Automotive News, Press Releases, and Events

Jeff Kershner announces the eDEALER SUMMIT New York, a free digital marketing education event co-hosted by GNYADA and Digital Rain on January 23, 2013, at the Center for Automotive Education and Training in Whitestone, NY. DealerRefresh is sponsoring a limited number of free registrations for NYC-area dealers on a first-come, first-served basis. The post is essentially a promotional announcement with a direct registration link and minimal discussion.

Jeff Kershner warns dealers that Edmunds is cutting out third-party lead resellers and going direct to dealers, arguing this is a trojan horse to capture dealership DMS transactional data through perpetual data contracts rather than a legitimate lead generation play. Dealers in the thread report poor closing ratios (under 5%) from Edmunds leads, while Kershner contends the real threat is how both Edmunds and TrueCar are acquiring and leveraging dealer data. The core takeaway is that dealers should read their contracts carefully and treat DMS data access as a critical negotiating point, not an afterthought.

Automotive dealers discuss GM's decision to force Marc Heitz to demolish his distinctive hunting lodge-style dealership or forfeit dealer-excellence incentives, ultimately leading him to sell rather than comply. The thread reveals frustration that GM prioritizes rigid facility standardization over dealer differentiation and customer experience, with several posters arguing the policy is counterproductive and reflects corporate inflexibility rather than sound business strategy. The consensus is that GM's enforcement undermines dealers' ability to stand out in a competitive market and represents short-sighted corporate governance.

A newly transitioned dealer-side digital marketing director shares his review of AutoCon 2012 after spending 19 years on the vendor side, noting he found strong speakers and complementary tools but nothing that truly wowed him as a must-have purchase. Vendors, speakers, and fellow attendees respond positively, with one workshop presenter even promising to tighten his historical overview based on the feedback. The broader consensus is that AutoCon was a well-executed debut event given it was organized in under six months, with strong relationship-building value for both dealers and exhibitors.

Automotive professionals on DealerRefresh mourn the passing of motivational speaker Zig Ziglar, sharing personal anecdotes about his profound influence on their sales careers and personal development. Multiple dealers recall listening to his cassette tapes during their commutes and credit his teachings with directly improving their sales performance and mindset. The thread highlights how Ziglar's emphasis on positive motivation and ethics—exemplified by quotes like "Timid salesmen have skinny kids"—left a lasting impact on an entire generation of car salespeople.

The thread covers DealerTrack's May 2011 acquisition of eCarList, framed by Jeff Kershner as a significant moment in automotive tech consolidation alongside AutoTrader's purchase of VinSolutions that same month. eCarList founder Len reassured clients the leadership team would stay and the company's service focus would continue. A later anonymous comment, however, suggested service quality declined after the acquisition.

Kevin Frye announced his upcoming session at Digital Dealer 13, titled 'The Digital Crisis that is Slowly Killing Your Dealership,' promising an entertaining mix of education, TV/movie clips, and retro giveaways. The session focused on why many dealerships may not survive the next decade and what steps they can take to adapt. Community members expressed enthusiasm for attending, with some planning to share notes and coverage for those who couldn't make it.

The thread shares a press release highlighting results from the AutoHook and Polk (IHS) strategic partnership, showing that incentivized leads achieve a 47% buy rate compared to just 28% for non-incentivized leads — roughly two times higher conversion. The lone reply goes off-topic, mentioning a competing service and taking a jab at AutoTrader's pricing. The thread offers little discussion but the core statistic is a notable data point for dealers evaluating lead incentivization strategies.

American Suzuki Motor Corporation announced it was discontinuing new automobile sales in the U.S. and winding down its automotive division, forcing 220 dealers to either accept cash settlements to surrender franchises or fight the company in bankruptcy court. Forum members expressed sympathy for affected dealers—particularly Suzuki of Wichita and those who had previously lost Saturn franchises—while noting concerns about resale value impacts on Suzuki vehicle owners and the broader health of struggling automotive brands. The key takeaway emphasized by dealership leadership was focusing on people rather than the brand during the transition, with some dealers noting they had already benefited from cashing out their franchises years earlier.

Kevin Frye shares a comprehensive recap of Digital Dealer 13 in Las Vegas, combining the conference with his anniversary trip and highlighting sessions, speakers, and networking moments. Replies from industry peers including Jeff Kershner and Kathi Kruse praise Frye's consistent ability to capture the event's energy, with several noting his entertaining and content-rich speaking session. The thread underscores how valued Frye's conference reviews are to those who couldn't attend in person.

The thread covers news that Reynolds and Reynolds may be exploring a private sale, with speculation that AutoTrader.com could be the buyer as it seeks a DMS to round out its offerings. Commenters debate the reported $5 billion asking price as steep but not unreasonable by tech M&A standards, and one insider claims AutoTrader executives have confirmed interest. A recurring theme is skepticism that large conglomerate acquisitions drive meaningful innovation, alongside dealer hopes that new ownership would modernize and improve the Reynolds platform.

