Residual values realized at auction are increasing as dealer inventories have shrunk to 40-45 days and supply is not meeting demand. Franchised and independent used car dealers are both suffering September drop in sales but for lack of product rather than willing customers.
ATA promotes safety in the trucking industry by bestowing its President's Award and several others to recognize exceptional safety commitment, programs and performance.
Manheim Consulting chief Tom Webb sees an acceleration in wholesale values in the first half of September, particularly among midsize and compact cars, following eight months of consistent increases and due in part to the reduced number of used vehicles available.
Panels at the Clinton Global Initiative praised improvements in battery and electric car technology stating that it was ready now for mass production. This technology will admittedly get better and cheaper over the next five years.
Cash for Clunkers was a rousing success for politicians and new car dealers who have received their checks from the government. Now that the program is over, the unintended consequences are beginning to surface. The program forced dealers to crush perfectly good cars, creating a used car price bubble. New car inventories and donations of vehicles to charities are both down. September new car sales are expected to take a dive. And aftermarket repair shops will see rising prices for replacement parts.