Hey everyone. We're back today at 1 p.m. EST with another killer lineup on Daily Dealer Live.
Joining the show:
Alex Casebeer, GM/Dealer at Capitol Subaru and Capitol Nissan of Salem
Dennis Gingrich, Sales and Finance Director at The Niello Company
Multi-rooftop insights. Real dealer perspective. Major brand coverage.
Streaming on all CDG channels.
— CDG
Welcome to the Daily Dealer, a concise rundown of the most important automotive industry headlines that matter to car dealers, automakers, and industry insiders.
For the first time in over 5 years, banks are finally taking back market share from captive lenders:
In Q1, market share for banks jumped to 24.1% (up nearly 4 points from a year ago).
Meanwhile, captives dropped from 62.1% to 57.1%.
And it makes sense.
After COVID, captives took over by using incentives to offset high rates and move rebounding new inventory.
But now that automakers are pulling back on incentives, banks are filling the gap.
(Data source: Experian)
1. Auto insurers are returning to profitability, but customer loyalty is tanking — report
After years of losses, U.S. auto insurers have returned to profitability, but their best customers are heading for the exit.
A new J.D. Power study shows only 51% of high-value customers (those paying higher premiums, staying with insurers for years, and bundling multiple policies) plan to renew, while 38% of all customers are actively dissatisfied and shopping around.
For dealers: This widespread customer frustration creates a clear opportunity to strengthen relationships and capture additional F&I revenue, whether by selling insurance or just serving as trusted advisors.
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2. Ford cuts Bronco Raptor base price by $10,000
Ford is cutting the Bronco Raptor's price by $10,000 to $79,995 after years of steady increases from its $68,500 launch price.
The strategic retreat undercuts the $100,000 Jeep Wrangler 392 but signals that even hot SUV segments have pricing limits.
Big picture: The timing also suggests Ford is reacting to immediate market pressure rather than executing a planned strategy, reflecting broader industry struggles with buyer resistance and tariff impacts.
3. U.S. auto imports plunge in May as industry reacts to tariffs
Maritime auto imports to the U.S. crashed 72% in May, with vehicle shipments dropping by nearly 9,400 units year-over-year as tariffs bite.
While automakers like VW and JLR pause shipments, hoping for better conditions, the only growth area is vehicle body imports, suggesting a shift toward domestic final assembly.
Big picture: Nobody wants to eat tariff costs, so automakers are hitting pause on imports. That said, dealers could get stuck holding the bag on inventory.
General Motors expands U.S. production with $4B investment
GM is putting $4 billion into U.S. plants over the next two years, ramping up domestic production of both gas and electric vehicles.
Average new car prices held steady in May despite tariff pressures
New car prices held remarkably steady in May at $48,799, barely budging despite mounting tariff pressure squeezing dealer profits.
Did you enjoy this edition of the Daily Dealer newsletter?
Thanks for reading everyone.
— CDG
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