Presented by:
Hey everyone,
Our written recap of Alan Haig’s appearance on the CDG Podcast went live yesterday.
— CDG
First time reading a CDG Newsletter?
Welcome to The Weekly, a roundup of the top five auto industry headlines of the week.
Used vehicle prices surge $1,500 from mid-March
As car buyers turn to used vehicles in their search for affordable options, the market is seeing a surge in prices, with the average price now topping $25,500.
Data from CARFAX’s seven-day median show prices jumped $1,500 since mid-March. That follows a $450 or 1.7% jump in prices from February. The March increase in 2025, by comparison, was 1.1%.
Bottom line: A rise in used-vehicle prices will require dealers to be creative in sourcing inventory, looking at all options in a competitive market, from service lanes, trades, online, and auctions, while pricing competitively for retail.
Why Gold Coast Cadillac bets on the customer relationship to outlast its inventory problem
Bill Camastro isn't waiting for Cadillac to solve his inventory problem. Instead, the executive vice president and dealer partner at Gold Coast Cadillac in New Jersey built his own retention machine.
Some context: Cadillac is sunsetting three ICE models, including the XT6, XT4, and CT4, which Camastro estimates make up about a quarter of Cadillac's overall volume. And EV margins aren't making up the difference.
With that in mind, Camastro is leaning hard into fixed ops, used cars, and customer retention as his primary growth levers.
A quick word from our partner
AI is everywhere right now — but not all AI is created equal.
Many dealerships are running bolt-on tools that answer questions but don’t convert or drive measurable revenue.
Podium delivers AI built to perform, consolidating sales, service, and voice into one platform that manages conversations end-to-end and books more appointments.
If you’re investing in AI, make sure it’s driving results.
Kia recalls 141,000 Carnival minivans over fuel leak risk
On April 10, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) logged a recall filed by Kia covering 141,032 model-year 2022-2026 Carnival units due to a potential fuel leak.
The issue: “Due to a suspected production deviation, the high pressure cross over fuel pipe nuts may loosen over time, resulting in a fuel leak,” according to one recall document, which also noted that a fuel leak near an ignition source increases the risk of fire, and that owners may notice fuel smell or a check engine light as warning signs.
For Kia dealers: At 141,000 units, this is a decent population concentrated in a single nameplate, and the inspect-first remedy means not every appointment will require a parts replacement, but teams should be prepared for volume regardless.
How Titus-Will Automotive Group built a photo department from scratch
A dealership's digital inventory is its first showroom. Many buyers only look at that before deciding to visit a dealership. And that makes good photography a must for the bottom line.
Three years ago, Titus-Will Automotive Group didn’t have a photo department or even a process. And now they do, thanks to Jacob Rose, the group’s photo department manager.
His POV: "Getting any photos online at all, even if it's just the four pre-recon photos — you're getting leads in," Rose said.
NADA seeks answers on FTC warning letters in second webinar Friday
National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) on Friday, for a second time, hosted a webinar with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to gain answers to questions about the 97 warning letters sent to automobile dealers in March.
NADA scheduled the second session after the FTC refused to answer questions in the previous webinar with 4,000 participants. Clarification is needed for dealers, U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) pointed out during his April 15 segment on Daily Dealer Live.
Also on the live show was NADA President Mike Stanton, who added: ““We've got a different team from the FTC that's going to be with us 3 [p.m.] Eastern this coming Friday… We were told that we would get our questions answered and that anything that they can't get to, they will follow up with via FAQ.”
Missed yesterday’s episode of Daily Dealer Live?
Presented by:
Fixed Ops Friday w/Jim Sabino, and Chris McPhillips
Featured guests:
Jim Sabino, Fixed Operations Director at All American Ford Paramus
Chris McPhillips, Fixed Operations Director at Nissan, Hyundai, & Genesis of Cool Springs
