Certified Sales Post 9th Straight Monthly Increase
Certified pre-owned sales are up again in November, to 126,651 units, with almost 1.5 million year-to-date and a 6.5 percent increase over same period last year. Dealers look forward to gathering new certified inventory for a successful 2011.
Safety Impact of Proposed Mileage Requirements Requires Research
While government agencies are proposing annual increases in overall vehicle fuel efficiency, automakers say they're underestimating the technology costs and more study is required on the impact to vehicle safety.
Polk Reports Upswing in Commercial Vehicle, Trailer Registrations
Used commercial vehicle (Class 3-8) registrations were up 18.7% through the first nine months of 2010, according to Polk. Analysts also report an increase in new commercial vehicle registrations of 9.6%, and new commercial trailer registrations were up 42.2% over 2009.
IIHS Asks Feds to Regulate Truck Bumper Height
When cars and sport utility vehicles literally bump into one another in stop-and-go traffic or in parking lots, their owners should prepare for a financial hit that could reach $6,000, according to new tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Because SUVs and other light trucks are not subject to the same federal bumper standards as cars, their bumpers generally don't line up. That means that what should be minor fender-benders can lead to huge repair bills, according to the institute, which is financed by the insurance industry.
KBB.com, ALG Announce 2011 Resale Leaders
Kelly Blue Book and ALG (formerly Automotive Lease Guide) announced their projected resale retention leaders for 2011 with Subaru being chosen by both as the resale leader in the next 36 to 60 months. ALG named Infiniti as top luxury brand while Kelly named BMW. ALG sees a rise in value retention coming from the Koreans and domestic nameplates as quality improves for both.
