NADA Chairman Wells: 'All Roads Lead to the Dealership'

    LAS VEGAS, Feb. 4 In his keynote remarks at the National
Automobile Dealers Association 2001 Convention, NADA Chairman Harold B. Wells
said that it is more important than ever for dealers and automakers to
communicate.
    "The stakes are too high for us not to maintain meaningful, two-way
dialogue.  This dialogue is not about winning a popularity contest.  It's
about fairness, facts and the future," said Wells, a dealer from Whiteville,
North Carolina.
    Highlights of Wells address include:

    On Industry Relations...
    Industry relations remains among the association's top priorities.  NADA
has worked around the clock on establishing better communications with the
factories this year.  "More and more, they are seeking our input. In fact,
last year we held more than 100 meetings with auto makers," he said.  "Auto
makers are listening to us because NADA provides the most accurate and
comprehensive information on issues impacting dealers."
    Wells touched on NADA's efforts to address Ford's Blue Oval Certified
program and its Lincoln and Mercury counterparts, the Oldsmobile transition
and the Daimler-Chrysler reorganization.

    On Government Relations...
    Wells stressed that NADA works hard for dealers' interests before Congress
and federal regulators.  "There is no better example of the determination of
our legislative efforts than the drive to pass a bill banning mandatory
binding arbitration clauses from franchise agreements," he said.  "Last year,
the NADA-backed bill passed the House of Representatives unanimously and had
60 co-sponsors in the Senate.  Despite strong bi-partisan support, Republican
Senate leaders blocked the bill from a full Senate vote but it's far from
over."
    Wells also spoke of NADA's efforts to phase out the death tax and the
marriage penalty.  "Both bills were vetoed, as you know, by Former President
Clinton," he said.  "This, too, is a fight that is not over.  Our legislative
efforts will focus on meaningful tax reform this year."
    On the regulatory front, Wells mentioned NADA's fight with the federal
government on its ergonomic regulations.

    On The Internet...
    Wells emphasized that dealer's hard work and entrepreneurial spirit this
year proved false the assumption that the Internet would replace the
franchised dealer.  "We have proven to the marketplace that we are not simply
the middleman, but that we do add value to the retail transaction," he said.
    Dealers have created interactive Web sites, trained their staffs to handle
Internet customers and are serving customers online and in person with equal
proficiency.  "We've adopted a successful business model:  Providing online
services, backed by facilities anchored in the local community," continued
Wells.  "It's really just dealers at their best:  adapting to changing
customer needs."

 Editors Note: To aid both the consumer and the dealer, The Auto Channel will institute 
its industry leading Free "Consumer to Dealer " marketplace "DealerDirect IQ" later 
this month. 
  
    The National Automobile Dealers Association represents more than
19,400 franchised new-car and -truck dealers holding nearly 40,000 separate
franchise, domestic and import.