An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is generally perceived as a company that produces non-aftermarket parts and equipment that may be marketed by another manufacturer. It is a common industry term recognized and used by many professional organizations such as SAE International, ISO, and others.
In the United States, a car dealership is a business that sells cars. A car dealership can either be a franchised dealership selling new and used cars, or a used car dealership, selling only used cars. In most cases, dealerships provide car maintenance and repair services as well as trade-in, leasing, and financing options for customers.
Grey import vehicles are new or used motor vehicles and motorcycles legally imported from another country through channels other than the maker's official distribution system. The synonymous term parallel import is sometimes substituted.
Dinan Cars designs and manufactures aftermarket performance parts for BMW automobiles. The company was founded in 1979 by Steve Dinan and is headquartered in Opelika, Alabama.
A car dealership, or car dealer, is a business that sells new or used cars, at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. Car dealerships also often sell spare parts and automotive maintenance services.
Lemon laws are laws that provide a remedy for purchasers of cars and other consumer goods in order to compensate for products that repeatedly fail to meet standards of quality and performance. Although many types of products can be defective, the term "lemon" is mostly used to describe defective motor vehicles, such as cars, trucks, and motorcycles.
An auto mechanic is a mechanic who services and repairs automobiles, sometimes specializing in one or more automobile brands or sometimes working with any brand. In fixing cars, their main role is to diagnose and repair the problem accurately and quickly. They often have to quote prices for their customers before commencing work or after partial disassembly for inspection. Their job may involve the repair of a specific part or the replacement of one or more parts as assemblies. Basic vehicle maintenance is a fundamental part of a mechanic's work in modern industrialized countries, while in others they are only consulted when a vehicle is already showing signs of malfunction.
A used car, a pre-owned vehicle, or a secondhand car, is a vehicle that has previously had one or more retail owners. Used cars are sold through a variety of outlets, including franchise and independent car dealers, rental car companies, buy here pay here dealerships, leasing offices, auctions, and private party sales. Some car retailers offer "no-haggle prices," "certified" used cars, and extended service plans or warranties.
An automobile repair shop is an establishment where automobiles are repaired by auto mechanics and technicians.
OMVIC is a council that regulates motor vehicle sales in Ontario that administers and enforces the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act on behalf of the Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS). OMVIC's mandate is to maintain a fair and an informed marketplace by protecting the rights of consumers, while enhancing the industry professionalism ensuring fair, honest and open competition for registered motor vehicle dealers.
Auto auctions are a method of selling vehicles based on an auction system. Auto auctions can be found in most countries and are usually exclusive to licensed automobile dealers. In a few countries, such as Japan, auto auctions are well known and used by most residents.
Technical Service Bulletins, or TSBs, document recommended procedures for repairing vehicles, issued by a vehicle manufacturer when there are several occurrences of an unanticipated problem. TSBs can range from vehicle-specific to covering entire product lines and break down the specified repair into a step-by-step process. While sometimes written by engineers employed by OEMs, the majority are authored by the first automotive technician to come up with a repair procedure. Because certain problems may have more than one cause and there is sometimes more than one way to fix a problem, there may be more than one TSB for the same problem.
Car finance refers to the various financial products which allow someone to acquire a car, including car loans and leases.
The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act, sometimes also referred to as Right to Repair, is a name for several related proposed bills in the United States Congress and several state legislatures which would require automobile manufacturers to provide the same information to independent repair shops as they do for dealer shops.
WheelsTV is a video production company, specializing in automotive media. Based in Boston and Groton, Massachusetts, WheelsTV creates and distributes original content for websites, mobile, IPTV platforms, and Video On Demand. Patent-pending products including Top200 Test Drives, 1:00 on ONE Vehicle Profiles, and POV Reviews. These products serve as consumer tools in the search for purchasing a vehicle.
Carcannon is an automotive inspection and consulting company headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland with an office in El Segundo, California. Carcannon is credited with producing the first national “Certified Consultation Process” for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The company was founded in 2001 by Ron Correa.
Fitzgerald Auto Mall is a family owned and operated auto dealership that was founded in 1966, with its first location opening in Bethesda, Maryland. As of 2014, Fitzgerald Auto Mall ranked number 59 on the list of the "Top 125 Dealership Groups" in the U.S., which is published annually by Automotive News. Fitzgerald dealer locations appear five times on the 2013 WardsAuto e-Dealer 100, at No. 8, No. 25, No. 30, No. 43 and No. 98.
The electric car company Tesla, Inc. has faced dealership disputes in several U.S. states as a result of local laws. In the United States, direct manufacturer auto sales are prohibited in many states by franchise laws requiring that new cars be sold only by independent dealers. Tesla maintains that, to properly explain to their customers the advantages their cars have over "traditional" vehicles with an internal combustion engine, they cannot rely on third-party dealerships to handle their sales.
A pre-purchase inspection is an independent, third-party professional service that evaluates a vehicle’s condition before a purchase offer is made. Consumer protection organizations such as the Federal Trade Commission, the American Bar Association, insurance companies, and states recommend an independent pre-purchase inspection. The prospective buyer hires a qualified evaluator who examines the target vehicle for defects, hidden damage, maintenance history, and safety, then typically provides a written evaluation report. The service results in factual information that the prospective buyer uses as decision support for the vehicle purchase. Unless the vehicle is unsafe to drive, the evaluator does not provide a purchase recommendation.
Vehicle subscription is a service where a customer pays a recurring fee for the right to use one or more automotive vehicles. Some vehicle subscriptions offer insurance and maintenance as part of the subscription fee; other subscriptions allow the subscriber to switch between different vehicles during their subscription period. Industry commentators consider vehicle subscription to be an alternative to owning or leasing a vehicle.