DealersUnited is promoting a 21% discount on DealerTrack DMS, marketed as a low-cost solution without long-term contracts or hidden fees. One dealer (Eley Duke) expresses strong interest in the product, praising its reporting capabilities and vendor integrations, though contract terms remain unclear pending formal proposals. The key takeaway is that while the discount and product features appear attractive, potential buyers should clarify contract lengths (likely 12+ months) and exact terms before committing.

DealerRefresh members discuss the sources of their phone and email leads, with data showing that approximately 70% originate from dealership websites, 25% from automotive classifieds (Cars.com, Craigslist, etc.), and 5% from offline methods. A key insight emerges that dealerships should dig deeper into lead attribution by asking customers what initially brought them to the website, since many website leads actually originated from other sources—highlighting the importance of understanding the full consumer journey rather than just the final touchpoint.

A dealer shares resources to help identify vehicles with potentially counterfeit airbags, including a free Carfax tool for checking deployment history and a list of affected vehicles. A commenter raises concerns about the economics of airbag fraud, suggesting that thieves may be replacing genuine airbags with fakes to resell the expensive originals, and calls for better industry regulation.

ActivEngage and HookLogic announced a partnership combining live chat and targeted incentive technologies into an integrated lead generation solution for automotive dealers, immediately available to existing customers including Hendrick Chevrolet and Acton Toyota. The core claim is that ActivEngage's live chat converts roughly 80% of website conversations into qualified leads. The thread itself generated little substantive discussion, with replies consisting of spam links and generic praise rather than dealer feedback.

Jeff Kershner promotes David Kain's 8th Annual Client & Friends Workshop, positioning it alongside other major automotive conferences like Digital Dealer 13 and DSES. The post encourages DealerRefresh readers to register, highlighting David Kain's reputation as a top consultant in the automotive internet sales space. The thread serves primarily as an event announcement and registration call-to-action for dealership professionals focused on digital and internet sales strategies.

Jeff Kershner posted a cryptic tweet hinting that a major acquisition in the automotive industry was about to be announced, encouraging followers to guess who was buying whom. The post was shared first on Twitter and Facebook before making it to the DealerRefresh blog, with Kershner offering a DealerRefresh T-shirt prize for whoever guessed correctly. The thread is light on details due to broken media embeds, making the actual companies involved unclear from the content alone.

Jeff Kershner promotes the Driving Sales Executive Summit (DSES) as the best conference in the automotive industry, sharing an interview with Eric Miltsch to help fence-sitters decide to register. The thread draws brief responses from Miltsch himself and a first-time attendee, reinforcing the event's appeal. The overall tone is enthusiastic encouragement for dealer professionals to attend DSES.

Dealers United, a group buying service for auto dealers, launched its first offer — SEO services through KPA (parent of TK Carsites), selected from 35 vendors after member surveys identified SEO as the top priority. Industry professionals pushed back hard on the concept, arguing that SEO is inherently difficult to scale without becoming a generic 'boxed' solution, and that market exclusivity — a key driver of SEO results — is impossible to maintain when serving hundreds of dealers simultaneously. The key takeaway is that while group buying power is appealing, SEO may be the worst candidate for it, with critics suggesting dealers are better served by their existing website vendors or boutique SEO firms that limit clients per market.

A vendor-authored post shares an Aberdeen study showing that coordinated multichannel marketing—using five or more channels like email, social, SEO, and paid search—outperforms any single-channel approach for driving dealer sales and retention. Replies reinforce that the complexity of managing multiple digital channels across devices makes outside expertise increasingly necessary, with one commenter noting most dealers aren't even running mobile paid search ads. The thread is part industry insight, part vendor pitch, but the core finding about multichannel coordination is worth noting for dealers evaluating their marketing strategy.

The thread celebrates Joe Pistell, a longtime top contributor on DealerRefresh known for his deep dealer-side experience, as he transitions to the vendor side by joining Dealer.com (DDC). Community members, including DealerRefresh founders Jeff Kershner and Alex, offer enthusiastic congratulations and express confidence that Joe's real-world dealership expertise will make him a powerful asset at the vendor level. The prevailing sentiment is that DDC made a sharp acquisition, with Kershner jokingly noting DealerRefresh seems to be a pipeline for DDC talent.

Contact At Once!, the live chat and mobile texting software company focused on online automotive advertising, announced it landed on Inc. Magazine's 500|5000 list of fastest-growing private companies for the second consecutive year in 2012. The company posted 3-year growth rates of 693% and 416% in successive years, ranking in the top three among Georgia software companies. The post serves as a press release highlighting the milestone, with no significant dealer discussion following.