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Hey everyone,
Each week, we keep a pulse on the industry. And this week, we took a look at how the 21.7M recalls this year are impacting your shop. One operator even presented tips for how to make the most of them.
Also… You can always keep track of the latest recalls via CDG’s Recall Tracker.
— CDG
First time reading a CDG Newsletter?
Welcome to The Weekly, a roundup of the top five auto industry headlines of the week.
Kia Finance America rolls out short-term EV lease buyout incentive
Kia Finance America recently launched a new “Keep Your Kia” program offering eligible lessees up to $9,900 off the cost of buying out their leased Kia EV, according to an internal dealer memo received and reviewed by CDG News.
The details: The program runs June 15-30, according to the memo, and applies to leases for the EV6, EV9, and Niro EV models that mature in June.
Keep rolling: All American Ford finds new ways to perfect mobile service
At All American Ford in Paramus and Hackensack, New Jersey, every new vehicle delivery now includes a mobile service appointment already on the books.
That’s because Fixed Ops Director Jim Sabino keeps finding new ways to perfect his plan to expand mobile offerings and help outsmart Jersey’s land restrictions.
Driving the news: Sabino shared that his latest move of driving those initial service dates to mobile meetings helps keep the service drive clear for higher-margin, more complex work, and it gets the customers hooked on mobile service.
"There's no reason for that car to come into the shop," Sabino told Daily Dealer Live host Sam D'Arc.
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Hawk Auto Group cuts volume by up to 20% with no change to revenue
When Hawk Auto Group raised prices earlier this year, director of parts operations Vince McIsaac saw a decline in business but not in revenue.
McIsaac told host Sam D’Arc on a Fixed Ops Friday edition of Daily Dealer Live why Hawk intentionally traded volume for margins.
Less is more: In a February appearance on DDL, McIsaac detailed a planned price increase to meet rising expenses. Four months later, he reported the initial results.
Their overall volume has dropped 15% to 20%. Meanwhile, gross revenue has been within 2% or 3%, higher or lower.
Toyota begins U.S. production of new RAV4 Hybrid to help meet surging demand
Toyota has begun production of the all-new RAV4 Hybrid at its Georgetown, Kentucky, plant as it works to meet strong consumer demand for the SUV.
The details: The launch marks a major milestone in Toyota's U.S. manufacturing expansion, adding hybrid RAV4 production to the Kentucky facility.
Production of the hybrid SUV at the Georgetown plant is part of more than $2 billion in investments Toyota has announced over the past two years.
Rising auto loan and insurance costs redefine the true cost of vehicle ownership
A new study suggests the rising cost of vehicle ownership is being driven less by fluctuating fuel prices and more by what finance technology company Doxo calls the "invisible" fixed costs of car ownership.
The details: Doxo's 2026 U.S. Auto Loan & Auto Insurance Market Spending Reports found that financing and insurance, not fuel, are the primary sources of financial pressure for vehicle owners.
AutoNation acquires 3 luxury dealerships from Fletcher Jones Automotive Group
