By Michael G. Charapp Charapp & Weiss LLP Always respond to critical letters from franchisors We have regularly written about the need for dealers to give attention to communications from franchisors critical of dealer performance. Franchisors contend they send such communications strictly to help dealers to take steps to improve their performance. Sometimes that may
Is it really a lawyer calling?
By Michael G. Charapp Charapp & Weiss LLP A Lawyer is Paid More for a Letter than a Phone Call We sometimes get a call from a client claiming that a customer’s lawyer called the dealership looking to discuss the client’s deal (or most often to discuss terminating the deal). The first question to our
Review your repair orders now to avoid litigation later
By Michael G. Charapp Charapp & Weiss LLP Chances are that you include fees to your service customers in addition to parts and labor charges. It has been nearly two decades since there was a major challenge to a fee added to repair orders. There, the national chain Jiffy Lube was charging an “environmental fee”
Vaccine Update for Dealership Employees
April 1, 2021 Information about COVID-19 vaccine availability is regularly updated by the Commonwealth and federal government. Bookmark this page and check back often to keep your team informed of vaccine availability. When we know new information, you will too. APRIL 1, 2021 Governor Ralph Northam today announced that all individuals in Virginia age 16
A Message from Don Hall
January 2021 The 2021 General Assembly session convened this month, and to say that things are a little bit different would be a major understatement. Ensuring that the legislators understand our industry and the impact that proposed legislation could have on your business – for good or bad – is a primary function of
Handle Document Management with a Pro
Even with major advances with greater digital transaction volumes, dealerships still produce a lot of paperwork in the process of selling and buying vehicles. They also have volumes of resources to archive to meet insurance and regulatory standards. Depending on the size of the dealership, shredding and disposing of unneeded documents and storing others can
Synthetic Identity Fraud
As a side effect of increased digital sales activities resulting from the pandemic, finance sources are reporting a substantial increase in synthetic identity fraud. What is that? It is a fraudster posing as a qualified buyer for a vehicle on credit. Often, synthetic identity fraud deals wind up as complete charge-offs for a dealer. Some
Electric Cars: The Big Lie
By Michael G. Charapp Charapp & Weiss LLP “New car dealers just don’t want to sell electric cars”, we have all heard. Anyone who knows anything about car dealerships knows that is nonsense. But it has gained traction. It is the Big Lie about electric vehicles. The convenient excuse is that salespeople will not sell
December 2020 Cox Automotive Sales Forecast
December 22, 2020 Here is a look at December sales and the full year from our friends at Cox Automotive: Sales Pace Continues to Slow as 2020 Stumbles Across Finish Line Annual vehicle sales pace in December is expected to finish near 15.5 million, down from last month’s 15.6 million pace and last year’s healthy
Our Standing on EVs and Upcoming Virginia Legislation
January 4, 2021 Late last month, VADA sent the below letter to leaders in Virginia’s House of Delegates and Senate, making clear our position on upcoming legislation that would adopt California’s vehicle emissions standards in the Commonwealth. In addition to greenhouse gas regulations to facilitate a cleaner environment, the legislation includes a requirement that manufacturers