Car dealerships slowly examine ChatGPT’s potential

Dealerships may be dabbling in ChatGPT right now, but some of their technology providers believe adoption will happen swiftly. “I think we’re talking a year to a year and a half where [ChatGPT is] doing a huge amount of the car-buying process itself in an automated way,” Horwitz said. IMG05 TruVideo — maker of a […]

Canadian partners buy VW car dealership in the US

Hewitt — an experienced used-car manager — is focusing on the store’s sales department, while Alalouf oversees fixed operations, accounting and finance. The partners each have three decades of automotive managerial experience. They met 25 years ago at what was then the Cowell Auto Group near Vancouver, British Columbia, then later worked for Canada’s Foundation […]

Ford, reversing course, to keep AM radio on all models

Ford Motor Co. will keep AM radio in all 2024 Ford and Lincoln models and restore it on two electric vehicles via a software update, according to CEO Jim Farley. In a tweetFarley said the decision was made “after speaking with [U.S.] policy leaders about the importance of AM broadcast radio as a part of […]

Canada’s Linamar will ‘immediately’ break ground on new plant

Canadian auto supplier Linamar Corp. plans to break ground “immediately” on a new plant in Welland, Ont., that will house three giga-casting presses capable of producing very large aluminum structural parts for electric vehicles. The Guelph, Ont.-based parts supplier announced the new site in the city south of Niagara Falls as it reported its first-quarter […]

Study reveals drop in customer satisfaction for independents

Recent numbers from research firm Ducker Carlisle showed growing dissatisfaction with franchised dealership service departments. This week, JD Power released its 2023 US Aftermarket Service Index Study that showed an overall decline in satisfaction with independent repair facilities as well. The data firm revealed independent shops dropped in all three categories that make up the […]

Randy Marion Automotive buys 4 North Carolina dealerships

Growing Randy Marion Automotive Group bought four North Carolina dealerships in two separate first-quarter transactions to expand its portfolio in the state. Randy Marion Automotive in Mooresville, NC, on March 6 bought Gerry Wood Dodge of Salisbury, which also sells Chrysler, Jeep and Ram vehicles; Gerry Wood Honda; and Gerry Wood Kia from Gerry Wood, […]