January 9, 2025 One simple question can reveal a customer’s buying motivations when it comes to the full suite of F&I products your dealership offers.

The average age of vehicles on U.S. roads reached a record high of 12½ years in 2023, up 40% over 2001. Pexels/Kaboompics.com Today, consumers are facing severe affordability challenges when it comes to purchasing and maintaining vehicles. As car prices continue to rise and economic uncertainties persist, dealers must adapt their strategies to meet the…

Green is one of the less-traditional colors that are gaining traction among consumers seeking individuality. When it comes to car colors, consumer preferences are becoming less white-and-black. A report by pigment producer BASF Coatings indicates many drivers are gravitating to less traditional hues and buying fewer black, white and silver vehicles, though white is still…

Used-vehicle sales rose 4% last year amid still-tight inventory, helping to end a post-pandemic period of depreciation. Pexels/Richard Taveira Used-vehicle values were flat last year at just a 0.4% bump, though that was the biggest advance in three years, according to Cox Automotive. The change still paled in comparison to what Cox said is 2.3%…

Business owners’ livelihoods depend on reliable vehicles, making them less susceptible to economic and political fluctuations. Pexels/Norma Mortenson Electric vehicles were supposed to be the next big driver for dealerships. But challenges overcoming consumer doubt, combined with inventory shortages that rocked the entire car-buying industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, left room for an unexpected opportunity…

Black Book, looking ahead to the new year, says it will be keeping an eye on used-vehicle supply due to low new-vehicle sales three years ago, in addition to changes the incoming Trump administration may bring to the auto industry. Get more detail on that and last week’s wholesale activity by segment here.

Pexels/Tobi A technology company will unveil a product at the CES consumer electronics show this week that seems to promise driving without either blinding sun in the eyes or a clunky visor partially blocking the view of the road. Michigan-based Gentex, known for its automotive electronics but also a supplier to the aerospace, medical and…

General Motors CEO Mary Barra, who celebrated her 10th year as the automaker’s CEO in 2024 as GM bested all competitors in U.S. sales. General Motors U.S. new-vehicle sales posted their best year since the pandemic, and Cox Automotive’s 2025 forecast predicts more growth, including for electric-vehicle deliveries. 2024 ended at about 16 million units…

Pexels/Kampus Production In competitive automotive sales, retaining customers is just as critical, if not more so, than acquiring customers. With fierce competition, retention and loyalty are paramount to a dealership’s success. The cost of acquiring customers far exceeds costs associated with retention, so not only does retaining customers provide a higher return on investment; it…

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