Get the most out of the convention Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Richard G. Ensman Jr. Well, it's NADA convention time again. Time to brush up on the latest developments, renew old acquaintances, and have some fun at the same time. Ever
Few honor students, but manufacturers' marks improve over last year Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Cliff Banks Automakers finally seem to be making some progress in their relationships with dealers, according to results of Ward's Dealer Business' second annual Industry Report Card.
What dealers want from automakers Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Peter Brandow (Editor's note: Pennsylvania dealer Peter Brandow provides the following tips some sarcastic, some not on how automakers' representatives and dealers
Can the Chrysler Group just get a break? Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Frank S. Washington Last year, Chrysler reorganized its field organization into five regional business centers. The idea was to allow the company's field staff to make decisions
Service department has them, why not specialists for the sales floor? Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Jim Leman It's a hectic few hours in the showroom, with customers matched to every available sales associate. The phone-ups keep streaming in too, often unanswered
This isn't getting any easier Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Bill Visnic Welcome to the eighth annual installment of the Ward's 10 Best Engines awards. Our list of the year's best engines remains the auto industry's only best
Editorials
TALES FROM THE INTERNET FRONT Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, by Steve Finlay A WESTERN DEALERSHIP'S INTERNET MANAGER wants to share his thoughts and experiences of launching a dealership website. He says business reasons prevent
BIGGEST CHANGES IN THE LAST 25 YEARS Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, by Nat Shulman LAST MONTH MARKED THE 23RD YEAR I'VE WRITTEN this column. Before that, my column appeared in the NADA magazine for five years. I have served under three
Management
DOLLARS AND SENSE Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH DON RAY WAS ESTATE TAX TRULY REFORMED? NO After fanfare and political rhetoric, President Bush signed the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of
HOW TO TURN MIRRORS INTO WINDOWS Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Tony Noland Here are two quotes on the benefits of training, and the potential results: Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know. Daniel J.
MONEY-MAKING MINUTES Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Up to the communication test? Si or no? Communicating with all of your customers is important. Bilingual issues are prevalent in many markets. Is your
Information Technology
IT TALK Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH GEORGE PAVLYAK FEELS UNNATURAL? THAT'S GOOD! Sometimes skills that will make you an exceptional performer in any area are skills that feel unnatural. In modern day psychobabble
Industry panel tries to find an info technology antacid Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Cliff Banks It's time for dealers to get on board. That's the message the Standards for Technology in Automotive Retail (STAR) organization will preach at this month's
Internet
INTERNET MATTERS Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH PETER BRANDOW I'm stumped. For the first time I can remember I have no new angle on what's going on. Perhaps it's simply that everything I'm seeing, we've all seen
Honda ranks No. 1 among online auto shoppers Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Honda won the popularity contest for having the most vehicles which shoppers researched online in the last quarter of 2001, according to a top 10 list
Mom makes history as 10-millionth buyer Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
A Missouri mom made Internet history by becoming the 10 millionth customer of online car-buying lead generator, Auto-bytel Inc. Autobytel celebrated its
Sales & Marketing
SALES MEETING Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH DARIN GEORGE When I was a new salesperson green pea customers would ask me, what was the best price on every vehicle. I remember telling the customers the MSRP, and
Young guns Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Steve Finlay Toyota, which wooed youthful Baby Boomers way back when, is now going after their kids and grandkids with a freshened-up entry-level sedan and an all-new
Finance & Insurance
THE VISION OF F&I Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH RON MARTIN The F&I manager who understands the importance of good lender relations can make a difference of 10-20% more sales to a dealership. It only stands to
Toyota Financial opens first of three new service centers Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Steven Finlay Toyota Financial Services' beginnings date to 1983 with a loan for a used Corolla. The company then began opening full-service branches to handle dealer
Fixed Operations
PARTS MANAGEMENT Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH GARY J. NAPLES The success of any one dealership department depends on the performance of all the others. No one department should be considered more important. Now,
Hoping to standardize insurance claims processes Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By John Yoswick Just as collision repair technicians must learn the variations among vehicles different fasteners, different materials, different structures their managers
News
BUICK LOSES BENGAL, MIGHT GET SUV Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
General Motors Corp. has decided not to make the Buick Bengal sports car but is considering building an SUV off the company's GMT360 architecture for
WHY BUYERS CROSS SOME VEHICLES OFF THEIR SHOPPING LIST Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
High prices, bland styling and a lack of incentives are key factors that can cause new-vehicle shoppers to reject models they initially considered, according
VW MICROBUS HEADED FOR PRODUCTION? Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
The fate of the Volkswagen concept Microbus may be decided soon, pending a consensus by Volkswagen AG executives in Germany, who will meet next spring
FORD PLANS NEW CROSSOVER UTILITY VEHICLE Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Ford Motor Co. will further penetrate the cross/utility vehicle (CUV) segment in 2004, Ward's has learned. Sources say the vehicle resembling a fusion
CHRYSLER PROWLER TAKES A POWDER Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
It's last call for Chrysler Prowlers in 2002. First offered only in purple, Chrysler will offer its final run of 300 Prowlers in Deep Candy Red. It's
BLUE OVAL BLUES Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
We previously asked dealers if they were satisfied with Ford's controversial Blue Oval dealer certification program. Of the respondents, 42 said no, 3
0% FINANCING: WAS IT SUCH A GOOD IDEA? Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Supporters said zero percent financing was the right program at the right time. Critics say it was great for 2001 sales but that 2002 sales will be hurt
Texas-style dealership opening Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
The cowboy hats were on for the grand opening of the Beck Automotive Group's Park Cities VW in Dallas. From left are operating partner Leo Griggs, VW
Asbury selects women's clothing exec as new CEO Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Asbury Automotive Group, Inc., ranked fourth on the Ward's Megadealer 100 list, names Kenneth B. Gilman as president and CEO. He succeeds the late Brian
Quotes Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
That's a question for Chrysler. Toyota Motor Sales COO Jim Press on speculation that Toyota may surpass Chrysler this year in vehicle sales. First, I
Dealers like new Ford Credit chief Feb 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Dealers give high marks to Greg Smith, who replaces Don Winkler as the head of Ford Credit. It's great news, says Texas dealer Jerry Reynolds, former
