McLaren Automotive shows off new MP4-12CSeptember 2, 2010  McLaren Automotive unveiled its MP4-12C Tuesday afternoon at an event in Toronto, marking the company's official move into the Canadian marketplace through its newest retailer - Pfaff Automotive Partners in Toronto. The new dealership is slated to open in Woodbridge, Ontario, next summer and will feature a product lineup to challenge th... Read more |
Honda Canada addresses vehicle-discontinuation rumoursAugust 31, 2010  In the last full week of August, Honda Canada released an announcement addressing the rumours that the company would no longer be selling the Honda Insight or Civic Hybrid. “Please note that it is just that -- a rumour. Honda Canada will listen to the voice of our customers and will ... Read more |
GM Canada settles suit with dealersAugust 24, 2010  On Monday, August 23, General Motors of Canada Limited (GMCL) reached an agreement on an out-of-court settlement with 21 dealers who had filed a class action lawsuit against the company. Those dealers were among 240 who were issued termination notices more than a year ago, when the company was under threat ... Read more |
GM and SAIC Motor announce powertrain co-developmentAugust 23, 2010  General Motors (GM) and SAIC Motor Corp. Ltd. (SAIC Motor) are expanding their partnership to develop a new small-displacement gasoline engine family and an advanced transmission. “The co-development of these new engines and transmissions builds on a strong history of innovation and collaboration between GM and SAIC Motor,” says Tom Stephens, ... Read more |
WeatherTech Canada, Marcor Automotive and Northern Performance are movingAugust 23, 2010  After 33 years in Hamilton, Ontario, all operations of WeatherTech Canada, Marcor Automotive and Northern Performance are moving to a much larger facility, under one roof, at 1164 Walkers Line in Burlington, Ontario. The move will allow for the necessary increases in inventory levels and an expanded showroom. The operation will be fully ... Read more |
Spending on maintenance and repairs declinesAugust 23, 2010  Consumer-reported average annual expenditures on vehicle maintenance and repair services have decreased to $9.8 billion in 2010 from $11.2 billion in 2009, largely due to a significant decline in routine maintenance spending among owners of four- to seven-year-old vehicles, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Canadian Customer Commitment ... Read more |
BCAA compares costs between hybrid models and conventional counterpartsJuly 27, 2010  It has been 12 years since Honda introduced the first gas-electric hybrid vehicle into the mass North American market but even with technological advancements, increased sales and model selection, consumers continue to pay a premium to purchase a hybrid.
The British Columbia Automobile Association’s (BCAA) annual Hybrid ... Read more
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Highlights from MMDA’s Winnipeg conventionJuly 27, 2010 Canadian auto dealer magazine had the pleasure of attending the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association convention in Winnipeg in mid-June. Shirley Canty and her team have always organized strong events, and this year’s was no exception. Overall attendance was solid, and the workshops very well attended. A few stood out in particular. CADA ... Read more |
New CAA tool helps calculate ownership costsJuly 12, 2010  The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) has released a new interactive guide which provides consumers with a comprehensive look at the price of owning a vehicle, including data on the cost of driving a hybrid.
