NADA leaders pledge continued advocacy for U.S. dealer members

NADA leaders pledge continued advocacy for U.S. dealer members

In his farewell address to fellow NADA dealers, Fox spoke of the big organization changes NADA made in the past year, to wit: offloading the NADA Used Car Guide and the NADART 401k Plan. All this Fox said, was to better position the association for continued growth and to help it focus more resources on its principal mission of advocating on behalf of dealers. A survey of NADA members taken at the onset of Foxês chairmanship called on the association to focus on government and regulatory advocacy, automaker relations and defense of the franchise system.

2016 marks NADAês 99th anniversary. –And if NADA is to be the voice of the dealer for the next 99 years, then we must recognize change, confront change and adapt to change,” Fox said.

Incoming NADA Chairman Jeff Carlson stayed on the message, carrying through the theme of advocacy for dealers. He highlighted several of NADAês priorities: continuing to downsize NADAês organization to carry out its primary mission of advocacy: promoting the value of the dealer franchise network for consumers; and helping dealers stay fixed on their mission of providing auto buyers with affordable mobility.

–We will advocate for all dealers, all of the time, everywhere, just as we have for the past 99 years,” said Carlson, a Ford/Subaru dealer in Colorado. –We will do that in the legislative and regulatory arenas. We will do that with our manufacturers.”

NADA will stay the course on key advocacy issues, Carlson said, such as preserving the ability of dealers to discount auto loans and make credit affordable and accessible.

–The CFPB is overreaching into our business model, which will reduce consumer access to the most competitive credit market on the planet,” Carlson said. –But the best defense is a good offense. Weêve made sure to identify those in Washington who understand and respect our business.”

On the subject of recalls, NADA is working to make sure Washington understands that new-car dealers also want the driving public to stay safe.

–We need 100% of the dealers to perform 100% of the recalls 100% of the time,” Carlson said. –And we will because itês the right thing to do.”