Auto Dealer Traffic, Inc., a leading automotive Search Engine Marketing (SEM) company, today announced it has been named a preferred vendor by the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD). Auto Dealer Traffic will provide Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services to NAMAD members at special rates, along with free Web and market analysis, to help minority business owners in the automotive sector increase their Web site traffic, Internet-generated leads and sales.

“Auto Dealer Traffic is one of the most knowledgeable SEM companies in the industry. Their cutting-edge technology will enable our members to increase their online presence, and generate more business and profits from their Internet marketing campaigns,” said Damon Lester, president of NAMAD.

Auto Dealer Traffic is one of the most knowledgeable SEM companies in the industry. Their cutting-edge technology will enable our members to increase their online presence, and generate more business and profits from their Internet marketing campaigns
In addition to providing Internet marketing services and support to members, Auto Dealer Traffic will also serve as a corporate sponsor for NAMAD events.

“Our NAMAD sponsorship is an endorsement of the association’s emphasis on public education, and the partnership and networking opportunities they offer members, which are of tremendous value to the industry,” said Tanesha Bennett, sales director for Auto Dealer Traffic.

NAMAD is a 501c (3) non-profit organization headquartered in Lanham, Maryland whose mission is to provide viable opportunities for ethnic minorities in the automobile industry. NAMAD is both an advocacy and political association towards achieving parity in the automobile industry. Currently ethnic minorities represent five percent (5%) of new automobile dealerships in the United States. NAMAD’s goal is to achieve fifteen percent (15%) representation of the entire dealer network.

“We are looking forward to being a resource for NAMAD members and providing them with whatever assistance is needed to develop effective online strategies,” said Todd Swickard, president of Auto Dealer Traffic.

Auto Dealer Traffic is a premier provider of comprehensive, technologically advanced and highly effective search engine marketing programs to help drive new and used car sales. The company’s proprietary software can be implemented at any size dealership and on any existing Web site platform to significantly increase qualified buyer traffic to a dealer’s site. ADT’s dealer customers are consistently top-ranked on the leading search engine sites, including Google, Yahoo! and MSN.

About Auto Dealer Traffic Inc: (www.autodealertraffic.com)

Cool Springs luxury car wash, car accessories and garage retailer Miles The Auto Spa said Friday it is selling used high-end automobiles on its lot, a move that industry experts think will help boost the company’s overall business.

Miles Johnson, the company’s founder and president, said he plans to sell 15 to 20 used luxury automobiles and sport utility vehicles on his 1.5-acre lot at Bakers Bridge Road.
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Johnson said he believes consumers will sell their cars at his business because of the large amount of customers who wash their cars and buy products there as well as a potential for a higher profit for their vehicle.

“Unlike any other car dealer in the country, we have this inbound, constant flow of people who like cars,” Johnson said.

Johnson partnered with wholesale mortgage executive Jeff Yates to form Miles AutoMotive, the sales division that started selling cars in March.

Johnson said the company invested about $50,000 in the division in Web site development, merchandising, advertising and other items. He also has obtained a line of credit to buy used cars, Johnson said, but declined to discuss the details.

Johnson said 30 percent of the cars on the lot would be consigned. Customers pay an upfront $300 or $500 fee to detail their cars and market them at the lot and online.
Profits are split

Before the customer pays the fee, Miles AutoMotive does a market analysis on the car’s minimum sales price. If the car is sold above the minimum price, that profit margin is split in half between the company and the customer.

Miles The Auto Spa opened in February 2007 and Johnson said he invested less than $4 million in that business from his personal funds, Pinnacle Financial Partners and a Small Business Administration loan. Johnson bought the lot about two years ago for $1 million, and his business is near other car dealerships in the area.

Bob Schrum, vice president of the Southeastern Carwash Association, which represents operators in the Southeast, said he thought Johnson’s idea was “ideal” because Johnson will be able to get an upfront fee for detailing from new customers who want to sell their cars.

“It sounds like a perfect fit,” Schrum said, adding that it could boost business at a time when consumers are bringing 10 percent to 25 percent fewer vehicles to car washes. But Johnson said sales at The Auto Spa remain strong, with gross sales revenue in the first 10 months of business exceeding $1 million.

Gross sales for its second year will be between $1.5 million and $2 million, he projects.

