FINANCE AND INSURANCE

The federal agency originally had pursued a $7 million settlement, which failed to materialize following bankruptcy proceedings of the dealership group last year.

Profit for GM's captive still surged to $1.2 billion, compared with $173 million a year earlier, driven by high used-vehicle values, strong consumer credit and low interest rates.

Dealers should consider regular audits to ensure online quotes are in sync with the dealer's pricing, a software and analytics firm warns.

Few dealerships accept crytocurrency as payment, and the motivation for those who do seems to stem from curiosity and marketing instincts vs. practicality. That could change in the coming years.