The 2010 Driving Costs guide looks into the fundamental costs of vehicle ownership, ... Read more |
MDA recognizes Dealers of Excellence for 2010June 15, 2010 Every year the Motor Dealer¹s Association of Alberta (MDA) awards two dealers from the metro (Calgary or Edmonton) and non-metro areas of Alberta with the Dealer of Excellence award. This year¹s winners are Reg Pattemore, Metro Ford Sales Ltd., Calgary, and John Davis, Davis Pontiac Buick GMC Ltd., Lethbridge. Candidates are ... Read more |
Registration now open for MDA classicMay 28, 2010
Continuing its tradition of giving back to the community, the Motor Dealers Association of Alberta (MDA) is holding its Annual Charity Classic on August 18th to 19th. Registration has already begun for the two-day event that will raise money for Special Olympics Alberta. The first evening of the two-day ... Read more |
PIEADA gears up for golf tournamentMay 17, 2010 
After a long winter, there’s nothing like breaking out the golf clubs and hitting the course for a day, along with a bit of social fun and business networking. If you happen to be in the car ... Read more |
Rolls-Royce moves into a new homeAugust 31, 2010  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Vancouver has moved into its new permanent showroom located on West Fifth Ave., on Vancouver’s west side. It is purpose-built and encompasses 3,000 sq.ft. of showroom space. The new showroom has enough room to display RR’s Phantoms and Ghosts and brings the company colours back to the city ... Read more |
B.C. dealers gear up for Scion’s arrivalAugust 31, 2010  B.C. dealers are gearing up for the Scion’s arrival in September 2010 as part of the 40-plus trans-Canada dealers in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto that will bring the trend-setting vehicle brand to consumers. The Pattison Auto Group will open three Scion showrooms. “Two will be Scion centres within our existing dealers in ... Read more |
Consumers rank aftermarket service ahead of dealers’August 24, 2010  Franchised new-vehicle dealers in Canada, as a group, rank well below the best aftermarket service chains in satisfying automotive service customers, according to J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Canadian Customer Commitment Index Study. Collectively, the average score for franchised dealers was 799, out of a possible 1000, against an industry average ... Read more |
Lexus unveils hybrid… bicycle?July 27, 2010  The Industry leader has added a fifth hybrid concept to the family, by mixing classic engineering and design with a two-wheel twist to create the Lexus Hybrid Bicycle – a design concept the captures the fundamental values of the brand, but features two wheels instead of four. While most people think of the Toyota ... Read more |
Audi Canada gets friendly with Canadian charityJuly 22, 2010  Audi Canada has announced it will be the title sponsor for an upcoming event hosted by Best Buddies Canada, an organization dedicated to enhancing communities through one-on-one friendship between individuals with intellectual disabilities and students. Set to take place in Toronto on October 24, the Best Buddies Challenge is Canada’s premiere running an... Read more |
Mitsubishi and its dealers donate to international charityJuly 20, 2010  Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada Inc. has donated more than $458,000 to Right To Play, an international humanitarian organization that is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, and operates in more than 20 countries. Since 2008, the Japanese automaker and its dealers have been raising money for the organization each summer, bringing the ... Read more |
Border crossing with dealer plates?August 31, 2010  It’s not uncommon for dealers to use dealer plates when crossing the border into the U.S. for business, and sometimes even for personal trips. But without the proper documentation, you run the risk of being turned back at the border. That’s why, after learning in June that several of its members, ... Read more |
Canadian prices decreased in July: OPENLANEAugust 10, 2010 According to the August issue of the OPENLANE Market Index report, Canadian prices decreased in July ending the month two percentage points below June levels. Overall YTD trends indicate that Canadian prices have arrested the steep declines they experienced from December 2009 to February 2010. Highlights from the August Market Index ... Read more |
New- and Used-Vehicle Markets Analysis: PINJuly 27, 2010  A new study shows that Canadian new- and used-vehicle markets are trending in the same direction on some key trade-in measures. There was little change in the majority of the parameters relative to last year except for three – trade-in odometer for both new and used markets and percent negative ... Read more |
Wholesale used values soften in JanuaryFebruary 22, 2010 According to OPENLANE’s Market Index for February, after beginning the year at close to 2009’s high-point, wholesale used-vehicle prices in Canada softened in January, bucking the typical trend for the month. From a high of 117 at the start of the year, wholesale prices fell to 111 over the first two ... Read more |
