| Dallas area new-vehicle sales rise 4.5% in 2007
Contrary to national trends, new car and truck sales in the Dallas-Fort Worth area rose 4.5 percent last year. The data from the Freeman Metroplex Recap includes retail sales as well as sales to car rental agencies and fleets. And the increase "portends well for business this year," said Drew Campbell, president of the New Car Dealers Association of Metropolitan Dallas. "I think it's very exciting," he said Wednesday. "We are in the center of the United States. Because of that, we're not having the ups and downs of the West Coast and East Coast." If new vehicle sales here continue to grow, they'll be bucking some considerable economic headwinds. New car and truck sales in the U.S. dropped 2.5 percent last year and are expected to fall by at least that much this year. Dealers in the four-county Dallas-Fort Worth area sold 383,939 new vehicles last year, compared with 367,381 in 2006, according to the Metroplex Recap.
Thrifty Car Sales Opens Eight Dealerships in Six States
TULSA, Okla., Nov. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Thrifty Car Sales, a subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE: DTG) , is turning up the heat on expansions, recently adding eight locations to its national network of franchised used car dealerships. New dealerships are opening in markets that include Baxley, Ga.; Louisville, Ky.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Bixby and Pryor, Okla.; East Providence, R.I.; and Spokane, Wash. In Baxley, Ga., dealer Keven Carter opened a Thrifty Car Sales dealership at 755 W. Parker St. Carter has been in the automotive business for more than 10 years, most recently as Sales Manager at Woody Folsom Chevrolet. Steve Sternberg, a Thrifty Car Rental and Truck Rental franchisee for more than 32 years, has opened a dealership at 6507 Preston Highway in Louisville, Ky.
Money blows in air; $4,400 still missing
FREMONT Around $4,400 is still unaccounted for after $6,000 in cash swirled in the air on East State Street Tuesday afternoon. According to Fremont police reports, after 4 p.m., a Nu-Tire employee was transferring $6,000 in $100 bills to American Auto Sales and Rental, located across the street. The employee was carrying a folder with an envelope inside which contained the money. .
Thrifty Car Rental Rolls Prepaid Tolls Into Rental Rates in Florida ...
TULSA, Okla., Jan. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Thrifty Car Rental, a subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE: DTG) is minimizing the stress that takes a toll on globetrotting travelers. That's why it's including Pass24(R) Prepaid Toll Service with select car rental rates at participating Florida locations when customers use any American Express(R) card for payment and make their reservation using Promo Code AXTL. This offer is valid at participating Florida locations through March 31, 2008. "In our quest to constantly improve the customer experience, Thrifty Car Rental is committed to making travel more convenient for customers," said Brian Carpenter, vice president of sales, marketing and advertising. "With this promotion in Florida, not only will travelers get a great rate with Thrifty, they'll also get the convenience of pre-paid tolls with Pass24." Ordinarily, Pass24 pre-paid toll service is available to Thrifty Car Rental customers for $5.95 per day or $27.95 per week in Florida, which includes all toll charges.
Retail Auto Sales Are Sliding Toward a Decade Low
Auto makers are feeling more pain this month as demand for light vehicles continues to plummet toward decade-low levels, with many consumers holding off on big-ticket purchases. Retail auto sales, as measured by deliveries to consumers by dealers between the dates of Feb. 1 and Feb. 17, fell 16.37% compared with the Feb. 1 through Feb. 18 period a year ago. The numbers, released in a report distributed yesterday by consumer research firm J.D. Power & Associates, don't include fleet sales to firms and agencies, such as rental-car companies. Retail sales are considered the most accurate indicator of actual demand. Since late 2006, car buyers have been under increasing pressure as concerns over the economy, housing, fuel prices, and tighter access to credit escalate. Many analysts have predicted U.S.
It’s official: Rockford lands Ireland flights
Twice-weekly flights between Rockford and Shannon, Ireland, will start June 26, according to Kenny Tours. The Maryland-based company signed a deal Thursday with North American Airlines to fly the route through Aug. 31, said Bob Nay, Kenny Tours' director of sales and marketing. The flights will be Thursdays and Sundays. Round-trip airfares start at $888, including taxes and airport fees. Six-night motor coach tours, including airfare and hotels, start at $1,489. Six-night bed-and-breakfast stays, including airfare and car rental, start at $1,489. The seasonal model is similar to Chicago Rockford International Airport's other international route, Apple Vacations' weekly flights to Cancun, Mexico, in the winter. But the Ireland flights will be on Boeing 757s with almost 200 seats, which would be the largest plane used on a regularly scheduled passenger route from Rockford.
Car Rental Costs Going Up March 1st
Mobile's latest annexation means car rental rates will go up starting March 1st. Last month, the City Council voted unanimously to annex all of the Mobile Regional Airport's land, extending the city limits west to Snow Road. The higher city sales tax takes effect March 1. The sales tax rate for businesses on airport property will increase from 7.5 percent to 9 percent, while the sales tax rate for businesses in the newest portions of the police jurisdiction -- which stretches three miles beyond the airport -- will rise from 5.5 percent to 7.5 percent. City officials estimate the city will receive an extra $1 million a year from the sales tax bump at the airport. If businesses have any questions, please contact the City of Mobile at 251.208.7462. .
Tamarack uber resort commands vistas at premium prices
Fairmont Tamarack, a luxury resort and vacation-home development at Tamarack Resort in Valley County, plans to break ground later this year. If you want a home there, you'll need a big bank account.The project produced $140 million in sales from 125 full memberships sold during a seven-hour period last year, Tamarack says. Among people who have bought homes are TV stars Eric Dane of Grey's Anatomy and Jason Lewis of Sex in the City and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart.Properties start in the $700,000s. Spokesman Chris Lyman declined to say how much the development would cost to build. The project will consist of 305 hotel-condominium units and other residences. Residents will have views of the Payette River Mountains, a Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course and Lake Cascade. They also will have a ski concierge, a children's entertainment center, salon services, free shoeshines, onsite car rental and other services.
Report: GM takes three honors in annual auto ownership cost survey
General Motors Corp. gained ground on Toyota Motor Corp. in an annual survey of ownership costs including measures such as sticker price and resale value, Bloomberg News reported today. GM led in three vehicle categories, up from one last year, while Toyota again won four of the total of eight awards, research firm IntelliChoice.com said at the Chicago auto show today. Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC were shut out. The results lend credence to GM's goal of improving quality and boosting resale values by curbing incentive spending and sales to rental-car companies. Such so-called fleet customers typically resell vehicles quickly, depressing prices. .
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