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Hey everyone,
Wacky story of out Texas this week…
A man stole a 2025 Mustang GT at gunpoint during a test drive, and he made it a whopping 16 miles before getting caught.
You see—police didn’t have to work too hard to find him. He left his driver’s license at the dealership.
You can’t make this stuff up.
— CDG
First time reading the CDG Newsletter?
Ford launches ‘Zero-Zero-Zero’ summer pricing campaign to offset tariff pressure
Ford is rolling out its new “Zero-Zero-Zero” summer sales event—building on the momentum of its employee pricing program that helped lift Q2 sales.
The details:
The new offer includes zero down, zero percent interest for 48 months, and zero payments for 90 days on most Ford and Lincoln models.
It’s designed to ease upfront costs for buyers navigating high interest rates and tighter budgets.
Ford is also extending its EV perks, including a free home charger with installation and a two-year maintenance plan.
Big picture: With tariff pressures rising and costs climbing, Ford is leaning into simple, aggressive incentives to keep buyers in the market.
This Silicon Valley dealer is building dealerships that operate like tech companies
While most dealers juggle 20 to 40 disconnected systems, Del Grande Dealer Group built its own unified data platform, and it’s paying off.
Driving the news: The San Jose-based group spent three years developing an in-house Microsoft Azure data lake that connects everything from DMS records to service visits, enabling real-time forecasting and customer journey modeling.
It even kept DGDG running during the CDK cyberattack, while others went dark.
Bottom line: DGDG’s system turns customer data into a strategic asset, and may reshape how dealers are valued.
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Why dealer Paul Sansone Jr. prioritizes credit-challenged buyers others overlook
Paul Sansone Jr. just opened his sixth store (a new 30,000 sq. ft. Kia facility) by doubling down on the customers most dealers avoid.
While others chase prime credit buyers, Sansone built his business around subprime. During the 2008 credit crunch, he launched a rent-to-own model that helped buyers repair their credit and work toward ownership.
That strategy turned into a long-term advantage: steady demand, loyal customers, and recession-proof cash flow.
Virginia Dealers Association chief Don Hall shares 6-point wake-up call to retailers
Don Hall isn’t worried about this month’s sales numbers—he’s worried about whether franchised dealers will still be winning a decade from now.
The longtime VADA president joined Daily Dealer Live with six strategic warnings for the industry, calling on dealers to look past factory targets and short-term thinking, and protect what makes the franchise system work.
His message:
Ban the brokers
Preserve independence
Don’t chase volume at the cost of trust
Stop living month-to-month.
Own the narrative.
Recruit with purpose.
The takeaway: The future of franchised retail won’t be won on the showroom floor—it’ll be decided in courtrooms, legislatures, and the narrative battle playing out in public.
Dealers are cutting customer hold times and booking more service appointments — study
According to a new study from Pied Piper, average phone performance in the service department improved across 8 of the top 10 dealer groups.
Hold times are down.
More calls end in appointments.
And fewer customers are hanging up.
AI is helping too. When bots handled calls end-to-end, appointment success rates hit 91%—nearly matching top human teams.
At the end of the day, as new car sales slow, fixed ops is where the money is. And dealers who master the service call are pulling ahead.
Missed yesterday’s episode of Daily Dealer Live?
Presented by: Impel
Victory Honda on auto loan challenges, Checkered Flag JLR on killing haggling
Featured guests:
Chase Channell, General Manager of Victory Honda Jackson
Michael L. Wood, General Manager of Checkered Flag/Jaguar Land Rover
Three opportunities hitting the CDG Job Board right now:
SKAIVISION: Marketing and Sales Coordinator (remote, Southeast USA)
Ron Marhofer Auto Family: General Motors EV Technician (Ohio)
Pedder Hyundai of Poway: Automotive Sales Manager (California)
Looking to hire? It’s 100% free.
Service retention climbs to 71% after internal realignment at O’Neil Nissan
Auto lenders stretch to qualify more buyers as car prices stay high
At this Texas dealer group, Rolls-Royce buyers are 35 and paying with Bitcoin
Dealers still bullish on 2025 outlook despite tariffs — survey
EV tax credits are disappearing—here’s how smart dealers are adjusting