FinancialLinx presents Auction Achievement AwardFebruary 2, 2010  FinanciaLinx, one of Canada’s largest non-captive leasing companies, took several factors into account when selecting the recipient of its annual Auction Achievement Award to recognize Canadian-based auctions for outstanding service and performance. Manheim Montreal was the winner of this year’s award, which was formally presented at Manheim Montreal on January 26, ... Read more |
Used-vehicle prices hold steady: OPENLANEDecember 13, 2009 According to the December issue of the OPENLANE Market Index report, overall used-vehicle sales prices remained steady in the month of November while showing slight increases towards the end of the month. Truck prices showed the greatest strength in the last two weeks of November. Highlights from the December Market Index ... Read more |
Shrinking supply should boost future pricesNovember 26, 2009 No matter what index you look at, the trend is clear. used-vehicle prices are strong and getting stronger. And the trend looks likely to continue. A reduced supply of used vehicles – the result of a sharp decline in new-vehicle fleet purchases, along with a big cutback in leasing over the past year – will conti... Read more |
Used vehicle prices remain strongOctober 15, 2009 The ADESA Canada Used Vehicle Price Index increased by approximately 0.5 percentage points over July, seasonally adjusted. Seasonally, auction values are expected to decline minimally between July and August but overall auction values for August were flat; hence the index improved. The incremental increase since the beginning of the year, for the most... Read more |
New-vehicle sales return to form in OctoberNovember 3, 2009 There is reason for optimism in October’s Canadian new-vehicle sales results. At 121,500 units, sales were down just 1.0 percent from last October – the best year-over-year result... Read more |
September sales close in on historic normsOctober 2, 2009 Canadian sales of 129,503 new vehicles in September, while still 3.4 percent below the same month last year, represent the best monthly result so far this year, relative to year-ago. And they’re within one percent of the September average over the past five years. Continuing a general ... Read more |
Overall sales fail to improve in AugustSeptember 2, 2009 The much hoped-for recovery in new-vehicle sales remained elusive in August as overall sales continued to lag last year’s (by 7.9 percent). But there were more gainers than losers in what remains a very volatile market and the seasonally adjusted annual sales rate (SAAR) topped 1.5 million for the second co... Read more |
July sales show signs of recoveryAugust 6, 2009 One month does not a recovery make, but July’s new vehicle sales in Canada encourage the idea that one is imminent. Overall sales were down just 6.4 percent from July 2008 - the best relative performance in the past nine mo... Read more |
June sales show signs of hopeJuly 7, 2009 June new-vehicle sales in Canada were down 13.2 percent from the same month a year ago - the best relative year-over-year performance so far in 2009. A few companies, notably Audi, Ford, Hyundai and Kia made huge gains and Ford was number one in sales for the first time since 19... Read more |
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Rhino Linings adds new product to Its family of bed linersDecember 15, 2009 Rhino Linings Corporation has introduced its newest product, Rhino Extreme lining, to its family of truck bed linings solutions. What was intended to be a commercial and industrial lining has become our latest phenomenon, the company says. As with all Rhino Linings products, Rhino Extreme lining offers great chemical and ... Read more |
Quorum announces record salesDecember 15, 2009 Quorum Information Technologies Inc. reports that it has attained a record level of sales activity. The Company has sold 15 new dealership systems in the past 10 weeks. Of these new sales, eight were in the U.S. while seven were in Canada. Ten are General Motors franchised dealerships. “We have seen ... Read more |
CarProof Vehicle History Reports earn business honoursOctober 20, 2009 CarProof Vehicle History Reports ranked fourth among the Deloitte Technology Fast 50, a ranking of the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Canada, based on the percentage of revenue growth over five years. CarProof, based in London, ON, was initiated in 2000 to provide Canadian dealers and ... Read more |
Mobile website helps dealers track their stores’ performanceSeptember 27, 2009 Imagine a world where, where ever you are or whatever you are doing, you can know exactly what is going on in your store(s) and provide your managers and staff with up-to-the second information to help them make effective and profitable decisions. That world is here according ... Read more |
Vehicle theft a problem for consumers and dealers alikeSeptember 27, 2009 Vehicles are most often stolen from parking lots at shopping centres and airports… or from dealership lots! And vehicles stolen from dealerships and private homes have a much higher probability of vanishing than those stolen from parking lots and city streets. Thieves are smart shoppers who don’t ... Read more |
LGM offers Dealer Resource CentreAugust 20, 2009 Earlier this year, Lions Gate Marketing Company Ltd. (LGM), launched a new online sales and support system called the LGM Dealer Resource Centre (DRC). The DRC enables LGM’s customer base to quote and sell LGM products in a digital, paper-free en... Read more |