Wendy Lee can be reached at 259-8092 or wlee@tennessean.com

ToyotaLiveWeb.com announces the 2009 MPG Corolla Sweepstakes, featuring the giveaway of a 2009 Toyota Corolla. The contest is sponsored by Central Atlantic region Toyota Dealer Association, and is open to certain residents ages 18 and older through July 31, 2008.

As oil prices have risen, the importance of fuel economy has become increasingly clear. Responding to the swing from SUVs and trucks to efficiency in stride, ToyotaLiveWeb.com, known for great giveaways, has announced the 2009 MPG Corolla Sweepstakes, featuring the giveaway of a 2009 Toyota Corolla LE 4-speed automatic.

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Open to legal residents of the United States ages 18 and older with valid driver’s licenses, the contest runs through July 31, 2008. Furthermore, no purchase is necessary to win the sweepstakes, nor will one increase the odds of winning.

Rising expenses have forced many consumers to look for ways to save money. Thus, the EPA estimate of 35 highway miles per gallon for the 2009 Toyota Corolla LE positions the model well for the shift in market demand towards economy vehicles.

Sponsored by the Central Atlantic region Toyota Dealer Association, the sweepstakes drawing will be held on August 7, 2008. Eligible contestants may register online at ToyotaLiveWeb.com by 5:00 P.M. EST on July 31, 2008.

Mailed submissions must meet the following guidelines: be sent as postcards; include the contestant’s name, address, telephone number and e-mail; be addressed to Pivec Advertising, Ltd., 2009 MPG Corolla Sweepstakes, 2219 York Road #201, Timonium, MD 21093; and be received by July 31, 2008.

To see the official sweepstakes’ rules and learn more about this and future Toyota sweepstakes and giveaways, please visit ToyotaLiveWeb.com. e>

1. I love, love, love this car

Even if a car has your heartstrings in a white-knuckled stranglehold, never let on. Stay calm and pretend you’re looking over a microwave oven. By admitting that you’re smitten, you’ve given a salesman - and the sales manager and everyone else in the process - the combination to your personal safe. The salesman will, of course, sympathize and want to help you out. But he’ll tell you the sales manager, you see, well… That’s a really hot car and we had someone in here just the other day and… He just won’t take less than… They know you’re not about to walk away. Bottom line: Cars you’re not in love with are usually a lot cheaper.

2. I need to get a car by tomorrow

If there’s anything worse than being in love, it’s being in desperate need. Letting on that you need a set of wheels immediately is, basically, telling the salesman “I won’t be thinking too much about any of this.” He knows you won’t be looking too closely at the particulars of the deal and you aren’t likely to drive across town to try to get a better price. It also means you’re more likely to accept whatever he shows you from the dealership’s inventory even if it doesn’t exactly suit you. In other words, you may be presenting yourself as an opportunity to unload a bit of slow-moving inventory. Even if you really do need a car quickly, act like you have a month to decide. But you would consider buying today if you found a car that really pleases you at a price you like.

3. I need a monthly payment of…

It’s understandable that many car shoppers are “payment shoppers.” Most of us have no idea how much car we can afford except by looking at how much it would cost us each month. But saying “I want a payment of less than $350 a month” is like going into a box store and asking for a two-inch box. You’ll notice that some dimensions are missing. You could end up with a box that’s 12 feet long. Almost any given monthly payment is possible provided the loan is long enough and the downpayment is big enough. Over the course of, say, seven years, $350 a month can add up to a lot more than $350 a month for three or four years. To understand how much car you can really afford, you need more than a monthly payment figure. Know what monthly payment you want, for how long and how much you want to pay up front. You also need a fairly good idea of what your trade-in is worth. To keep it really simple, just figure out what price you can afford for the car -based on your monthly budget and trade-in value - and negotiate that one big number. Talk about downpayment and monthly payment and negotiate the value of your trade-in after that.

4. My trade-in’s outside

A salesperson will usually want to know, early on, if you have a vehicle to trade in. If you tell him that you do and that it’s parked, conveniently, right outside, he’ll ask you for the keys. That way the used car manager can assess its value while you’re negotiating. It’ll save time. Well, he has a point there. But consider the downsides. You’ve just handed the salesperson your car keys and he’s given them off to someone else. Guess what’s going to happen if you reach an impasse in the negotiations and decide it’s time to leave. You’ll have to ask for you car keys back. And, odds are good, they will have been misplaced. You’ll be negotiating a while longer.

