Inside Automotive
It’s getting easier to buy cars, here’s why — Dave Thomas | CDK Global
According to ease of purchase research conducted by CDK Global, 85% of last month’s car buyers felt the process was easy, the highest score since last July, and 3% higher than in January. Dave Thomas is the Director of Content Marketing and an Automotive Industry Analyst at CDK Global. On this episode of Inside Automotive, Thomas joins host Jim Fitzpatrick to discuss key takeaways from the study and provide insight on how the car buying journey has become easier. Watch the complete segment here.
Top Stories
The Japanese manufacturer Mazda announced on March 17, that Masahiro Moro, a 40-year veteran of the firm, will become its new president and CEO as it increases expenditure to electrify its vehicles and contemplates investing in battery production. Read More
A yet-to-be-released feature which will allow Tesla owners to charge their vehicles using their home’s solar power installation has been revealed in a mobile app update. While the new option has yet to be implemented into the app, newly added code in the most recent update states: “Plug in your vehicle at home during the day to charge using the excess clean energy generated by your solar system.” Read More
Ford is issuing two separate recalls for roughly 1.5 million vehicles, citing windshield wiper and brake hose defects. The first and largest of the two recalls affects 1.3 million Ford Fusion sedans built between 2013 and 2018, along with Lincoln MKX SUVs. According to the automaker’s filings with the NHTSA, some of these models use a front brake hose which can burst and leak brake fluid, hampering the driver’s ability to stop the car in time. Read More
A bill from Mississippi that prohibits EV manufacturers from selling their vehicles directly to consumers instead of through franchised dealers has been made law. The measure, which had been adopted by the Legislature earlier in the month, was signed by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves on March 14. The new rule prohibits automakers from owning, running, or controlling their own dealerships, but it makes an exception for a Tesla outlet that already exists in the state. Read More
For Dealers
More showing, less selling leads to a better F&I experience
When it comes to the F&I experience, no car buyer wants to be given the fast-talking, hard sales pitch to get them to buy a VSC or appearance protection for a car or truck that is already expensive enough without adding all that. Add to that the sometimes less-than-perfect reputation among some F&I managers and you have quite a task ahead of you when it comes to being able to present your menu of products and protections with any chance of it being added. Read More
The impact of war on the automotive industry: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine is causing significant disruption to many segments of the global automotive business, particularly in Europe. The crisis is amplifying supply chain problems as the start of the pandemic passes its third anniversary. At the same time, automakers have had to shift operations to cope with sanctions requirements and a changing production environment. Further, the vacuum left behind by Western manufacturers is being filled by Chinese companies. Read More
