The new office allows teams from ADESA, which is a business unit of KAR auction services, and AutoVin to work closely together for the benefit of customers, says Trevor Henderson, chief operating officer of ADESA Canada.

“Our prime location is not only more convenient for our customers, but we are also near our Toronto auto auction and other KAR companies located in the area,” says Henderson. “The diverse teams and functions of this facility and the collaborative work environment it creates will also help us attract and retain Toronto’s best and brightest talent,” he says.

The headquarters will house key business functions, including sales, finance, tax, legal and human resources, along with AutoVin training and development, customer service field operations and executive departments.

OPENLANE, ADESA’s Internet auto auction subsidiary, also has adjacent offices, with staff that support both groups’ technology and operations infrastructures.

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Established in 1993, the Best Managed Companies awards recognize Canadian-owned and managed companies, with revenues over $10 million, for sustained growth, financial performance, management practices and the efforts of the entire organization. They are sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC, National Post, Smith School of Business and MacKay CEO Forums. Each year they attract hundreds of competitors from across the country.

“The past five years have been a period of tremendous growth, expansion and transformational change for our brand and operations,” says Stuart Suls, Mr. Lube president and CEO. “Throughout it all, every person on our team, from coast to coast, has risen to the challenge and set new standards for leadership, innovation and execution, while caring for the communities where we serve day in and day out.”

The company was founded in 1976, pioneering a category of automotive servicing that focused on convenience with no appointment necessary. It now has 170 locations across Canada, operated by a national network of franchisees.

The post Mr. Lube is Best Managed Company — yet again appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.

Dealers and dealership employees can get free registration to the Auto Remarketing Canada Conference April 3-4 at the Harbour Castle Hilton in Toronto. Attendees from all facets of the remarketing and used-vehicle industry will get together to learn, share and network at the annual event, which features large-scale keynote sessions, panel discussions, hands-on, interactive workshops and three content tracks.

A wide variety of topics will be covered, including the growing demand for certified pre-owned vehicles, automotive retail technology, digital marketing, trends and forecasting for used supply, changing automotive finance and subprime lending, and more.

New this year, are three content tracks that allow attendees to dive deeper into specific areas of interest.

A remarketing track focuses on increasing professional knowledge and skill sets surrounding the wholesale buying and selling/remarketing of used vehicles.

A retail track deals with strategies, best practices, training and technology, with emphasis on improving results and profitability in the retail sale of used vehicles.

A finance track discusses data, analytics and training, with information at the dealer sessions aimed at driving organizational success in the financing of used vehicles. Sessions for bank, captive and finance company executives will also be held.

For more details on Auto Remarketing Canada/Canada’s Used Car Conference and a link to the registration form, visit https://arcanada.autoremarketing.com

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The campaign aims to educate drivers on some simple solutions to resist the urge to drive distracted, such as pairing to bluetooth and securing potential distractions before starting a trip.

Customers who visit participating dealerships can make a formal commitment to drive distraction-free through an online pledge at www.distractionfree.ca or by posting a personal pledge on their Twitter and Facebook pages, using the #TakeTheWheel hashtag.

LGM Financial Services initiated the campaign in 2015 as a platform for dealers to step up against an important industry issue. Distracted driving is a factor in about four million motor vehicle crashes in North America each year, according to CAA statistics.

Linda Leo, a campaign champion at West Coast Kia in PItt Meadows, B.C., says she is looking to this year’s efforts. “From my experience, it doesn’t take a lot to make a connection; a quick conversation or a little reminder, combined with a bit of passion, has the potential to make a real impact for the cause in a short amount of time,” she says.

The post Auto dealers join forces to fight distracted driving appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.

The Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council (AMVIC) is warning used car buyers to think twice before signing a deal that’s too good to be true. They’ve joined the Fraud Prevention Forum partners in a mission to raise awareness during March, Fraud Prevention Month.

“An informed consumer who is prepared to ask questions is exactly what curbers and fraudsters do not want,” says Lynette MacLeod, AMVIC manager of communications and education.

