It's a cultural shift. The idea that people only want to buy American is going away.

More new-vehicle shoppers are visiting manufacturer sites, and their experiences on these sites have never been better. We expect to see even more emphasis on these sites as manufacturers compete to deliver the best total shopping experience possible and shoppers wade through the largest selection of models ever offered.

While it's true that some sites are significantly more useful than others, the industry has improved to a point where there are no bad manufacturer sites. This study again confirms that the more useful a site is, the more traffic it is likely to drive to dealerships. The automotive industry is providing better online shopping experiences to more shoppers than ever before, making manufacturer sites an increasingly important stop when researching a new vehicle to purchase.

Vehicle shoppers come to automotive sites with a wide range of shopping patterns, Internet skills, Internet connections, computer configurations, automotive understanding and automotive vocabulary. Creating one site that works well for so many new-vehicle shoppers is an extraordinary challenge, but Lexus has demonstrated that it can be done.

While it's true that some sites are significantly more useful than others, the industry has improved to a point where there are no bad manufacturer sites. This study again confirms that the more useful a site is, the more traffic it is likely to drive to dealerships.

I've broken every independent candidate record out there, but still can't get people to come off the straight party ballots. I'm looking to run for governor again in 2007 and I think I have a good chance of getting the Democratic seat.