Car Dealers

American consumers are getting savvier, and happier. We consulted the BBB far more often in 2011 than we did the year before, and lodged fewer complaints. But there were still plenty of gripes, and the worst offenders may not surprise you.

Poor customer service is one of the primary reasons people tend to shun certain companies and even whole industries. 24/7 Wall St. identified the U.S. industries with the most complaints, as well as the troubles people have with them. If customer service is important to success, those we identified could be in trouble.

If you're in the market to buy a new vehicle, particularly popular models from Honda and Toyota, be prepared to pay more. Many dealers, bracing for shortages of cars imported from Japan, are already adjusting prices. One expert expects the increases to "last weeks, if not months."

The economy is still tight except for the stock market. Unemployment still high. Home values still languishing. But some new-car buyers are able to pay cash for a new set of wheels. The question is: Should you? Car dealers have long reported that many older customers of certain brands, like...

Auto dealers and finance companies are beginning to loosen up the restrictions on consumer credit that helped to clamp down auto sales starting in 2008. That means it is getting easier for people with so-so credit to get auto loans. But just because the dealer or local bank will write you a loan,...

The Performance Nissan and Kia dealerships in Washington state are accused of a bait and switch scheme -- charging consumers higher prices for automobiles as a result of misleading sales and advertising prices. Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna is suing two Everett, Wash., dealerships in...

The Commerce Department's monthly sales tally for November showed unexpected pockets of strength among retailers, including car dealers and online sales. Most retail categories posted higher sales, except clothing and housewares.

It's no secret insurance companies and banks have the ears of politicians. But who knew car dealers, and their lobbyists, were so powerful? On Oct/ 22, the House Financial Services Committee approved an amendment (the vote was 47 to 21) to keep automobile dealers under federal and state laws...

There has recently been a lot of political complaining about closing car dealerships and lost jobs for car salespeople. It seems like everyone has forgotten that this is literally the slimiest business on the planet. Haven't they read Matilda?I recently picked up a copy of one of those free...

The biggest road block to a quick restructuring of GM (GM) in a Chapter 11 filing may be its own dealers. Chrysler dealers are challenging that company's sale of assets. If their case gains momentum, it could disrupt GM's plan to quickly sell off its assets. According to Reuters, "Some auto dealers...