A curber is someone who sells vehicles illegally to consumers without the proper sales license. Curbers typically sell vehicles that have hidden damage, odometers that have been tampered with, and may even be stolen. Buyers often find that when problems arise, the seller can’t be found, or offers no help.

“A deal that seems too good to be true is just one of many signs that you may be dealing with a curber,” MacLeod says.

AMVIC is sharing tips via weekly e-bulletins throughout March to help consumers recognize, reject and report fraud.

The post Alberta regulator tackles automotive fraud appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.

The company will use the money for projects to install more than 1,000 new charging stations across Canada by 2019 and to develop the next generation of fast-charging stations and other technologies.

The support will help AddEnergie to “strengthen our position as a Canadian leader in charging solutions for electric vehicles and allow us to work with other innovative companies to shape the future of transportation,” says president and CEO Louis Tremblay.

Canada’s plan for climate change and clean growth calls for federal, provincial and territorial governments to work with industry and other stakeholders to develop a Canada-wide strategy for zero-emission vehicles by 2018.

The post AddEnergie gets funding for EV charging stations appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.

With more than 40 currencies and nearly 30 languages currently supported, the RMS Automotive platform integrates with client technology and enables commercial consignors to manage the complete vehicle lifecycle — from new car build to used car sale — and enhance the value of their remarketing inventory.

Since entering the market three years ago, the company has disrupted the way large commercial clients manage their vehicle portfolios, says RMS Automotive president Nick Peluso.

“We’re driving an OEM migration and causing others to play catch up,” says Peluso. “This trend is reinforced by our recent wins and milestones with BMW, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Porsche,Toyota, Volvo and others.”

RMS provides VIN-specific recommendations for accurate vehicle pricing as well as optimal reconditioning and inventory distribution across physical wholesale auctions. The services deliver real-time integration with a client’s platform, faster remarketing time, reduced depreciation/cost of capital, improved residuals and reduction in wholesale losses, say the company.

“We’ve stimulated a paradigm shift in the automotive industry, guiding OEMs to rely more on data analytics to drive their decision making instead of only trusting their gut,” says Peluso. “Our scientific approach to vehicle remarketing — backed by RMS’s unique team of data scientists and analysts, as well as access to Cox Automotive’s proprietary wholesale and retail data — is a real game changer.”

The post Online platform disrupts upstream vehicle remarketing appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.

Driver technology, such as steering or parking assist, adaptive cruise control and keyless entry or ignition, is very important to 36 per cent. More than a quarter — 28 per cent say the same for passenger technology like audio or video streaming and social network connectivity.

Looking at the results by income reveals a notable difference in the numbers. An average of 44 per cent of people in the top income quartile see the latest driver technology as very important, while just 30 per cent of people in the the low income quartile agree.

Other features the higher income respondents favour include quality of workmanship, a comfortable and spacious interior, a powerful engine and the reputation of the manufacturer. Results in areas like fuel economy and environmental factors are consistent across income bands.

Brazil (48 per cent), China (43 per cent) and Korea (42 per cent) have the highest overall percentages of people who say driver technology is very important. For passenger technology, it’s China (37 per cent), Brazil (36 per cent) and Mexico (30 per cent).

“The value of these findings for vehicle manufacturers lies in being able to assess precisely which features different consumer segments say appeal most to them — and adjust marketing content and product development to match those aspirations,” says Siegfried Hoegl, GfK’s global head of automotive research.

The post Drivers around the world want latest technology appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.

Dx3, Canada’s largest digital marketing, advertising and retail conference, comes to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on March 8 and 9. An interactive exhibit, ‘The Seamless Shopping Experience’ will feature demonstrations by Shopify, Monteris, Interac and Beehivr and will focus on how companies can leverage solution to meet the needs of today’s consumer.

Other interactive exhibits include the Dx3 Autolab presented by Toyota and powered by research specialists Tobii Pro. The interactive car showroom demonstrates how subconscious behaviour is captured while attendees “shop.”

