Auto industry high flyer Hyundai has fallen in driver satisfaction levels over the past 12 months - while Suzuki drivers have given their brand the 'big tick' with a 98% approval rating.

These are the findings of Roy Morgan Research into driver satisfaction with the top10 brands in New Zealand.

It is notable that while Hyundai has had sales success, at the same time its driver satisfaction levels have plummeted from 95% in 2010, to 89% in 2011 - the lowest of the top 10 brands.

Rumours are circulating about the departure of Perry Kerr from the Motor Industry Association (MIA).

But before used importers pop the champagne corks, AutoTalk understands that Kerr's departure will not occur until some time next year (2013).

While Kerr will not officially comment he is adamant about one thing.

"I won't be leaving until the person in the IMVIA who offered me a car - no older than seven years, of course - if I'd just go away, comes up with the vehicle."

Kiwi Car Carriers has announced an increase to its roll on roll off service from the United Kingdom and Europe.

The company says it is increasing its service from three to four vessels that will now include a ‘direct’ call to Auckland, with on-carriage to Wellington and Lyttelton. 

MV Hoegh Copenhagen voyage 14 is the first of the direct monthly sailing's, loading February 18 and arriving in Auckland on March 31 on its maiden voyage. The service takes 43 days.

Former car dealer and vehicle financier, Trevor Ludlow - who is already serving a prison term for his part in National Finance's 2006 collapse - has been sentenced to a further nine months' jail.

Ludlow last month entered guilty pleas to eight Securities Act charges at the High Court at Auckland.

He had earlier been sentenced to five years, seven months in jail for seven related but separate Crimes Act charges, on which he was convicted in the Auckland District Court in October.

The directors of yet another car finance company will face criminal charges - which carry maximum sentences of up to 10 years in prison.

The Serious Fraud Office has laid 92 charges against the three directors of vehicle finance company, Gisborne's Rockforte Finance.

The receivers of Rockforte note that of the 318 loans made by the company - mainly secured over second-hand Japanese imported cars - more than 10% of the loan files could not be located. Non-disclosed, related-party loans totaling nearly $2 million were also uncovered, reports NBR.

Every salesperson knows that to get anything in life you have to ask for it.

The goal (whether online or not) is to engage with your potential customers and convince them to make a positive action. The most effective sales pitches will evoke an emotional approach - a call to action. 

Online this could mean submitting a finance enquiry, emailing the dealer, calling the dealer or, best of all getting the browser to walk into the dealership.

Topgear promised that if it received 10,000,000 face book fans it would put another caravan to death. Unfortunately for the caravan, a lot of people like Topgear.

Thanks to Andrew Lamb at HSV New Zealand for the link.

(Pic) MD HNZ Jeff Murray, Sergii and GMH Sales and Aftersales Terry McEwan

A Waikato automotive engineer has won the 2011 Holden Dealer Technicians Guild Award, becoming the top Holden technician in Australasia.

Sergii Zablotskyi from Rosetown Holden, Te Awamutu, won the grand final in a fiercely fought battle, pitting his skills against 17 other finalists, chosen from six regional competitions.

The Ukraine-born Kiwi arrived in New Zealand six years ago specialising in American cars, and through his mother-in-law, who worked at Te Awamutu High School, was introduced to Rosetown Holden.

An Auckland dealer has 'taken to the air' to highlight a former employee who pleaded guilty to fraud late last year - in the hope no one will do it again.

Alan McCarrison of Auckland's Ezybuy Car Auction and Tender Centre has now twice sent up an aircraft-towed banner above public events to publicise the former employee - at Christmas in the Park and again at the Big Day Out last Friday.

Jason Groube plead guilty in court last November to four charges of accessing a computer system for dishonest purposes. He was sentenced to 120 hours of community work and has voluntarily repaid the $19,500 involved.

The NZ Transport Agency is touring a pair of stark demonstrations of vehicle safety tests.

The agency is touring a display featuring two cars imported to New Zealand from Australiasian New Car Assessment Programme testing in Australia. The vehicles have already appeared in Wellington, and will appear in Dunedin this weekend before heading to Auckland, Hamilton and other centres.

NZTA’s chief executive Geoff Dangerfield says the display has been brought over from Australia to highlight just how much better five-star safety rated cars protect their passengers in the event of a crash.

While the information technology world watches the 'Mega Conspiracy' case with interest, car dealers in New Zealand should also be keeping their eye on proceedings.

The until-proven-otherwise-innocent alleged-kingpin Kim Dotcom has always been well known for his love of cars, particularly Mercedes, and his list of vehicles that have been seized by police reads like the catalogue from a well stocked Turners Prestige auction.

The numberplates, however, are plain amusing.

It has been sometime since we started a new section on the AutoTalk website - but we are excited about this one.

Sitting at our desks in the AutoTalk office, publisher Vern Whitehead and I stumble over something that is not quite news, but we think it is worthy. We decided to start a section to fix this - Not Quite News (NQN)

What this column will allow us to do is share with you all the things that do not fit in other boxes. That may include the odd joke, image, link to a story on another site or Youtube video.