David Topham

A few weeks ago, J.D. Power gave a briefing to kick off the NADA Convention & Expo where the firm evaluated the health of the U.S. auto industry. According to J.D. Power, the market must adopt a more disciplined approach, lest the long-term health of the industry be put in jeopardy.

Cars Registry Limited recently launched a line of new domain names developed specifically for those in the automotive industry. The company's domains - .Cars, .Car, and .Auto - became available to the general public in January of 2016. And according to a recently published study from GlobeRunner, these automotive-specific domain names are improving search rankings, conversions, and site traffic.

Whenever those in the industry discuss vehicle service contracts, the focus tends to be on profits. While the F&I revenue they generate is important, perhaps more dealers should be focused on how service contracts can help their stores promote and maintain customer loyalty.

The auto industry paradigm is shifting, with two ideas leading the movement: transparency and a faster, more efficient transaction. It's no surprise to see these factors become hot topic issues at the same time as the Millenial generation is starting to take over the marketplace.

The Association of Finance and Insurance Professionals (AFIP) has identified seven legal violations that represent the majority of problem situations based on actual lawsuits against car dealers. AFIP calls them The Seven Deadly Sins of F&I.

NCM Associates teamed up with Intelligent Dealer to develop a new dealership tool called NCM LiveAudit. This platform helps dealers monitor their cash flow and analyze their expenses. Let's find out why NCM Associates' CEO Paul Faletti Jr. is so quick to call this "an auto industry game changer."

If you look at some of the recently released data concerning auto lending, you'll notice some trends that have some in the industry concerned that lending could tighten up in the near future.

In a recent blog post for Auto Remarketing, Dale Pollak identified three areas that often pose efficiency challenges for many dealers. These areas could be impeding your dealership's performance and profitability.

Well-meaning dealers who violate a regulation are held just as liable as ethically challenged dealers who intend to bend the rules. Hundreds of thousands - perhaps even millions - of dollars are at stake. If you haven't reviewed or refreshed your compliance training methods or policies in a while, there's no time like the present.