Presented by:
Hey everyone, CDG’s Daily Dealer Live show is back at it again today, with another killer lineup of guests:
Richard Brunell, general sales manager of Toyota of Bellingham
Chris McCorbin, sales director at Frank Kent Cadillac of Arlington
Jarrod Kilway, VP of Digital Ops at Casa Auto Group
Streaming at 1 pm EST on all CDG channels. See you there.
— CDG
First time reading a CDG Newsletter?
Long-term auto loans are quietly becoming the norm:
In January, 28.0% of car loans stretched beyond 72 months, up 4% YoY.
The reason: Affordability pressure isn’t easing, and lenders are accommodating by extending terms.
But when more than one out of four deals now runs 6+ years, today’s payment solution could become tomorrow’s trade-in problem.
(Data source: Cox Automotive / Dealertrack Credit Availability Index)
Stellantis could faces higher risk as Detroit Three rethink EV plans — report
GM and Ford are resetting their EV strategies by leaning into affordable hybrids and lower-priced EVs while continuing to invest heavily in profitable gas-powered models.
Stellantis, meanwhile, is making a more abrupt shift, canceling several EV programs and absorbing roughly €22.2 billion in charges, which Morningstar DBRS says raises near-term execution risk.
For dealers: This sets up an even more hybrid-driven market over the next 12–24 months, with GM and Ford likely offering steadier product cadence while Stellantis stores may face bigger swings in incentives, inventory, and demand mix.
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Lake Norman CDJR rebuilds profit by hitting the used-car ‘rocket launcher’
After Lake Norman CDJR hit what GM Wesley McCullar called “its own recession,” the store stopped waiting for new-car margins to recover and went all-in on used vehicles instead.
That meant buying aggressively at auction early, then building acquisition channels through Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and AI-driven service-lane appraisal offers that now supply about half of their used inventory.
Bottom line: The shift pushed volume from roughly 130–140 to about 200 used units a month, showing how used cars became the store’s core growth strategy rather than a backup plan.
Toyota presses forward on EVs with bZ Woodland rollout
Toyota is rolling out its new all-electric bZ Woodland next month, adding another EV option at a time when many automakers are slowing or reworking their EV plans.
The SUV starts at $45,300, offers up to 281 miles of range, and fits squarely into Toyota’s broader strategy of balancing EVs, hybrids, and plug-ins rather than going all-in on one powertrain.
Looking ahead: Dealers should expect a measured launch with shoppers comparing price, range, and utility closely, as Toyota pushes forward carefully instead of chasing aggressive EV volume.
