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Luxury dealership whisperer—building a multi-million dollar powerhouse with culture
Featuring Lonny Soza, Vice President of Fertitta Auto Group
Welcome to another edition of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast Recap newsletter.
In this episode, I spoke with Lonny Soza, Vice President of Fertitta Auto Group (which includes Post Oak Motors), to discuss the biggest lesson he learned acquiring vehicles for CarMax and AutoNation, how he's bringing Bentley-level customer service to his new Chevrolet store, and much more.
1. An unplanned entry into the car business.
Lonny Soza’s career in the auto industry was a “right place at the right time” situation.
"I was 19 years old, applied for a sales position, went to quite a few interviews, and vibed real well with the team there. And they offered me—well, they asked me, ‘Have you ever considered being a buyer?’ And I—I don't know what a buyer does, so not really. They made me an offer right then and there."
That opportunity set the foundation for a career built on data-driven decision-making, strategic inventory planning, and deep industry experience. Learning the ins and outs of vehicle acquisition at a young age shaped his ability to adapt quickly and spot opportunities others might miss.
2. Mastering the auction game.
Buying cars at auction isn’t just about showing up and bidding—it’s about knowing exactly what to look for before a car even hits the block.
"You were taught what core inventory was, and it was very analytical with what needed to be purchased. I mean, you were buying cars that were not even sold yet… And then what made the difference between a good buyer and a really good buyer was buying outside of that box."
This level of discipline meant that in the fast-paced environment of an auction, he could spot damage, assess value, and determine bidding strategy in seconds. His ability to make split-second evaluations became a core strength that followed him throughout his career.
3. Learning from AutoNation’s best and worst.
Working at AutoNation gave Lonny a front-row seat to how successful and failing dealerships operate. His role took him across the country, where he met general managers running some of the most profitable stores and others struggling to stay afloat.
"I was on the regional staff, right? And I got to meet general managers all over the country, really. And I got to see how some of the most successful stores operated and what the culture was like in those. And I also got to see how some poorly run stores were operated and kind of why they were running that way."
Observing firsthand what made some dealerships thrive while others floundered helped him develop a strategic mindset about leadership, staffing, and operational efficiency. That experience became the backbone of his approach when he eventually took over his own store.
4. Turning around an underperforming dealership.
When Lonny stepped in to lead Post Oak Motors, he immediately spotted inefficiencies draining profitability. One of the first things he tackled was inventory management, ensuring that the store wasn’t sitting on aging cars that hurt cash flow. After addressing operational waste, he shifted focus to people, replacing nearly 90% of the staff with employees who fit the culture he wanted to build. These changes quickly added millions in profit, setting the dealership on a new trajectory.
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5. Why hiring for personality beats experience.
Lonny believes that hiring based solely on experience is a mistake—skills can be taught, but personality can’t. His dealership’s hiring process includes multiple interviews, where candidates meet with managers from different departments to ensure they fit the company’s culture.
"We hire personality before anything else. I mean, we can train—you can train skills. You can train a mechanic how to work on a car. You can train a salesperson the steps, but you cannot train personality."
New hires are paired with mentors, ensuring they quickly get up to speed and understand the dealership’s expectations. And if they’re not ready to sell, they don’t go on the floor. Period.
6. A consistent, predictable sales process creates long-term success.
Lonny’s approach to selling cars isn’t about chasing short-term profits—it’s about playing the long game. His dealerships maintain large, consistent order banks so they never run out of inventory, even in volatile markets. This allows them to build customer trust and sell more vehicles without scrambling for stock.
"I have a rule, a max of 1.5% markup. If somebody’s buying multiple products, sure, we’ll give a discount for a bundle… If you’re asking for the right money, then you’re justified in making the margin."
7. The logic behind expanding into Chevrolet.
In September 2023, Lonny’s team acquired a Chevy dealership, marking a major expansion beyond the ultra-luxury market. The move wasn’t just about diversification—it was about bringing high-end service standards to mainstream buyers. He believes that regardless of the car’s price, every customer deserves a premium buying experience. Within months, the store climbed into the top 10 Chevy dealers in Houston, proving that treating a Tahoe buyer like a Rolls-Royce buyer pays off.
8. Luxury car sales is as much about service as it is about selling.
Unlike mainstream brands, luxury dealerships need to go the extra mile—literally. Lonny’s team routinely delivers vehicles across state lines, services cars far beyond their immediate area, and ensures every client interaction is as seamless as possible. The key is making the experience effortless so that customers don’t even consider shopping elsewhere. In high-end automotive retail, service is what keeps customers coming back, not discounts. The goal is to make car ownership feel like a white-glove experience.
"We do pickup and drop off. And look, if you live here in Houston and you don’t buy a car from me because I won’t match an unreasonable discount from another dealer, I will encourage you to buy that vehicle, and I’ll service it for you as if you bought it from me."
9. The threat of direct-to-consumer sales.
While many dealers fear manufacturers shifting to direct-to-consumer (DTC) models, Lonny believes his segment is well-insulated. Ultra-luxury sales are built on relationships, exclusivity, and high-touch service, something automakers can’t replicate with an online transaction. However, the growing trend of manufacturers bypassing dealers, especially with brands like Tesla, Rivian, and now Scout, is problematic.
"That's a legit concern. It gives a little bit of ‘who else is looking?’ Right? Who’s standing in line saying, ‘Okay, we’re next?’"
10. Protecting the future with diversification.
The auto industry is cyclical, and even the strongest segments can be disrupted by external forces like economic downturns, supply chain issues, or shifting consumer preferences. To safeguard against uncertainty, he believes in balancing luxury, domestic, and import brands, ensuring that if one market segment slows, the others can offset the impact.
"There’s always gonna be something that happens. That’s one of the reasons why we want to diversify even more—have luxury, have domestic, and have imports. Because at any given time, one of those brands, or brand segments, is gonna be affected."
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