CDK Global’s $600M settlement, FTC’s CARS rule thrown out, dealership lead responses need work

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Hey everyone. CDG Recruiting has a dealer client in Northeast Wisconsin looking for a General Sales Manager.

Key requirements:

• Strong pre-owned background and track record.

• Ideally, someone already in the Northeast of Wisconsin.

If you’re interested in this opportunity, email Steven or click here to inquire.

— CDG

1. CDK Global resolves antitrust case with $600 million settlement

Driving the news: CDK Global will pay $600 million over three years to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging anti-competitive practices.

Filed in 2018 by AutoLoop and certified as a class action in 2024, the lawsuit involves 244 software vendors claiming CDK restricted data access and overcharged them by hundreds of millions of dollars since 2013.

CDK denies wrongdoing but stated the resolution allows the company to focus on its dealer and OEM partners … (Go deeper: 2 min. read)

2. Courts vacate FTC CARS rule after NADA, TADA challenge

Introduced in 2022, the Combatting Auto Retail Scams (CARS) rule aimed to mandate transparent pricing and require consent for add-ons, with the FTC claiming it would save consumers $3.4 billion annually.

However, dealer associations, including NADA, opposed the rule, arguing it would increase costs and duplicate state regulations.

Bottom line: In a two-to-one decision, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with the NADA and TADA that the FTC didn’t provide an advanced notice as required and vacated the rule … (Go deeper: 4 min. read)

Courtesy transportation is no longer a nice-to-have.

It’s a need-to-have.

A 2024 Car Dealership Guy poll on X found that 31% of respondents prefer an Uber ride to get home when dropping off a car at the dealership.

With Central from Uber for Business, you can request on-demand courtesy rides for your customers, even if they don’t have the Uber app. Coordinate one-way or round-trip rides, monitor trips in real time, set spend caps, and generate reports in one dashboard.

Uber for Business is an easy way to provide an experience customers love, while reducing the costs associated with maintaining shuttles and limiting the liability of loaner vehicles.

3. Study finds many dealers fall short on key lead processes

A new study by DAS Technology reveals how dealerships are leaving sales on the table by missing key steps when responding to leads.

The 2025 Lead Response Study, based on data from 1,700 dealerships, shows progress in response times but persistent gaps in communication quality.

• While 61% of dealerships now respond to leads within 15 minutes—up from 55% in 2023—nearly 40% still take longer, and 4% fail to respond at all.

• More concerning, 74% of responses lacked a price quote, 90% didn’t include multiple photos, and 26% omitted vehicle details altogether.

The lesson? Generic, incomplete responses frustrate buyers and erode trust. Meanwhile, transparency and personalized communication are essential to convert leads into sales … (Go deeper: 3 min. read)

• GM swings to Q4 net loss on China restructuring but sets annual profit record in North America.

• Norway is set to become the first country to fully transition to electric vehicles.

• Jaguar Land Rover seeks $500 million offshore loan.

• Hyundai and Kia are betting big on new electric SUVs to drive growth in 2025.

• Tesla joins court challenges to EU tariffs on Chinese EVs.

Thanks for reading everyone.

— CDG