E-NEWSLETTER

ActivEngage, a provider of live chat for dealer websites, released ActivConnect, a new dealership Website tool bar that lets consumers interact with the dealership via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, DealerRater and live chat, without leaving the dealership Website.

Tags: ActivEngage, live chat, social media

BlueSky Marketing Group, a dealer marketing and leads provider, introduces Real Leads, a new-car leads program which provides brand-specific, new-car leads to dealerships, combined with proprietary lead hygiene and conversion services at no additional cost.

Tags: new-vehicle leads

NAC (formerly National Auto Care), a provider and administrator of vehicle service contract products and services, announced the promotion of Christina Schrank to vice president of marketing.

Compli, a provider of workforce and compliance management software, released Version 6.0 of the Compli Workforce Management System.

Tags: Compliance

The Congressional Oversight Panel criticized the Treasury Department last week for its decision to save the struggling GMAC Financial Services without requiring it to provide an exit strategy, proof of viability or plan to fully repay taxpayers.

Tags: GMAC Financial Services, TARP, Treasury Department

The legislation that aims to create a new consumer protection watchdog was resurrected yesterday in the Senate, but the new financial bill received a cold reception, both from those for and against the creation of a new federal entity.

Tags: financial reform

F&I and Showroom magazine announced today the formation of the F&I Advisory Board, a panel of industry executives, dealers and experts who will provide direction and insight related to the F&I Conference and Expo’s 2010 agenda

Tags: F&I Conference and Expo

Autobytel launched iControl by Autobytel, a program that allows dealers to customize their mix of online consumer leads.

Tags: Autobytel, online leads

Following its successful launch as an independent company, Saab Automobile announced Monday that it has selected GMAC Financial Services as the preferred provider of wholesale and retail financial services for qualified Saab dealers and customers worldwide.

Tags: GMAC Financial Services, retail financing, Saab, wholesale financing

Ford Extended Service Plan (ESP) has chosen Ristken Software Services as its partner to launch the ESP Profitlink Menu, an F&I menu selling system, and ESP Profitlink Reporting, an F&I reporting system. Both products will be used to assist and support Ford dealerships in finance and sales operations.

Tags: F&I reporting, Ford, menu-selling , Ristken, service contracts

Edmunds.com evaluated early March car sales and determined that so far this month, sales industrywide are stronger than they’ve been in nearly a year.

Tags: Edmunds.com, monthly sales, SAAR

VINtek, a provider of automotive collateral management and direct auto finance services for automotive finance lenders, launched www.taxandtags.com, an interactive, real-time tax, tag and title fee calculator for dealers and lenders.

Tags: amount financed, tax and title fees, VINtek

General Motors announced last Friday that it intends to reinstate more than half of the dealers appealing the loss of their franchise agreements, a day after two U.S. Congressmen sent a strongly worded letter asking GM and Chrysler to stop awarding new franchises in areas where dealers are awaiting arbitration hearings.

Tags: Chrysler, General Motors

Total bankruptcy filings in 2009 approached levels not seen since before the implementation of the new bankruptcy rules in 2005, rising 32 percent in 2009, according to the American Bankruptcy institute.

Tags: bankruptcies

Credit extended to consumers in January rose for the first time since July 2008, according to the Federal Reserve’s monthly report, providing further evidence that both lenders and consumers are feeling better than they did a year ago.

Tags: amount financed, consumer credit, Federal Reserve, interest rate, loan-to-ratio

Toyota’s announcement of zero-percent financing and special lease deals generated nearly a 40 percent spike in purchase intent by visitors to Edmunds.com.

Tags: consumer purchase intent, manufacturer incentives, Toyota

Edmunds.com estimated that the average automaker incentive in the United States was $2,588 per vehicle sold in February 2010, up $248, or 10.6 percent, from January 2010, but down $422, or 14.0 percent, from February 2009.

Tags: Edmunds.com, manufacturer incentives

Warrantech Corporation, an independent provider of service contracts and aftermarket warranties for the automotive industry, named the top three Asian, domestic and European vehicles in its 2009 performance reliability study.

Tags: automotive warranty, service contracts

Seasonal weakness drove U.S. prime auto loan ABS losses slightly higher in January versus prior months, according to Fitch Ratings.

Tags: 60-day delinquency, Fitch Ratings, prime auto ABS, used-vehicle values, wholesale-vehicle values

Congressmen Pete Hoekstra of Michigan and Steven LaTourette of Ohio have sent a strongly worded letter to General Motors Corp. Chairman Ed Whitacre and Chrysler LLC CEO Sergio Marchionne, asking the OEM heads to halt new franchises in markets where formerly franchised dealers are awaiting reinstatement hearings.

Tags: Chrysler, General Motors

F&I sits down with the three executives who have taken the reigns of the combined dealer services groups of Wachovia and Wells Fargo. Hear what they have to say about the current market conditions and Wachovia officially taking on the stagecoach name.

Tags: FLOORPLAN FINANCING, Small Business Administration, subprime, Wachovia Dealer Services, WELLS FARGO

General Motors announced March 2 that it will conduct a safety recall of 1.3 million compact cars to replace a motor in the power steering system.

Tags: General Motors, vehicle recall

Nissan North America (NNA) announced recalls on March 2 to inspect and, if necessary, repair brake pedal pins and fuel-gauge components on certain trucks and minivans. No accidents or injuries associated with these issues have been reported.

Tags: Nissan, vehicle recall

Toyota Motor Corp.’s monthly sales were down 9 percent in February, and the automaker has launched a nationwide zero percent financing campaign in an effort to reverse the trend.

Tags: manufacturer incentives, monthly sales, Toyota