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Auto Dealerships - Audit Technique Guide - Uncle Fed's Tax*Board

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PLATFORM: A vehicle platform is the main structural element or backbone of a vehicle to<br />

which the suspension, powertrain and body are mounted. In older vehicles, it was traditionally the<br />

frame. In newer unibody vehicles, it is the lower, horizontal sheet metal stamping.<br />

POOLING: A central point of LIFO valuation. The dollar value method allows for a<br />

combination of like kind items into a group where inflation is computed on these items.<br />

PRODUCER PRICE INDEX (PPI): A measure of change in wholesale prices (formerly called<br />

the wholesale price index), as released monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.<br />

PRICE GUIDE: A compilation of vehicle models, standard and optional equipment, and current<br />

year prices.<br />

PRINCIPAL: The obligor of a contract who assumes the risk of the transaction and derives<br />

compensation from the profit built into the product sold. As it relates to a dealership, the term is<br />

most commonly used in an analysis of a vehicle service contract.<br />

PROFIT CENTER COSTING: Or Activity Based Costing (ABC), is the practice employed by<br />

taxpayers where operational departments of the business are maintained in order to determine the<br />

profitability of the overall concern as a function of the profitability of each department.<br />

REPORT OF SALES BOOK: A record kept by auto dealerships of all sales made and reported<br />

to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as required by state law. For example, in California, all<br />

sales must be reported within 5 days of sale in order for the vehicles to be registered.<br />

RESTATEMENT (rebasing): The revaluation of all of the LIFO layers remaining as of the<br />

beginning of the year of a change, as required under IRC section 263A and Rev. Proc. 97-36.<br />

RETAIL METHOD: An inventory valuation method designed to allow a retailer to take<br />

physical inventory at retail selling prices and then deduct an amount determined to reflect gross<br />

profit. The retail LIFO method is an adaptation of the dollar-value LIFO method, using retail<br />

sales values in addition to cost in recording inventory input and output, and can be combined with<br />

the use of government prices indexes published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.<br />

SELF-INSURANCE: A method where by one pays monies into a reserve created by the payor.<br />

WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE: Product represented by<br />

seller to function in a specific manner for a particular purpose. The product must meet that<br />

standard.<br />

WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY: The product is made in a manner considered<br />

proper for that type of good. "Lemon Laws" originate with this type of warranty.<br />

YEAR OF CHANGE: It is the taxable year in which a change in method of accounting is made.<br />

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