Appraisal Archives | vAuto

How high-performing dealers increase trade capture rates

Blog Post

Don’t Let Potential Inventory Drive Off the Lot: How High-Performing Dealers Increase Trade Capture Rates

The next vehicle your dealership needs to add to its inventory may already be sitting in your service lane or parked in front of your showroom. While wholesale prices rise and margins on acquired inventory shrink, dealers are finding success by focusing on a source that’s close at hand: their own customers. In a recent […]

Podcast

How a Dealer Group Lifts its Trade Appraisal/Capture Rate

In this vAuto podcast, Ken Fisher, West Coast director of inventory optimization for the Holman Automotive Group, shares how he/his team are working to achieve a new KPI: Capture 50 trade-ins for every 100 vehicles they sell. The effort’s helped Ken/team go beyond traditional Look to Book metrics and rely less on auction-purchased vehicles. Find […]

Let's get you more ROI with our Appraisal Experience

Blog Post

How Better Appraisals Lead to Stronger ROI for Used Car Dealers

An appraisal is more than a number. It is one of the first decisions that shapes the potential ROI of a vehicle. From acquisition cost to recon to pricing, the quality of your appraisal inputs directly influences how a deal performs over time. If the information behind that decision is incomplete or inconsistent, the impact shows up […]

Solving Sales, Service Friction During Appraisals

Solving Sales, Service Friction During Appraisals

In this Ted Ings roundtable, guests Patrick Janes and Bella Smylie join the discussion on solving one of the dealership’s most common internal challenges—friction between sales and service during appraisals. While the used car department is often the service department’s best customer, there’s no denying their distrust when it comes to reconditioning. Used vehicle managers […]

Four AI-Driven Innovations Transforming How Dealers Work

Video

Four AI-Driven Innovations Transforming How Dealers Work

Meet the AI tools built to help your team appraise better, move faster, and stay focused on what matters. Explore Common Problems, Vehicle Journey, the Auto Assistant, and Cox Automotive Navigator — four innovations that bring the right data and next best actions to your fingertips, right inside the tools you already use.

Line chart showing the growing share of EV appraisals at dealerships, with EV trade-ins increasing from about 1.6 percent in early 2025 to nearly 1.8 percent by early 2026.

Blog Post

An Early View of the Emerging Used EV Opportunity

Last fall, when the federal tax credits for EVs expired and EV demand dropped off, our industry faced a question: Did this moment effectively mark the beginning of the end of the EV market? Looking back, this question was more about the drama of the moment than a true reflection of how the EV market would perform in the months ahead. After all, […]

Inside A GM’s ‘Must-Have’ List for Hiring a Used Vehicle Manager

Inside A GM’s ‘Must-Have’ List for Hiring a Used Vehicle Manager

In this Fixed Ops Roundtable episode, Mark Webster, General Manager of Mercedes-Benz Orange County and vAuto’s Patrick Janes detail how Webster built the profile used to hire a used vehicle manager. Key elements include: Familiarity with vAuto metrics and solutions; a partner approach to managing reconditioning; a focus on appraisal volume and quality; desire for data-driven decision-making.

A New Operational Priority: Your Appraisal to Sales Ratio

Blog Post

A New Operational Priority: Your Appraisal to Sales Ratio

Here’s a question every dealer should answer: Are we appraising at least as many cars as we sell? The question’s critically important for three reasons: It is for all these reasons that I believe now’s the time for dealers to work on improving their appraisal to sales volume. Think about it: If you are appraising […]

From Appraisal to Merchandising: Building Trust with Transparency

Blog Post

From Appraisal to Merchandising: Building Trust with Transparency

Summary: Discover how vAuto empowers dealerships to build trust and boost customer satisfaction through transparency at every stage—from appraisal to merchandising. Backed by the latest Cox Automotive research, this blog reveals why open communication and clear vehicle condition reporting, are essential for today’s car buyers. Learn how prioritizing transparency not only enhances the shopper experience but also drives […]

Top Tech Trends to Watch in 2026

Blog Post

Top Tech Trends to Watch in 2026

Summary:Stay ahead in 2026 with the latest automotive technology trends from vAuto. Discover how predictive analytics, AI-driven workflows, and personalized marketing are transforming dealership operations—helping you turn inventory faster, boost profits, and deliver tailored experiences that today’s buyers demand. What You’ll Learn from This Blog Smarter Inventory, Faster Deals, Higher Profit Technology is accelerating, and […]