March 11, 2022

Communication within your dealership can make a world of difference for your customers, your employees, and your staff. Even if you believe your dealership is great at communicating inside and out, improvement is always possible.

This year we also have a second Time Quality Dealer nominee in IL., Ray Fregia, Jr, Courtesy Ford,. Lincoln, Danville, nominated for the award by Damon Lester, president of the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers.

Starting Jan. 1, Illinois motor vehicle dealers have been able to claim “Fair and Adequate Compensation” for warranty and recall repairs. Pursuant to the changes made to Section 6 of the Motor Vehicle Franchise Act (815 ILCS 710/6) by Public Act 102-232 (https://bit.ly/3LBHSZt), manufacturers must reimburse their dealers for parts and labor in warranty and recall repairs at the same rate as those dealers charge when making repairs that are not covered by warranty. Importantly, P.A. 102-232 now prohibits manufacturers from imposing cost recovery surcharges on dealers who claim their “retail rate” for warranty and recall repairs. The parts and labor increases are similar to the reimbursement authorized under several other state statutes but represent a significant increase for Illinois dealers.

Time and time again, the topics of safety leadership and risk management culture are brought up at businesses around the country. As leaders, you have a responsibility to help keep your operations running smoothly and ensuring your employees are working to the best of their abilities. But from an overarching perspective, safety leadership must start at the top — with you.

The IADA board, membership, and association partners are proud to announce that Curtis Pascarella from Phillips Chevrolet in Frankfort has been nominated as TIME Dealer of the Year in partnership with Ally. This nomination is the most prestigious honor a new car dealer can receive. We here at IADA are so proud of Curtis, are excited he received this recognition, and congratulate him for this esteemed consideration.

The auto industry is starting to undergo a massive switchover from ICE autos to EV autos, and there’s no shortage of people to tell you EVs are going to have a big impact on the industry. What’s less clear is how that implementation will occur. Many people expect direct retail from manufacturers to expand, but fewer people ask what customers want and like.

On Jan. 5, 2022, The Washington Post published an op-ed article by Liam Denning entitled “Car Dealership Laws Aren’t Fit for the Electric Age.” On Jan. 13, 2022, NADA’s president and CEO, Mike Stanton, responded. The following sections contain a summary of the op-ed and Mike Stanton’s response.

Most dealerships are enjoying a tremendous amount of success, particularly financially. There is a lot that could be written about getting back to the basics and staying with your processes during a time where it’s tempting to shortcut, and success has been had, even with shortcuts in place.

The Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act (the “Act”) is a powerful legislative enactment that is intended to eradicate unfair and deceptive acts and practices in the marketplace. The Act grants the Illinois Attorney General enforcement power to enjoin such acts or practices and seek penalties and other relief. Section 2 of the Act provides, in part:

It is with a great deal of humility that I present my first message to the membership as the new IADA Executive Director. I have been privileged to represent the Illinois dealership industry at the State Capitol as your IADA Director of Legislative Affairs for the past 37 years, so my transition to assuming the responsibilities as the Executive Director should be very seamless. Our goal at IADA will be to continue to lead a strong, unified voice for all dealers and ensure that the various legislative and regulatory agencies know the Illinois dealership industry is a compelling group to be reckoned with — one that speaks and works together.