P&A Online
March 9, 2011
Welcome to P&A Online, a monthly eMagazine dedicated to the interests and concerns of providers and administrators of automotive finance and insurance products.
P&A Online is your source for industry news and updates as well as original feature articles to keep you well-informed of best practices and trends.
Be sure to visit P&A's website at www.pa-magazine.com regularly for the latest updates.
Featured Articles
Recent Developments In The Law Affecting Vehicle Service Contracts
In 2010, we saw many changes to federal and state laws affecting various segments of the financial services and insurance industries. These changes took the form of legislative enactments, or revisions to existing legislation, and a number of note worthy court decisions affecting vehicle service contracts. While some of these recent developments in the law ... Read More »
Considerations When Designing New Products
Working in the F&I industry stays interesting because of the great products that our industry continues to develop to meet the needs of the public. In developing a new product, there are, of course, many issues regarding policy language, pricing, marketing, systems, etc. We want to focus on some general considerations when developing a product ... Read More »
Where are we headed in 2011?
The software and technology industry is one of the fastest changing and most influential industries affecting businesses of all types across the globe. As new technology becomes available, so does new opportunities. These opportunities are available and can be utilitzed by almost any industry, and in almost any business process including finance and accounting, Sales ... Read More »
Guest Editorial
Drive Service Retention and Be Your Dealer’s Hero
Over the past several years, it has been harder and harder for a dealer to compete with the “fast-lane” facilities popping up on every corner. Dealers are perceived as (1) taking too long to perform the service, (2) being more expensive than and are not as convenient as independent service shops. What most customers don’t ... Read More »
Guest Blog
Top Ten (or Eleven) Stories of 2010!
As the final month of the first quarter of 2011 approaches, I catch myself thinking, where did the time go? Last year came and went, the 2011 NADA conference has come and gone, the Agent Summit being held in conjunction with F&I and Showroom and our sister publication Agent Entrepreneur will be underway next week, ... Read More »
P&A Industry News
Treasury to Cut Stake In Ally
WASHINGTON – The Treasury Department began its exit from auto and mortgage lender Ally Financial Inc. Tuesday by moving to sell up to $2.7 billion in securities it holds in the Detroit company. The government expects to sell at least $1 billion of the securities to Wall Street investors today, with the sale set to ... Read More »
Kia Extends Resource Automotive’s Customer Service Program
CHICAGO – Resource Automotive Inc. announced that its “Fix It Right the First Time” (FRFT) program has been extended into 2011 by Kia Motors America (KMA), because of its successful implementation of the program with 100 participating dealers in 2010. Since the program was launched five months ago, 73 percent of participating dealers have seen ... Read More »
E-Autobusiness Earns DealerTrack DMS Certification
CHARLOTTE – e-autobusiness, a provider of the AEROS CRM Software Suite for automotive retailers nationwide, announced Wednesday its certified integration with the DealerTrack Dealer Management System (DMS). The integration, approved via DealerTrack’s OpenTrack Certification program, allows for seamless and secure connectivity between the AEROS CRM application and the DealerTrack DMS. The certified integration ensures the ... Read More »
F&I Express Adds IAS To Its E-Contracting Platform
PALOS VERDES – Intersection Technologies, Inc and its aftermarket industry leading e-contracting platform of F&I Express is pleased to announce that it has entered into agreement and has added Innovative Aftermarket Systems (IAS) to its e-contracting platform. F&I Express is an e-contracting platform for the aftermarket F&I marketplace. It provides the dealer one place to ... Read More »
Automotive Industry News
Exclusive: Chrysler Refinancing Talks Advance, Sources Say
Chrysler, led by Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne, is looking to refinance a little over $7 billion of debt owed to the U.S. and Canadian governments in a deal expected to include both bank term loans and bonds, six people with knowledge of the discussions said, reported Reuters. As part of the refinancing package, the No. ... Read More »
Fiat’s Chrysler Says Global Vehicle Sales Rose 12 Percent In February
Chrysler Group LLC, the U.S. automaker run by Fiat SpA, said its global sales in February rose 12 percent from a year earlier with the rate of growth outside North America quickening from January. Deliveries climbed to 128,321 vehicles last month, Auburn Hills, Michigan-based Chrysler said in an e-mail. Global sales this year through February ... Read More »
S&P Cuts Toyota Debt Rating
TOKYO – In the latest blow to Toyota Motor Corp., ratings agency Standard & Poor’s on Friday lowered its bond rating the world’s largest auto maker, citing what it said was its “weak profitability.” S&P’s downgrade of Toyota’s long-term corporate credit and senior unsecured-debt ratings comes as the giant Japanese auto maker is trying to ... Read More »
Judge Plans To Ok End Of Old GM
NEW YORK – A federal bankruptcy judge said Thursday he would approve a plan to liquidate the remnants of 102-year-old General Motors Corp. – a milestone in the restructuring of the U.S. auto industry. “This plan will be confirmed,” said Judge Robert E. Gerber after a day-long hearing – just under 21 months after the ... Read More »
Ford Accounting Move May Add $13 Billion To Profit, Expert Says
Ford Motor Co. after earning $9.3 billion in the last two years, may make an accounting change this year to reflect confidence in its recovery, a move one tax expert said could boost its 2011 profit as much as $13 billion. Ford in the second half may eliminate from its balance sheet a valuation allowance ... Read More »
Ford to ‘Hold Back’ On Discounts, Bill Ford Says
SANTA BARBARA – Ford Motor Co. plans to hold the line against price discounts in the U.S. market despite pressure from competitors who have spent more heavily on incentives to boost sales in the first months of the year, Executive Chairman Bill Ford said on Thursday. “One of the things that comes with having a ... Read More »
Mazda Recalls Nearly 66,000 Cars Because Of… Yellow Sac Spiders?
Mazda is recalling certain Mazda6 sedans from the 2009 and 2010 model years to clean the cobwebs out of their fuel systems. The car maker says the recall, which affects about 65,916 cars built from April 8, 2008 through Feb. 8, 2010, was brought on by a certain kind of spider called the Yellow Sac. ... Read More »
GM Offers Interest-Free Financing As Sales Pace Accelerates
General Motors Co. is offering buyers interest-free financing on some 2011 models after the company increased discounts and incentives to lead all major automakers’ U.S. sales gains last month. The loans became available yesterday for 72 months on the Chevrolet Impala sedan, as well as for 60 months on the Malibu sedan, HHR wagon, Traverse ... Read More »
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