Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - (Page 20) 20 • AUGUST 25, 2008 Picture this You and your industry colleagues have just hung out at a party, raised a truckload of cash for charity or fired your best rounds of golf. Share your snapshots with us. When the celebration is over, e-mail your highresolution photos, IDs and a brief description of the event to autonews@crain.com. ■ Footing the fight against cancer Some ran and some walked, but all 75 people who took part in the Running of the Pink in Jamestown, N.D., helped raise money to battle cancer. R.M. Stoudt Inc. (FordLincoln-Mercury), of Jamestown, organized the 10K run and 5K run/walk. The event brought in $1,665 for Women’s Way, a local program to promote early detection of breast and cervical cancer. From left, sales staff member Ryan Kleinknecht, General Manager Doug Klaudt and owner Casey Stoudt display some of the T-shirts and one of the award medals that the dealership provided. L.A. dealers split on taking thumbprints of buyers Alysha Webb awebb@crain.com Red Flag Compliance. Made Easy. LOS ANGELES — In January, a customer used a stolen identity to buy a new BMW M6 from South Bay BMW. But as part of the sale, the Torrance, Calif., dealership had taken the buyer’s thumbprint. Police had that print on file, along with the customer’s real name and address. The thief was caught and the car recovered. “Asking for thumbprints has absolutely helped deter” fraud from identity theft, says Jim Stienecker, the dealership’s finance director. South Bay BMW participates in a program sponsored by a regional police task force that, among other things, encourages dealerships to get customers’ thumbprints to combat auto theft. In the past three months, Stienecker says, the task force has helped the dealership recover three cars bought illegally as a result of identity theft. Fear of offending customers Yet only about a dozen of the 300 or so franchised dealerships in the Los Angeles area take part in the voluntary thumbprint program, police say. Some dealers say customers would not tolerate what they would consider an invasion of privacy. “A lot of dealerships think it is offensive to the client,” says Sgt. Timothy Glover, who represents the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department on the task force. “When the dealerships start getting hit in the pocketbook, that might be a catalyst for change.” Tom Rudnai, general manager of Longo Toyota in El Monte, Calif., said he decided requiring customer thumbprints would cost the dealership more in sales than it would save in theft prevention. “If it was me personally, I would not give my thumbprint to you,” Rudnai told Automotive News. “I would go buy my car somewhere else.” Civil liberties groups also object to thumbprinting. They say credit checks are adequate to deter identity theft. The new Red Flag Solution from First Advantage CREDCO. A simple, comprehensive offering of product and reporting solutions to help satisfy your requirements under the Red Flags Rule. ‘No reason’ to take prints “There is absolutely no reason for anyone to have any biometric information about any individual,” says Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy for the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit group in San Diego. “It’s the collection itself that is objectionable.” In 2005, the California Legislature rejected a bill that would have required thumbprinting at dealerships throughout the state. Lawmakers argued that “if the information were to get lost, something terrible would happen,” says Jess Corral, a detective supervisor with the Los Angeles Police Department and a task force member. Stienecker of South Bay BMW says he assures customers that their personal data are secure. Deal jackets that include thumbprints, Social Security numbers and other sensitive information are kept in a locked filing cabinet in a locked room, he says. When customers question thumbprinting, Stienecker says he responds: “If someone was using your credit, wouldn’t you want to stop them?” c Identity verification OFAC screening Credit reporting services Comprehensive reporting Get Your FREE Red Flag Guide!* CREDCOservices.com/RedFlag ORDER TODAY! 866.491.4256 *Free copy of “A Dealer's Guide to the Red Flags Rule” by Michael Benoit of Hudson Cook. Limit one per dealership. Offer valid for new Red Flag Solution customers only. Must sign up for complete Red Flag Solution (credit reporting services, OFAC screening and ID verification) to qualify. Offer good while supplies last. Call for details. http://CREDCOservices.com/RedFlag http://CREDCOservices.com/RedFlag
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Automotive News - August 25, 2008 Automotive News - August 25, 2008 Looming cuts worry L-M dealers Bad blood Study: Toyota top U.S. lender How the kid got in the picture Hyundai affiliate to build transmission plant White House names acting NHTSA chief S&P lowers outlook on Sonic, Group 1 Now you can talk back: Join our online community Dodge dealers: We're in a box Company gets a fix-it list for pickups, SUVs from J.D. Power Mahindra delays U.S. launch Dealer Beyer now selling a 2009 Obama Nissan to leap into U.S. commercial-truck fray in 2010 China's Brilliance to show cars in Detroit Lawsuit alleges insider trades by CarMax execs Honda: Dealerships will have Fits more than a month early Infiniti's stylish stretch Cadillac will offer 4-cylinder sedan in '10 Chrysler redesigns new design boss' spot in exec ranks Genesis aims at low-priced luxury Letter to the Editor It's show and tell for auto industry in Washington Price cuts both ways The love affair continues Advance ads cost a lot, but help little Dealer-customer mandatory arbitration works Lithia sheds 2 of its Detroit 3 stores Japan sales slide; output, exports keep expanding L.A. dealers split on taking thumbprints of buyers Picture This With redesigned TL, Acura adds power, awd Personnel Chevrolet adjusts plans for coming decade GM revamps its vehicle lineup to succeed in a changed world Caddy relies on model updates over product development Buick buzzes about China Dismal sales make future of Hummer uncertain Budgets may crimp the lineup at Saturn Dreams aside, Pontiac will rely on small fwd