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Hey everyone,
We’re working on a piece about how operators are managing the increase in buyers extending loan terms to keep payments manageable. How are you handling it?
Are you guiding customers through the long-term costs? Are you shifting the conversation? Are you structuring deals differently?
Let us know. Would love to hear what’s actually working out there.
— CDG
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How Community Kia doubled its internet lead conversion with a 100% video response process
Community Kia GSM Bryan Gelfand implemented a 100% video response process for internet leads about a year ago and says it has at least doubled the store's success rate on those leads, with salespeople now closing around 30% of internet inquiries.
Gelfand says every lead gets a personalized walk-around video with the customer's name, vehicle confirmation, and a face-to-name introduction from the salesperson.
His reasoning: When he mystery-shopped dealers across four states to benchmark the practice, he didn't receive a single video response out of nearly 10 leads sent, confirming his belief that more dealers than expected are skipping this opportunity.
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Iran conflict could cut global auto sales by nearly 1 million units in 2026
S&P Global Mobility revised its 2026 global light-vehicle sales forecast downward by 800,000 to 900,000 units, citing the economic fallout from the war against Iran rather than direct production disruption.
The three drivers are higher oil and fuel prices, supply chain instability from Strait of Hormuz disruptions, and softening consumer sentiment as affordability pressures mount.
What we’re watching: Current inventory is strong enough to absorb near-term production cuts, but the downstream effects on shopper demand and margins are the bigger concern for dealers.
Honda warns of China threat, moves to accelerate innovation and cut development time
Honda is restructuring its engineering operations, spinning thousands of developers back into an independent R&D unit to move faster and compete more effectively against Chinese automakers.
The urgency behind the move became clear after Honda President Mibe visited a fully automated Shanghai parts factory that supplies Chinese OEMs and Tesla alike, capable of developing new models in 18 to 24 months. That’s roughly half the time it takes most other automakers.
Bottom line: Honda's automotive segment swung from a $1.6 billion operating profit to a $468 million loss in the span of a year, and the restructuring is the company's bet on getting its development culture back.
Toyota recalls 73.5K Corolla Cross Hybrids due to pedestrian alert sound issue
