E-NEWSLETTER

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and a family-owned franchised dealership have settled a complaint over ads the regulator deemed deceptive.

Tags: payment packing, UDAP, Unfair and Deceptive Advertising

Innovative Aftermarket Systems will now rep LoJack's vehicle recovery and early warning systems through its network of general agents, the two companies announced yesterday.

Tags: general agents, Innovative Aftermarket Systems, LoJack

IAS announced that it will release SmartOffer, an e-mail-based F&I presentation program designed to allow dealers to present and sell product to Internet customers.

Tags: F&I presentation, IAS, Internet, Internet leads, Internet sales, Internet shopper

Retail automotive industry veteran Ron Fortt announced the launch of Automotive Retail Solutions, an independent consulting and training company providing products and services to the automotive industry.

Tags: Automotive Retail Solutions, business development center, extended warranties, parts and service, service contracts, training, windshield protection

Safe-Guard Products International LLC announced that it has joined the DealerTrack Aftermarket Network.

Tags: aftermarket products, DEALERTRACK, F&I products, Safe-Guard

DMEautomotive’s latest white paper revealed that the aging customer base is significantly favoring aftermarket chains' service profits while threatening those of new-car dealerships.

Tags: DMEautomotive, new-vehicle market, New-Vehicle Sales, parts and service, vehicle maintenance

American Guardian Warranty Services Inc., a provider of extended repair protection for auto and recreational vehicle dealers, announced the nationwide release of Extreme Auto Protection.

Tags: American Guardian Warranty Services, extended warranties, vehicle maintenance

MaximTrak Technologies announced the launch of MobileTrak, a mobile F&I menu that works on the Apple iPad and Android devices and features reporting capabilities and a connection to the company’s e-contracting platform.

Tags: E-CONTRACTING, iPad, iPad Business Applications, MaximTrak, mobile applications, mobile solution, Mobile Website

Izmocars’ annual AOA Auto Accessories Trend Report revealed that dealerships continued to generate solid profits from accessory sales in 2011.

Tags: accessories department, accessories selling, Accessory Market, F&I products, izmocars

Volvo Cars of North America announced the establishment of Volvo Car Financial Services, which will begin providing financial services products to Volvo retailers in all 50 states later this year.

Tags: captive finance, Volvo

Reynolds and Reynolds Co. announced a number of enhancements to docuPAD, the company’s interactive F&I selling tool and document processing system.

Tags: business tools, F&I products, Reynolds & Reynolds

Allstate Insurance Co. and Allstate Dealer Services announced that auto dealers will have the opportunity to open full-service Allstate agencies inside their dealerships.

Tags: ALLSTATE, Allstate Dealer Services, general agents, insurance

Dimension Service Corp. (DSC) and National Administrative Service Co. (NASC) announced the merging of their two companies to form Allegiance Administrators LLC.

Tags: Allegiance Administrators, Dimension Service, National Administrative Service, service contracts, underwriting and collections, vehicle maintenance

Legislation aimed at eliminating a 10-year-old cap on markups of certain F&I products was sent to Gov. Tom Corbett’s office yesterday after passing the Pennsylvania General Assembly. He is expected to sign the legislation into law in 10 days.

Tags: F&I products, legislation, Pennsylvania

F&I Coach John Vecchioni details a simple and effective process for introducing customers to the service department.

Tags: parts and service, sales department, tips for success, training, United Car Care

A Toyota Financial Services (TFS) official confirmed that the captive finance company expects to release a wear-and-tear lease product for its dealers within the next month or so.

Tags: F&I product, F&I products, leasing, vehicle leasing

RouteOne LLC announced that dealers using its eContracting solution can now use the Apple iPad or Android tablet as an alternate signature-capturing device for signing eDocuments.

Tags: Android, E-CONTRACTING, iPad Business Applications, mobile applications, RouteOne

Gerry Gould believes F&I managers should jump into the menu presentation as soon as the customer sits down in their office. The director of training for UDS explains why in this week’s Tip of the Week.

Tags: F&I menu, F&I menus, F&I presentation, UDS

Genstar Capital announced the acquisition of Innovative Aftermarket Systems. The private equity firm said IAS’s current chief executive, Bob Corbin, will continue to lead the company.

Tags: acquisition, Genstar Capital, IAS, Innovative Aftermarket Systems

Bank of America and DataScan Field Services have launched a new Website that will provide used-car buyers with everything they’ll need to complete a vehicle purchase online.

Tags: BANK OF AMERICA, DataScan Field Services, Internet sales, Internet shopper, PRNDL.com, used vehicles, used-vehicle financing

The magazine has posted new video footage of the five F&Idol category winners running through their product pitches.

Tags: F&I products, GAP, key replacement, service contracts, tire and wheel, training, vehicle theft

John Vecchioni offers five steps to achieving a proper customer turnover from sales to F&I. United Car Care’s director of F&I development also offers some useful tips on how salespeople can really tee up the F&I manager.

Tags: F&I presentation, sales department, sales tactics, turnover, United Car Care

The 20th Anniversary Package for the 2012 Nissan Altima includes 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, fog lights, rear spoiler, automatic auto on/off headlights and more.

Tags: F&I products, Nissan