Market Conditions Commentary (Archive 2012-June)
With nearly 40 years in the wholesale automobile business, our founder Robert Hollenshead offers his insights on the market and where it is going -- info to help your business succeed!
by Robert Hollenshead
6/21/2012 3:00:25 PM

I have been quiet lately, right?  Today at the sale different guys that read our page asked why have we not been writing.  I can give many reasons.  One is we are completing a few projects that I have been working on for, in some cases, for years.  One is the Universal Condition Report.  I just finished it and you will love it.  Designed by us on the best platform with no holds barred.

It is made for dealers and dealers only.  Easy to use and has features that only one of us could employ;  a desirability index that helps sellers and buyers convert at a higher percentage, and it includes a value impact box that tells the user what we need to know about the unit, what equipment it has…but also…what it doesn’t have so you don’t break your brain reading through insanity to figure it out.  It will show clearly, if it has Nav or none, heated seats or none, third seat or none, bad \Car Fax or not, 22s” or not,

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by Robert Hollenshead
6/6/2012 1:00:42 PM

So I was just reading about a record breaking auction in Southern California where 178 units were sold of 244.  Great press.  Very interesting.  A 60% sale ratio, high five, or suicide?

I have 700 units that will be sold in the 17545 tomorrow and Friday.  We do everything we can to keep that fact a secret.  If I sold 178 cars at an auction I’d lay down in front of a loaded, 80,000lb, 10 car carrier going 80MPH.  Even with no marketing, no profiling, no contact with our buyers of any kind (unless it is to prevent a sale in the post-sale process where we the seller, the only player that should be included in the conversation to keep cars sold…on sale day…not a week later) are eliminated from the conversation (which is the wildest thing that has de-volved in the auction process), we will sell 95% or 670 units, on the block, make no mistake.

The idea that the market is picking up or stabilized is

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