CATA News

This year's USO BBQ for the Troops one-day fundraiser will take place on Saturday, July 15 across the Chicagoland area. And this year's event is a big one - the 10th Annual BBQ!

The CATA and area new-car dealers partnered with the USO Illinois to create the Barbecue for the Troops campaign to raise money for our local troops and their families. What started as a few hot dogs and tin can has now grown into an annual festival which brings in thousands of dollars. In fact, the program’s lifetime total is over $1 million raised for USO Illinois!

As a participating dealer, the CATA will provide you with a starter kit of marketing materials you will need to get started including outdoor signage, posters and a social media toolkit. The CATA also runs an area-wide marketing and advertising campaign which includes a listing of all participating dealers and is an excellent opportunity for media exposure.

The 2022 event had 63 participating new-car dealers who hosted events that ranged from online fundraisers to full-blown community summer festivals that included a 21-gun salute, live music, bounce houses, and, of course, a delicious barbecue meal. This year, the CATA’s aiming for 100 participating dealers; help us reach our goal and bring us back to pre-pandemic participation levels!

As we know, dealers have deep roots in their communities and by participating in the Barbecue for the Troops program, dealers can further connect with their customers and contribute to a great cause.

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A loophole enables car shoppers to get the EV they want and qualify for a full $7,500 tax credit – sort of. All customers must do is lease instead of buy. Only a few vehicles qualify for the federal EV tax credit if purchased by the consumer. But, thanks to this loophole, all battery-powered models qualify for the full credit if they're leased, because in that case the IRA categorizes them as commercial vehicles.

More information is available here: https://electrek.co/2023/04/05/how-to-bypass-nearly-every-restriction-of-the-ev-tax-credit-by-leasing/.

CATA Approved Partner ACV Auctions is providing a limited number of Live Appraisal Events free of charge to CATA dealers participating in the USO BBQ for the Troops event this coming July. For these events, ACV partners with dealers by having an inspector at the dealership to assess trades and launch the customer’s vehicle onto the ACV network for an instant appraisal. ACV can also assist participating dealers with marketing materials for the event.

Below are links to a video and presentation for more detailed information on the Live Appraisal Events. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rRGLXfCNLCNxtAFe43tzNwPLkZi-vZBH/view?usp=drive_link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/133aitrUChMvLcICZB9_jj8AR47xAGow6/view?usp=sharing

For more information contact ACV Regional Sales Director Collin Rosenbaum at (260) 265-0144 or crosenbaum@acvauctions.com . This opportunity is limited to a handful of CATA dealers and is on a first-come, first-served basis.

It’s no secret that your Fixed Ops department is an essential part of your dealership’s performance and profitability. However, many dealerships are feeling the pressure of a significant technician shortage, exacerbated by industry changes, supply chain disruptions, and unforeseen global events.

There are three key areas your dealership should focus on in order to combat the technician shortage:

While the future remains uncertain, there are clear steps you should take to maximize the technicians you currently have, all while making your dealership a better place to work with great pay and a busy service drive.

As many dealerships navigate these unprecedented events, it has become apparent that Service Managers lack the time and tools to enhance the capacity of their current technicians, factor in and plan for future capacity, and understand how that can affect revenue and profitability. It can also be challenging to have the insight needed to make long-term departmental enhancements that will improve technician retention, pay, and overall job satisfaction. Dynatron Software has the data analytics and coaching your dealership needs to be able to turn goals into action plans, and action plans into results.

Check out our latest blog to learn more about how to tackle each step in beating the technician shortage here.

April 18, 1934 – May 24, 2023 – Michael "Mike" Muller, 89. Beloved husband of the late Trudy, nee Arst; devoted father of Mark (Lori) and the late Scott and Glenn Muller; treasured grandfather of Priscilla, Madison, Jared, Mackenzie, and Aleksandra; loving brother of Ann Hilton (aka Arlene Muller); caring uncle of Kip (Kathy) Weissman and Kathy (Jack) Giroux. Mike was a proud veteran, serving in the US Army during the Korean War. He was the owner of six distinctive automobile dealerships in Illinois and Northern Indiana. He started as a car salesman in 1968, eventually becoming partners with Irwin Grossinger and opening his own dealership in Highland Park in 1974. He will be deeply missed by extended family, friends, and colleagues. Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

Wholesale used-vehicle price erosion continued to an extent in May, according to two major indicators. One of those, the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index, recorded a second-straight month of decline. Cox Automotive said Wednesday that its Manheim index — a measurement of wholesale used-vehicle prices calculated by tracking vehicles sold at Manheim's U.S. auctions and applying statistical analysis to those figures — fell 2.7 percent in May from April. Cox adjusts that figure for mix, mileage and seasonality.

