Ford and its dealers: Road repairs ahead Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By David C. Smith Dealers complain about Ford's high-handedness in creating policies detrimental to their operations. They also fault Ford for failing to listen to, and act upon, their concerns. And they're fed up with poor quality, new-model glitches and constant recalls, all having a huge impact on Ford's reputation; and theirs.
Things were getting bad between Ford and its dealers Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Steve Finlay Ford dealers say relations, that hit some low points, are improving between them and the automaker now that William Clay Ford Jr. is heading the company
How's fourth best sound? Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Haig Stoddard By all rights, 2002 should be one of worst years for new vehicle sales in almost a decade. Sales have increased every year since 1991 except for two,
New-vehicle sales will stay strong but not break records Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Steve Finlay New car and light truck sales will moderate somewhat in 2002, but remain strong compared to historical standards. That's a forecast by Paul Taylor, chief
Used-car sales, revenues set record despite an intense year Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Cliff Banks Used-vehicle sales increased about one million in 2001 for a record 42.6 million units and a record $376 billion in revenue all this in a year that brought
TALL WAGONS Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Drew Winter Tall wagons, cross-utility vehicles, segment busters, sports tourers, sport wagons, crossovers, cross-trainers, or just plain station wagons - whatever you call them, they are the latest design trend.
Editorials
CAN'T GET NO (COMPLETE) SATISFACTION Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, by Steve Finlay PAT LIND SUGGESTS REVAMPING CUSTOMER satisfaction surveys. Critics claim they're misleading. Lind cites the woes of a GM dealer who said here in January
HAIL TO GENERAL MOTORS' NEW GENERAL Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, by Nat Shulman NOT SINCE THE DAYS OF JOHN DELOREAN HAS General Motors seen such excitement over the possibility of a charismatic leader. Of course Delorean's persona
Management
DOLLARS AND SENSE Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH DON RAY Whew! Another NADA convention under my belt. I have no idea how many dealers and other friends I talked with over those few days. It's a tough pace for
KNOW YOUR USED-VEHICLE MARKET, TOO Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Tony Noland While 2002 new-vehicle sales estimate consensus are down approximately 10% from the 17.2 million sales level in 2001, used-vehicle sales are expected
MONEY-MAKING MINUTES Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Don't eat shipping's extra costs Your manufacturer charges about 13% for overnight and emergency parts orders. Do you? Add an additional line to your
Information Technology
IT TALK Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH MATT PARSONS Although the Internet has not delivered on its initial promise of creating virtual dealer environments where consumers interact with cyber-dealers in
Info tools help dealers target customers Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Cliff Banks Dealers now spend about $400 per vehicle on advertising per vehicle, much of it going to mass market media newspapers, television and radio. Now, however,
Internet
INTERNET MATTERS Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH PETER BRANDOW Last month's column reported on the lack of impending novel solutions and cutting-edge opportunities. There appeared to be nothing more original afoot
How affiliate marketing can earn you extra bucks Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Joe Dysart While e-commerce players often bemoan the reality that customers can visit or depart a Web site with a single mouse-click, others are embracing that ease
Sales & Marketing
SALES MEETING Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH DARIN GEORGE Some dealers and manufacturers may disagree with this month's sales meeting, but it's for those of you who are concerned about your sales people giving
Next-generation Mustang to stay true to its roots Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Mustang will not suffer through a mid-life crisis, as did Thunderbird, says Ford Motor Co. designer Mark Conforzi. The model's next generation will remain
Appointments enhance selling chances Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Ninety-eight percent of sales people sell from nine to 11 vehicles a month and stay with a particular dealership about 10 months. The others The top 2%
Finance & Insurance
THE VISION OF F&I Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH RON MARTIN Is a customer better off to use home equity to buy an automobile? Or is dealer-financing a better option? Let's explore. Home equity loans became popular
New data system matches credit offers to serious buyers Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Abusiness alliance provides dealers with pre-approved lending targeted for new- and used-car buyers as they enter the shopping process. PolkOne uses Polk's
