Survey: 3 Out of 4 Vehicle Owners Prefer Dealership Service
Retention of service customers is a key measure of a dealership's fixed ops performance, according to Automotive News. Three out of 4 vehicle owners generally prefer getting maintenance and repairs for their cars and trucks at franchised dealerships rather than alternative service providers, a new survey suggests. From July 8 through 15, DealerRater polled for Fixed Ops Journal more than 16,000 consumers who had visited a franchised dealership recently. Of those respondents, 75 percent said that they mostly go to a new-car dealership for service on their vehicles; the rest said they go somewhere else. Owners of luxury-brand vehicles were especially likely to opt for dealership service — 81 percent of those respondents said they usually choose a dealership instead of an aftermarket competitor, such as an independent garage, a quick-lube outlet or a tire store. Read more here (subscription required).
Porsche, Apple Music Will Partner on Infotainment
Two global technology and design icons are partnering up on the next frontier of innovation in the auto industry – infotainment. According to Automotive News, Apple is partnering with Porsche to bring Apple Music’s streaming service to the automaker’s battery-electric Taycan. It is the first automotive partnership involving Apple Music. The streaming service, which will appear in future Porsche models, is integrated into the Taycan’s dual display infotainment system. Taycan owners will be able to stream Apple Music via the car’s Internet connection. Three years of Verizon-powered Internet will be provided for free. Porsche Cars North America CEO Klaus Zellmer referred to the partnership as being a “brand fit.” Read more here (subscription required).
Audi Looking to Use Subscription Perk to Draw Buyers
Automakers are continually looking for ways to make their customers even more loyal to the brand and Audi’s the latest with its “Always Audi” program. According to The Detroit Bureau, anyone leasing or buying a 2019 or newer Audi can get seven free rental days from Silvercar by Audi, the German brand’s dedicated rental service. The days can be used individually and at 26 locations across the country. “This new offering deepens our ties with Silvercar and offers customers even more ways to experience Audi,” said Cian O‘Brien, interim president and chief operating officer, Audi of America. “With this program, our customers can drive the Audi they love even when they’re away from home.” Read more here.
Cars That Will Be Discontinued for 2020
Sedans and coupes are fast becoming endangered species, as America’s love affair with trucks and sport utility vehicles continues to grow unfettered. According to Forbes, some automakers, particularly Asian brands, are for the most part sticking with their passenger-car lines, while the domestics are winnowing them down considerably. Dodge and Chrysler were the first brands to shed sedans from their lineups, with Ford and General Motors in the process of paring them from their fleets. GM will be shedding five separate car lines from Buick, Cadillac, and Chevrolet showrooms at the end of the current model year. Ford is in the process of dumping both large and small cars from its stable, with the midsize Fusion planned to morph into a crossover-like station wagon with its coming redesign. Click here for a look at the automotive nameplates that won’t be around much longer.
Plea Hearing Set for Ex-UAW Official Named in Training Center Scandal
The latest former UAW official to be named in the ongoing training center scandal is likely to plead guilty when he appears in federal court next week, reports The Detroit Free Press. Michael Grimes, a former UAW administrative assistant who retired last year, is scheduled for a plea hearing Aug. 27 in Ann Arbor before U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman. Grimes, who faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, is accused of conspiring with other union officials to accept hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and kickbacks in a case that has now ensnared General Motors along with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The schemes involved millions of dollars in contracts for watches, backpacks and jackets. The case against Grimes, according to the Detroit News, has led to Joe Ashton, a former UAW vice president who resigned from the GM board in 2017 as questions swirled about the federal investigation into training center corruption. Read more here.
Webinar: Tax Reform Status Update for Dealers
Join AutoTalk on Tuesday, August 20th at 2:00pm ET as Amy Stillwell and Dan Cheyney of Moss Adams' Automotive and Dealer Services Group update dealers on:
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Additional tax plan clarification on dealer operations
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What we know now
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How tax reform effects dealers
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What you can do to minimize your taxes
Around the Web
Mercedes-Benz A-Class and B-Class Get Plug-In Hybrid Option in Europe [Autoblog]
How to Detail a Car That Hasn't Been Washed in 37 Years [Jalopnik]
