March 17, 2015 — Yesterday’s overwhelming vote by New Jersey’s state Senate (30 – 2) to allow Tesla to sell directly to consumers, appears, on the surface, to be a political loss for the state’s car dealers. The reality, though, is far different. It’s definitely a win for Tesla in that it gets to sell its vehicles… Continue Reading
This is Section Two of our post 2015 NADA Report. In this section, we evaluate the leading vendors — primarily those in the technology space. Companies covered in this section include CDK Global; DealerTrack Technologies; Cox Automotive; Reynolds and Reynolds; Dominion Dealer Solutions. Section Three will cover Cars.com; DealerSocket; Solera Holdings and ELeadOne. Section Four… Continue Reading
The newly minted Berkshire Hathaway Automotive wasted little time making its first acquisition buying Frank Kent Honda in Fort Worth, TX last week. The dealership was owned by Corrie Watson and her brother Will Churchill who decided to sell following the unexpected death of Watson’s husband, Tim. Churchill and Watson are great grandchildren of Frank Kent… Continue Reading
Vendor acquisition activity in the automotive retail space this year will not come close to the mind-blowing $30 billion in equity that changed hands in 2014. So far, through the first week of March, there have been four deals announced ranging from $5 million to more than $190 million. This is Section One of our post…
March 8, 2015 — The Wall Street Journal is reporting that General Motors will lay out Monday its plans to return billions to shareholders in a more aggressive timetable than originally planned. The move is part of an agreement with activist investor Harry Wilson who has agreed to not pursue a board seat. The amount GM intends to… Continue Reading
February 28, 2015 — While not yet “official,” Berkshire Hathaway’s acquisition of the Van Tuyl Automotive Group is now completed, according to the annual shareholder letter Warren Buffett released earlier today. There are a few details still to iron out, likely with holdings such as the off shore insurance entities owned by the Van Tuyl… Continue Reading
February 27, 2015 — Software piracy is a big problem, and unfortunately, dealerships have unwittingly — or knowingly — contributed to the issue. At least four dealer groups have paid out nearly $1 million in settlements the last three years for alleged violations. And now, we’ve heard of two more groups — one which reportedly is… Continue Reading
February 16, 2015 — Ports Slowdown Affecting Automakers; Berkshire Hathaway Acquisition of Van Tuyl to Close this Week? Mass Action Lawsuit Against TrueCar? Ports Slowdown Affecting Automakers Several automakers are taking steps to offset a looming parts shortage caused by a contract dispute between dockworkers and shipping companies at 29 West Coast ports. Following nine months…
February 15, 2015 — Activist investors suddenly have taken a keen interest in automotive-related companies. Is that good news for the targeted firms? It depends on who you ask. CDK Global, Autobytel, and now, General Motors, are the recent targets of activist investors. It’s a relatively new phenomenon in automotive retail. Automotive manufacturing suppliers have… Continue Reading
February 13, 2015 — In a lawsuit you don’t see every day, Hyundai is suing a Chevrolet store for importing parts and selling them to its dealers in the U.S. Meanwhile, Subaru filed a lawsuit against one of its California dealers for falsifying customer service surveys. Wonder how long before that store is on the…