USA - Ford rules the inaugural awards for pre owned cars from 2014 according to TrueCar.

The 2014 Ford F-150, Edge and Transit Connect will retain the highest percentage of their value as they enter the market for resale in 2016, according to TrueCar, which has recognized the three vehicles with its inaugural Pre-Owned Value Awards, making Ford the leader in truck segments.

The new awards, powered by ALG, TrueCar’s analytics division, evaluate pre-owned model-year 2014 vehicles available for resale in 2016 that are expected to retain the highest percentage of their value during the next three years.

The 2014 F-150 won the full-size pickup category in the 2016 Pre-Owned Value Awards. The 2016 F-150 – the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever – has helped make Ford F-Series the best-selling truck in America for 39 years running, and America’s top-selling vehicle for 34 consecutive years. Ford has the most F-Series trucks on the road with more than 250,000 miles compared with any other competitor.

The 2014 Edge won among midsize utility vehicles with second-row seating. With an available 2.7-liter EcoBoost^® V6 engine, available enhanced active park assist and an available front 180-degree camera, the 2016 Edge is a showcase of Ford innovation that helps drivers be unstoppable.

The 2014 Transit Connect won the midsize commercial vehicle category. Strong demand for the current Transit Connect – along with Transit and E-Series – made Ford the best-selling brand of commercial vans in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. in 2015, based on the company’s analysis of IHS Automotive total vehicle registration data and Ford custom segmentation for commercial vans.

TrueCar Pre-Owned Value Award winners are determined through careful analysis of used vehicle performance, brand outlook and product competitiveness. Eligibility for a brand award requires a manufacturer to have vehicle entries in at least four different segments. To account for differences across trim levels, model averages are weighted based on percentage share relative to the entire model line.

Oh Dear, TrueCar are being sued again, this cant be good news for the Online car sales business.

A group of 100 auto dealerships that are part of TrueCar’s network are suing the online car-buying service for not disclosing to consumers the nature of the fees that dealers pay the company for each sale.

The suit, filed today in state court in Los Angeles, alleges that TrueCar is engaged in “deceptive business practices” because its advertising touts transparent pricing but doesn’t disclose the transactions fees of $299 for new cars and $399 for used cars that many dealers pay TrueCar for each sale handled through the buying service.

The car pictures below are for illustrative purposes ONLY, and no inference to any brands involved in any Lawsuit with, or without TrueCar are not to be confused with actual brands that may or may not be involved (or in other words - Just enjoy the pics, they are there for your enjoyment and not for ANY other reason) 

According to the suit, because these fees are often passed along to the consumer and reflected in the dealer-set price that TrueCar presents to buyers, failure to disclose them violates California’s deceptive-practice statutes. The plaintiffs allege that consumers who learn of the fees are more inclined to complete their purchases at dealerships outside the TrueCar network.

The suit, filed by Bellavia, Blatt & Crossett in Mineola, N.Y., and another law firm, lists 100 dealerships as plaintiffs and seeks a court order requiring TrueCar to disclose the fees in all of its advertising.

TrueCar spokesman Alan Ohnsman said today that the company hadn’t yet seen the lawsuit and therefore couldn’t comment.

But he added: “We have invested substantial resources in our compliance efforts and have proactively engaged in dialogues about our business model with regulatory authorities and dealer associations across the country. We have high confidence that we’re compliant with all laws applicable to our business.”

The suit follows one filed in May by the California New Car Dealers Association alleging that TrueCar was operating without the proper licenses, and another suit -- also filed by Bellavia -- in March on behalf of 117 non-TrueCar dealers, alleging false advertising. TrueCar has called both suits meritless.

David Undercoffler

REPORT HERE