ARCO/Murray - Our goal is the same today as it was when we started in 1992: to be the very best design-build contractor in the industry. We use a proven design-build methodology to bring our clients’ vision to life while delivering the very best experience.

We have offices to serve clients from coast-to-coast – across an array of industries.

Our expert team of in-house engineers, project managers, superintendents, modelers and architects are capable of designing and building the most demanding projects anywhere in the country.

For more information contact Michele Fournier at mfournier@arcomurray.com.

BMO Commercial Bank - At BMO Commercial Bank, we believe you deserve more from your bank than just a place to get financing or products to manage your cash flow. You deserve a partner that understands your industry, your business and sees your vision the way you see it. A bank that gets you.

Our clients feel the difference when they work with us. We listen to you, anticipate your needs and share our expertise and knowledge to help you achieve your vision. You benefit from the size and strength of BMO Financial Group, with $812 billion in assets and the expertise of 45,000 employees around the globe.

We understand that there’s more to running your business than just finances, so we want to make banking with us easy so you focus on growing your business; confident that all of your financial needs are being addressed. Because in the end, that’s the type of partner a bank should be.

For more information contact Joel Dixon at joel.dixon@bmo.com.

Novella - Dealers trust their salespeople to present sealant products. Novella validates it. Novella is designed to guarantee and track sealants are presented each and every time. ONE additional sealant contract per month will cover your monthly Novella cost. Additionally, if you do not see an increase in sealant penetration within 90 days at a +95% utilization rate, we will refund your fees.

Guarantee your salespeople are presenting sealants to each and every customer. No longer miss an opportunity to capture a sealant sale - the only noncancelable ancillary! Novella is product-agnostic, which means NO change of your sealant provider. Novella is the gateway to increased F&I!

For more information contact Tanya Jindrich at tanya.jindrich@novellatrack.com.

The Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch study for the first quarter of 2023 claimed hybrid vehicles continue to be more popular among vehicle shoppers despite the significant attention paid to EVs and new tax advantages. The report compares a brand or model to its competitors in the industry based on a dozen parameters crucial to a consumer’s purchasing decision. It’s a consumer perception survey that also takes into account shopping behavior.

However, shopping habits remained the same. Since the fourth quarter of 2022, consideration for EVs has stayed the same, and it hasn’t decreased much since the spring of 2022 when gas prices spiked.

On the other hand, since Kelley Blue Book began keeping track of electrified car purchases, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has held the top spot for most-shopped electrified vehicles. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid, ranked number three, the updated Prius, ranked number six; and the Camry Hybrid, ranked number seven, were also included. Ford and Honda each got two listings in the top ten, the CR-V Hybrid and the Honda Accord Hybrid. In addition, the Ford Maverick and the Escape Hybrid.

Read the full report here.

Need help with the new FTC Safeguards Rule? Whether you're just starting or have already initiated the process, this webinar can be an invaluable refresher, highlighting common misconceptions and easily overlooked aspects of the new rules to avoid potential pitfalls and stay on track.

Hear Brad Miller, Chief Regulatory Counsel, Digital Affairs and Privacy at NADA, and Chris Cleveland, CEO & Co-Founder of ComplyAuto, as they aim to equip you with practical tips and straightforward tasks to ensure you meet the deadline. By focusing on essential, easy-to-accomplish items, you'll be well on your way to compliance and prepared for potential enforcement actions. Take advantage of this opportunity to get up-to-speed and confidently navigate the June 9th Revised FTC Safeguards Rule Deadline.

To view the recording, click here.

(NOTE: NADA Login required. If you need assistance accessing member content, contact NADA customer service (Monday-Friday: 8:30am-4:45pm) at 800.557.6232.)

Illinois Senate Bill 1896, which would amend the Illinois Vehicle Code to allow for e-signatures for online vehicle sales as well as home delivery to customers has passed both houses of the General Assembly and awaits the governor’s signature.  Sen. Patrick Joyce (D) introduced the bill to clarify language in the vehicle code regarding online sales.  The bill was amended during the legislative process to provide the Secretary of State to continue to regulate off-site sales.