cars Will GMC overhaul truck offerings? GM downsizes product lineup GM's powertrain plan: Less weight, better technology Hummer hopes pickup brings new buyers Dealers 'Ambush' boosts GM Certified DealerTrack adds market price checks Wholesale used-vehicle prices inch up in July Mexico sales up 2.6% in July; '08 near pace of '07 Collectors revive GM classics Honda's new Fit subcompact: Bigger, sportier Survey: Suppliers reconsider business with Chrysler Web site offers vehicle listings from Detroit 3 Nissan trains inspectors to improve quality A bumpy ride for dealer/lawmaker Buchanan Detroit dealers duel over bulk mailing Story links Nissan suicides, work pressure Times change, but supplier talk doesn't Garbage in, good stuff out Creed's creations Automotive News - August 25, 2008 Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - (Page Intro) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - (Page BRC1) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - (Page BRC2) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Study: Toyota top U.S. lender (Page 1) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Study: Toyota top U.S. lender (Page 2) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Dodge dealers: We're in a box (Page 3) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Nissan to leap into U.S. commercial-truck fray in 2010 (Page 4) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Nissan to leap into U.S. commercial-truck fray in 2010 (Page 5) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Cadillac will offer 4-cylinder sedan in '10 (Page 6) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Cadillac will offer 4-cylinder sedan in '10 (Page 7) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Genesis aims at low-priced luxury (Page 8) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Genesis aims at low-priced luxury (Page 9) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Genesis aims at low-priced luxury (Page 10) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Genesis aims at low-priced luxury (Page 11) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - The love affair continues (Page 12) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - The love affair continues (Page 13) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Dealer-customer mandatory arbitration works (Page 14) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Dealer-customer mandatory arbitration works (Page 15) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Lithia sheds 2 of its Detroit 3 stores (Page 16) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Lithia sheds 2 of its Detroit 3 stores (Page 16a) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Lithia sheds 2 of its Detroit 3 stores (Page 16b) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Japan sales slide; output, exports keep expanding (Page 17) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Japan sales slide; output, exports keep expanding (Page 18) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Japan sales slide; output, exports keep expanding (Page 19) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Picture This (Page 20) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Picture This (Page 21) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Picture This (Page 22) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - With redesigned TL, Acura adds power, awd (Page 23) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Personnel (Page 24) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Personnel (Page 24a) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Personnel (Page 24b) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Personnel (Page 24c) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Personnel (Page 24d) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Personnel (Page 25) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - GM revamps its vehicle lineup to succeed in a changed world (Page 26) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Caddy relies on model updates over product development (Page 27) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Budgets may crimp the lineup at Saturn (Page 28) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Budgets may crimp the lineup at Saturn (Page 29) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Dreams aside, Pontiac will rely on small fwd cars (Page 30) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - GM downsizes product lineup (Page 31) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - GM's powertrain plan: Less weight, better technology (Page 32) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Dealers (Page 33) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Wholesale used-vehicle prices inch up in July (Page 34) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Wholesale used-vehicle prices inch up in July (Page 35) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Wholesale used-vehicle prices inch up in July (Page 36) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Wholesale used-vehicle prices inch up in July (Page 37) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Wholesale used-vehicle prices inch up in July (Page 38) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Mexico sales up 2.6% in July; '08 near pace of '07 (Page 39) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Collectors revive GM classics (Page 40) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Honda's new Fit subcompact: Bigger, sportier (Page 41) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Survey: Suppliers reconsider business with Chrysler (Page 42) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Survey: Suppliers reconsider business with Chrysler (Page 43) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Nissan trains inspectors to improve quality (Page 44) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Nissan trains inspectors to improve quality (Page 45) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Creed's creations (Page 46) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Creed's creations (Page 47) Automotive News - August 25, 2008 - Creed's creations (Page 48)
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