Ford Credit is focusing on the basics Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Cliff Banks Greg Smith, new president and COO of Ford Financial, says the captive finance company takes a different approach to the Back to basics theme being preached
Fixed Operations
SERVICE CENTER Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, WITH DAVE SKROBOT In harmony pay plans, the profitability of all departments is pooled and accordingly paid to managers of all departments. This has benefits. One of the
High-paying technician jobs go unfilled at dealerships Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Steve Finlay High-paying auto technician jobs are going unfilled at dealerships even though economic times are tough and unemployment is higher. The retail automotive
News
DON MASSEY SELLS DEALERSHIPS EN MASSE Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
For a couple years now, rumor was that Cadillac king Don Massey was planning to sell his 16-store empire. The 73-year-old dealer would coyly dodge questions
SUPER STAR MEL FARR AND FORD PART WAYS Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, Christie Schweinsberg Mel Farr is trying to keep a positive attitude about the closing of his two Ford dealerships in Waterford and Oak Park, MI, suburbs of Detroit. Farr,
INTELLICHOICE PICKS BEST-VALUE VEHICLES FOR 2002 Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
IntelliChoice, a company that develops and distributes consumer automobile pricing, specifications and ownership and leasing cost data, gave out its 16th
FORD TO BUILD GT40; BILL FORD JR. APPEARS IN NEW ADS Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, Steve Finlay Ford Motor Co. will build the GT40 a modern version of an historic two-seat supercar and CEO William Clay Ford Jr., despite some initial reluctance, is
AUTO EXECS CHECK OUT THE COMPETITION AT DETROIT AUTO SHOW Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
The Detroit auto show offers automakers a chance to show off their products. It also offers them a chance to check out the competition. They sure avail
Quotes Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
When things are good, the automakers seem to think they can play in our sandbox.We can't build the cars and by god, they can't sell the cars.Ron Tonkin
Detroit dealers exceed fundraising goal Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
The Detroit Auto Dealers Association set an ambitious goal of $200,000 for a relief fund in connection with events of Sept. 11. The DADA says employees
Leedom and Associates hires business development director Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Jaime Escobar Jr. is the new director of business development for Leedom and Associates, a national dealership training company. Escobar has 20 years
Tennis anyone? Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Tennis star Lindsay Davenport (second from left) takes delivery of a new CLK AMG Cabriolet from Mercedes-Benz of Laguna Niguel (CA). With her (from left)
Paramount opens $10 million dealership Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Paramount Automotive Group opened a new state-of-the-art facility in Hickory, NC. At a cost of over $10 million, the new facility is over 70,000 square
Dealership general manager heads state business alliance Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Brad Majercin, vice president and general manager of Childress Auto Mall in Phoenix, AZ, was elected president of the Arizona Business Alliance. The alliance
Articles
Clarification Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Dealer Gregory Jackson, president of the Prestige Automotive Dealership Group, was quoted on page 15 of the January 2002 Ward's Dealer Business as saying
Manufacturers, dealers enter new era of harmony Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Steve Finlay NEW ORLEANS Dealers and manufacturers are embarking on what one auto executive deemed a new era of harmony, in contrast to the discord that has slipped
Hispanic dealers form association Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Hispanic auto dealers formed a national Hispanic automobile dealers association to deal with pressing issues affecting them. Some of the nation's leading
GM tries to get dealers to sign off on Oldsmobile Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
Most of the dealers who sell General Motors Corp.'s dying Oldsmobile brand came to the national auto dealers' convention hoping GM would offer some new
Where are the dot-coms? Look closely Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business, By Cliff Banks A question frequently asked at this year's NADA convention was Where are the dot-coms? It was often asked with smug overtones. The implication is that,
NADA used-car guide and Reynolds and Reynolds team up Mar 1, 2002 12:00 PM, Ward's Dealer Business
The National Automobile Dealers Assn. Used Car Guide Co. and auto dealership distributor The Reynolds and Reynolds Co., form an online prototype joint
