in Florida and Champion in Texas. All will now be known by the name of their corporate
parent – AutoNation Inc. AutoNation CEO Mike Jackson told attendees at the JD Power Roundtable that this move has been in the works for more than a decade. It was not taken lightly. “These are fabulous names that we’re leaving behind,” Jackson said.
The move reflects the changing nature of auto retailing. Jackson said it was done to create a common name across the nation and, more importantly, across the Internet. Making the change requires a significant marketing investment. “If you live in one of
our markets that’s being changed, you’ll know it,” Jackson said. The one hurdle for changing the names is a familiar one for dealers – government. Jackson said the pace of change depends on AutoNation’s ability to change the name on various permits.
Auto Retail Gains Momentum; Concerns Remain Rush - Dated Material
By Ted Craig
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ORLANDO, Fla. – The tone of several new-car industry events held recently was one of moving forward into better times. The theme of this year’s National Automobile Dealers Association was “Momentum.” The word was pasted everywhere in Orlando and felt by most visiting the city. Dietmar Exler, vice president of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA, told attendees of the American Financial Services Association vehicle conference that he expects strong sales for the auto industry and strong growth overall
unless “something stupid” happens. Itay Michaeli, autos equity analyst at Citibank, told AFSA attendees one way to help is economic assurance programs from the manufacturers. He said Hyundai’s promise of taking back a car if the consumers lost a job proved very successful. There were some warnings that the road ahead may still prove bumpy. Nick Stanutz, head of auto finance and dealer services for Huntington National Bank, said the industry needed to come together and find answers to the challenges posed by regulation and new shopping methods.
It’s time to shift … the way you think about floor planning.
2/12/13 10:59 AM