LAS VEGAS – A National Auto Auction Association (NAAA) committee to address a used-vehicle certification program is about 30 percent completed, said Chris Walsh of ADESA. Walsh made her comments at the Conference of Automotive Remarketing (CAR) 2000, which took place in Las Vegas on March 11.

Walsh said the NAAA’s mission is to create a minimum standard of vehicle inspection within the industry. NAAA is also working on a glossary of terms for certification. Walsh spoke on a panel that included Bob McConkey of Dealer’s Auto Auction of Spokane, WA, Tom Kniivila of Volkswagen, and Scott Lilja of NADA Guidebook.

McConkey, who is chair of the subcommittee to create the standards for certification, said the subcommittee’s tasks are to develop the program, develop a name for the program, develop specific arbitration guidelines, and promotion to NAAA membership and customers, and training of NAAA membership.

Lilja of NADA talked about AuctionNet, which is a joint venture with NAAA since 1991. Discussing certification, Lilja said retail consumers pay $500 to $1,200 more per vehicle for certification.

Kniivila said that Volkswagen began an auction certification program in 1994. He said the program does certification for Volkswagen and Audi. "Most car manufacturers have very similar requirements for certification," Kniivila said.