The conference will also feature the Canadian Retail Innovation Challenge, a competition that aims to find the best new companies working to improve the retail merchant and retail technology sectors.

“This year’s interactive exhibits really show where the future of marketing and retail is going, from the commercialization of virtual reality to the application of new technologies to improve shopping experiences,” says Eric Mercer, director of content with Dx3 Canada.

For tickets and details on speakers and exhibits, visit Dx3 Canada.

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Three nominees in each of six categories include:

Zero mission: Chevrolet Bolt, Ford Focus EV and Hyundai Ioniq.

Plug-in hybrid: Ford C-Max Energi, Ford Fusion Energi and Chevrolet Volt.

Hybrid: Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, Hyundai Ioniq HEV and Kia Niro HEV.

Efficient gasoline or diesel internal combustion: Honda Civic, Jaguar XF 2.0D and Chevrolet Cruze.

Efficient three-row vehicle: Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander and Mazda 5.

Fun car: Jaguar XE 2.0D, Tesla Model S and Tesla Model X.

Category and overall winners are selected through a combination of factual data and judges’ assessments based on test drives, experience and manufacturers’ information. The judges are among Canada’s most respected automotive journalists.

The look at environmental benefits such as fuel efficiency, tailpipe emissions, the use of sustainable or recyclable materials and measures taken by manufacturers to green their operations. Elements that influence consumer appear are also considered, such as range, price, safety aids, comfort and connectivity features, performance and build quality.

This is the fifth year for the award. Previous winners include the Ford Fusion hybrid, Honda Accord hybrid, Kia Soul EV and Chevrolet Volt.

The post Green Car Award judging is under way appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.

DMT Development Systems Group has raised capital in a growth equity financing round led by private investment firm Sageview Capital to expand the company’s suite of software products. Built on a multi-tenant SaaS platform, the softwares enables auto manufacturers and dealerships to efficiently generate and manage leads.

The company expects to hire more than 30 new staff for research and product development, and continue its international market expansion, including new offices in Europe and North America.

“This investment increases our ability to supercharge our R&D efforts and fast track the development of our industry-leading solutions in the area of real-time communication,” says DMT founder, Glen Demetrioff. “We believe that Sageview has the domain expertise, resources and shared vision to help us reach our goals for product evolution and market expansion.”

The financing marks the first outside funding in DMT’s 20-year history. As part of the investment, Sageview Capital partners Scott Stuart and Jeff Klemens have joined the DMT board of directors. Sageview will hold a minority stake in the company.

The post DMT to expand lead-generation software products appeared first on Canadian Auto Dealer.

New customized plan options from TradeRev are designed to simplify the accounting process, while serving the needs of both high and low volume dealers.The TradeRev mobile app creates a simplified, transparent real time automotive exchange, adding speed and efficiency to the resale process. It gives the seller visibility into all incoming bids. Find out more

The new plans include a subscription-based service for high-volume users and better serve the diverse needs of users, says TradeRev president and co-founder Mark Endras.

“Thousands of Canadian dealers rely on our real-time car auction technology, and their feedback and input led to the design of our new Pro and Standard plans,” he says.

Here’s how the two plans compare:

Standard plan. The first subscription-free service offered by TradeRev, the Standard Plan is designed for smaller dealers who want to test drive the auction tool before signing up for a subscription. It allows users to:

• Buy and sell as many trades as desired;
• Use elctronic payment and floor plan financing;
• Preview upcoming cars before they go live;
• Arrange vehicle transport right in the app.

Post-sale inspection services are also offered, and an unlimited number of users can be accommodated.

Pro Plan. Monthly subscription-based, the Pro Plan includes everything in the Standard Plan, plus:

• Guaranteed payment in 48 hours (once ownership is received and liens are cleared);
• TradeRev Payday, which allows sellers to earn cash;
• ADESA Market Guide, a research tool containing details such as make, model and trim, as well as sold price and location and high value option codes.
• Reduced fees
• Unlimited devices for users.

“Both plans simplify the billing process, making it faster and easier for dealers to get true market value for their trade-ins,” says Endras.

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