5. I don’t know anything about leasing

Even if you’re never going to lease a car, you need to know about leasing, if only to know exactly why you’re never going to lease a car. That’s because there’s a good chance someone will try to sell you on the idea. And they might be right. It could be a good choice for you. But it probably isn’t. First of all, leasing makes sense only for people who know - really know - they will not be keeping a car for more than a few years. Beyond that, you need to understand the terminology and costs of leasing beyond the monthly payments, the number salesperson will focus on. You need to know how many miles are included in the lease and if there’s additional money you need to pay up front or at the close of the lease.

6. My credit’s a little spotty

Many people underestimate their own credit rating - and they’re the people who are big moneymakers for car dealers. Part of the interest you pay is shared with the dealership, so they might be pleased to confirm your belief that you don’t qualify for a low interest rate. To make sure you’re getting the best financing deal, secure your own financing before you start shopping. Having another loan in place - one you can use if you don’t like what the dealership is offering - gives you negotiating power. It also lets you know exactly what you qualify for. In most cases, a dealership’s finance office - working with a manufacturer-affiliated auto financing company - should be able to get you a more-than-competitive rate.

Tate Attia, finance manager at Easterns Hyundai of Leesburg, has heard and seen the recent trend of people trading in their SUVs for more economical cars — but he can also speak from personal experience.

“I live 40 miles from work, and every three days I was spending $75 on gas, so I traded in my SUV for a smaller car,” Attia said. “I now pay $50 once a week [on gas].”

Attia took a hit of $7,000 trading in his SUV for his new four-door sedan – but to him, it was worth it.

“No dealer wants to buy a SUV,” he said, speaking from his dealership position. “We have removed all profit on used SUVs because we don’t even want them on the lot. We are lucky if we can give them away at invoice [pricing].”

The selling of hybrid vehicles is a different story.

When Easterns Hyundai gets any hybrid cars in stock, buyers at Easterns’ 16 showrooms in the metropolitan area are ready to pounce.

“We get hybrids rarely,” said Attia, “but when we do get some in, it turns into a bidding war.”

Cars still moving

Over at CarMax Auto Superstore headquarters in Richmond, revenues for the first quarter of 2008 have risen, but the company has seen declines in both customer foot traffic and buyers’ ability to get the credit to purchase a vehicle.

“The slowdown in the economy, the dramatic rise in gasoline and food costs, and the related impact on consumer spending adversely affected our first-quarter performance,” said Tom Folliard, CarMax president and chief executive officer. “For the first time in more than two years, we experienced a modest decline in customer traffic in our stores. Additionally, credit availability from our third-party nonprime lenders declined slightly during the quarter.”

Folliard added, “Despite the slower-than-expected sales, our data indicates that we continued to gain market share in the late-model used vehicle market.”

The declining market for the once-popular SUVs has had an impact on CarMax’s business.

According to the company’s first quarter earnings report, “wholesale industry prices for SUVs and trucks declined nearly 25 percent, which is approximately four times the normal depreciation expected over this period and well in excess of the depreciation expected over a full year.”

As of June 30, CarMax had 1,375 SUVs available, both new and used, ranging from $7,998 to $70,296.

Folliard said, “This is the most rapid depreciation of any vehicle segment that we have experienced in our 15 years.”

The earnings report also stated that if the current trends persist, “results for the full year [of the company's earnings] could be significantly below the bottom of our original earnings guidance range.”

CarMax had only two hybrid cars available June 30 – a 2006 Lexus RX 400h for $35,998 (31K) and a new 2008 Toyota Highlander for $36,816.

Great deals on SUVs

“With SUVs, [a buyer] can get a good enough deal that outweighs the $1 more in gas,” said Eric Kaiser, sales manager at Moore Cadillac Hummer.

He said the big sport utility vehicles have dropped in price significantly.

Kaiser said last week was a busy week for the dealership because of the deals the store has going on – 0 percent interest for 72 months vs. the typical 6.9 percent interest.

“This deal saves a buyer $15,832 over the life of the loan,” he explained.

Having Cadillac as part of the dealership has helped the store during these hard economic times, Kaiser said.

“We are able to maintain the same client customer base, but we are nowhere near where sales used to be,” he said.

Contact the reporter at lwolstenholme@timespapers.com