Author: Melissa Burden

Graham Holdings joins a growing list of companies outside the industry that have acquired dealerships but partnered with established operators to run them.

Three floorplan lenders to Momentum Auto Group, which closed the doors to seven dealerships in November, have sued the dealership group, painting a picture of loan defaults dating to 2016.

Berkshire Hathaway Automotive, quiet since its 2015 acquisition of Van Tuyl Group, is actively seeking dealerships to buy and sees an advantage ahead in the next industry cycle.

While the capability exists to do an auto finance contract online, some state regulatory forms requiring wet signatures hamper the vehicle-buying process from being completed over the Internet.

Despite federal and state laws allowing electronic signatures for online vehicle transactions in most states, many dealers stick to pen and paper rather than risk legal liability,

While the capability exists to do an auto finance contract online, some state regulatory forms requiring wet signatures hamper the vehicle-buying process from being completed over the Internet.

Wide-ranging dealer franchise legislation is back on the table in the California Assembly following the veto of a similar bill last year by then-Gov. Jerry Brown over concerns about a warranty reimbursement formula. 

The Alan Jay Automotive Network, which has grown in Florida to 15 brands and 11 rooftops, is branching out to the Detroit area.

The two All Pro Nissan dealerships in Michigan that abruptly closed last fall have reopened under new management. Alan Jay Automotive Network of Sebring, Fla., has bought the stores.

U.S. dealerships’ buy-sell activity remained strong through the third quarter of 2018, with robust activity expected to have continued through the fourth quarter and into 2019.