Pub. 20 2021-2022 Issue 3

NJ CAR and its dealer members are used to adapting to unexpected challenges, but, as always, we remain focused on our core mission of advocacy, education, training, and member service. As I wrap up my tenure as Chairwoman, I’d like to look back at some of the issues that have shaped the automotive retail business this year and take a peek at some of the things Incoming Chairman Michael DiFeo will have on his plate.

When Henry Ford perfected the assembly line and the Model T, American life and transportation changed forever. The automobile suddenly became the backbone of the American economy and central to our way of life. Around that same time, my family was immigrating to the United States in search of their own American Dream. New Jersey

Assembly SpeakerCraig Coughlin Assemblyman Coughlin has been in the General Assembly since 2010, representing District 19. He has served in the legislative leadership role of Assembly Speaker since 2018. before being elevated to Assembly Speaker, he was the Parliamentarian from 2016 to 2017 and the Deputy Parliamentarian from 2014 to 2016. A graduate of St.

We’ve all heard about the importance of customer experience and engagement. The truth is, the customer experience was just as important before the digital age came along. If you give your customers the ultimate experience, they will do business with you repeatedly and bring some referrals.

The second phase of Charge Up New Jersey, the state’s electric vehicle (EV) incentive program, was launched July 6, 2021, with $30 million of funding, in another step toward Governor Murphy’s goal of 330,000 EVs on New Jersey roads by 2025. In contrast to the first phase of the Charge Up New Jersey Program, whose $30 million incentives were mailed directly to consumers as a post-purchase incentive, the incentives in the second phase were provided by participating dealerships at the point of sale. On Sept. 15, 2021, less than 10 weeks after launching, the second phase of the program was paused. Announcing the expected depletion of program funds, the Charge Up New Jersey Program administrators advised on the program website that:

New Jersey residents may not be aware that franchised dealerships throughout the state play an important role in helping combat motor vehicle crimes. Some may be familiar with TV episodes of crime investigators approaching the private sector for help investigating a crime. In real life, the state’s 500-plus dealerships play an essential role in helping New Jersey State Police’s Motor Vehicle Crimes Unit (MVCNU).

2021 is a busy year for the New Jersey Statehouse: it’s an election year, and the Legislature and the Governor are both up for re-election. The summer campaigning season began in full swing when the session recessed in June with expectations that it would return in September.

“Digital Retailing” has been all the buzz in automotive, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic. The race to digital retailing is packed with different players across the industry, including individual dealers, dealer groups, digital dealers, OEMs, lenders, and marketplaces – all trying to find the best way to use digital retailing to enhance the auto purchase experience.

New Jersey’s economy rides on the work of our state’s new car and truck dealerships and organizations like NJ CAR. Automotive retail makes up nearly 15% of the state’s largest economic sector, provides direct and indirect jobs for nearly 70,000 workers and over $1.73 billion in annual state and local taxes. Your dealerships play vital