NADA Sees Sales Increase in 2010

New-car dealers from the United States should have a better year, as the rough patch has passed and 2010 will bring industry rebounds and increased car sales, said the incoming chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Ed Tonkin at its latest convention in Orlando.

NADA has a new agenda for 2010 and it’s ready to tackle problems that appear from the dealer members, said 2010 NADA Chairman Ed Tonkin, a multifranchise dealer from Portland, Ore. Tonkin is the second chairman in a row to follow his father in the position. Ron Tonkin led the association in 1989.

After last year’s efforts to avoid the closure of many dealerships, Tonkin said NADA will now turn its attention to the challenges ahead:

• IRS issues like UNICAP and LIFO;
• avoiding a patchwork of mileage standards under the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirements;
• and closely monitoring Congress to avoid unnecessary and burdensome regulation.

"Like my dad has said, 'the bird doesn't always fly by twice," Tonkin said. "With new ownership and new people in charge, [automakers] have a golden opportunity to craft a new relationship with their dealers, one based on a genuine spirit of cooperation."

Though many still see the future as uncertain, Tokin insists that dealers should be optimistic and that the US will see sales of 12 million in 2010.

"We've faced difficult times before and what did we do? We sold cars and trucks -- in bunches," he said. "Every possible scenario you could imagine we dealers have remained the constant. That's strength, that's resiliency and that's what America's new-car and truck dealers are all about."