The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration this week published an advisory to dealers regarding the long standing prohibitions under state law relative to car buying services, such that neither dealers nor customers can pay such organizations on dealer/car buyer referrals. Correspondingly, the advisory noted that car buying services cannot be licensed as vehicle dealers or sales representatives. [FULL ARTICLE]

Gov. Martin O’Malley announced today that Maryland lawmakers will return to Annapolis on May 14 to reevaluate and, the governor hopes, pass a tax package similar to the one that collapsed in the closing hours of the regular session of the General Assembly that ended last month. [FULL ARTICLE]

The Federal Trade Commission’s Roundtable fact finding meetings on dealer practices and advertising that took place in three cities last year may be over, but pressure on the agency to regulate dealers continues as evidenced by recommendation made to the FTC by the Attorneys General of 31 states and the District of Columbia. [FULL ARTICLE]

New vehicle sales in the Washington Metro region rose to over a quarter million units in 2011, as consumers in the market joined their counterparts across the country to replace cars and truck in their driveways that had, on average, reached 8 years old or more. [FULL ARTICLE]

Good news! With Income Tax Day right around the corner, eBay Motors and Harris Interactive, have released the findings of a new survey indicating that 34 percent of tax payers expecting a refund will be using it to address transportation needs, either repairing an old car or buying a new one.
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Cautious optimism abounded among the speaker line up of industry notables weighing in at the NADA/IHS Automotive Forum last Tuesday, April 3, in New York as the Big Apple's 2012 Auto Show was opening. Things are looking up in the auto industry, more so than the world economy at large, and that's good news, particularly in comparison to the economic realities three years ago. However, there is still potential for serious setbacks to the industry and world economy.
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WANADA members will want to put Wednesday, May 16 on their calendar for a fun filled day of camaraderie and competition at the association's annual golf tournament (WANADA Open) returning this year to the beautiful Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg, VA. [FULL ARTICLE]

The major automakers went on the record this week calling for changes in a pending two-year highway reauthorization bill that would significantly raise the penalties they would face for failing to promptly recall vehicles while at the same time imposing new safety requirements on them. [FULL ARTICLE]

Virginia dealers were reminded this week by the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board (MVDB) that dealers are responsible for all advertisements for motor vehicles, including all Internet advertising. MVDB said that Internet advertisements, including videos and YouTube postings, must adhere to the same advertising guidelines as print and television and that all dealers advertising by Internet should review their ads carefully. In issuing this warning, MVDB noted that it is finding many Internet ads that are not in keeping with Virginia law.
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TrueCar’s second presentation to the Virginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board this morning fell short of convincing MVDB members that its revised car-buyer referral program to dealers was any more compliant with the Commonwealth’s vehicle sale licensing laws than when the program was found to be out of compliance by MVDB in January. While TrueCar’s revised arrangement put forth an approach where participating dealers would pay a monthly fee for service as opposed to a fee per unit, MVDB found the vehicle referral program still out of compliance with licensing requirements. [FULL ARTICLE]

With the Virginia General Assembly wrapping up the 2012 session, legislators passed a new electronic filing bill, which will enable electronic titling of new vehicles in the Commonwealth, a first for any state. This bill will eventually allow dealers to go paperless for titling transactions with the DMV. Titles would be held electronically and be accessible to vehicle owners via the DMV website. [FULL ARTICLE]

New vehicle sales figures for February suggest the new car market is on its way to a strong recovery, but now a national survey suggests that if the cost of gasoline that has been rising of late goes too high, it could have a daunting effect on vehicle sales improvement curve. [FULL ARTICLE]

The Obama administration is taking a new approach to incentives for electric and other alternative-fuel cars, proposing to provide the incentives to the automakers themselves, rather than consumers who buy them. The proposal is contained in its 2013 White House budget proposal delivered to Congress last week. [FULL ARTICLE]

WANADA dealer members joined their counterparts from across the U.S. in Las Vegas, NV last week for the 2012 NADA/ATD Convention that was more upbeat than any the industry has seen for some years. From the general sessions, numerous management workshops and record-sized auto and truck dealer exposition, dealer attendees were indeed bullish on their industry and more than pleased the “Great Recession” that had forced many of their colleagues out of the business was in the rearview mirror. [FULL ARTICLE]

No, it wasn’t just Auto Show Tuesday last week when the president of the United States came by to see the latest and greatest new vehicles at The Washington Auto Show. [FULL ARTICLE]

Washington Auto Show visitors got a big surprise on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012; a visit from the President of the United States, Barack Obama. The appearance by the president, was a first for The Washington Auto Show and highlighted the day’s events, which also included a special tribute to the military. The President made an extended tour of the show’s signature Advanced Technology SuperHighway pavilion paying particular interest to vehicle powered by alternate fuel systems, but also enjoyed some “steering wheel” time in a number of U.S. made muscle cars and pickups.

The 2012 Washington Auto Show's first industry day on Capitol Hill last week concluded with a premise followed by a supposition. The premise: the U.S. auto industry has and continues to be one of the largest job providers in the Green Economy. The supposition: should the federal government ever develop a coherent energy policy, the auto industry could become the biggest creator of jobs in the country. This is where two symposium panels of distinguished auto industry observers netted out at the Policy Summit, entitled Driving Innovation: The Role of the Auto Industry in the Green Economy, that took place in the historic Caucus Room of the Cannon House Office Bldg. [FULL ARTICLE]

In honor of the dedicated service of U.S. troops who are abroad and in harms way, The Washington Auto Show (WAS) will present a Special Tribute to the Troops on Tues, Jan. 31, 2012.
The WAS, produced by the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association will offer free admission for all active-duty military coming out and presenting a military ID on Auto Show Tuesday. At 6 pm that evening, a special Veterans Reception and Press Conference will feature celebrity guests, musical entertainment and information from automakers about vehicle discounts and career tracks for military personnel. A featured non-profit partner of the celebration is the USO of Metropolitan Washington. [FULL ARTICLE]