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Hey everyone. We’re running a survey to find out how dealers are really using artificial intelligence (AI) across sales, service, marketing, and ops—from chatbots to pricing tools and everything in between.
Whether you’ve gone all-in or are just testing the waters, your input helps paint the picture. And we’ll share the results with the community so you can benchmark your store against others nationwide.
👉 It takes 2 minutes. No fluff. Just real data, from real dealers.
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Ram unveils 10-year truck warranty to win back buyers
Ram is rolling out a 10-year/100K-mile warranty on all 2026 truck models—doubling the industry norm and marking CEO Tim Kuniskis’ first major move to revive a brand that's lost 38% of its sales since 2019.
The new coverage applies to engines, transmissions, axles, and more, and directly targets a disconnect in the market.
“Eighty-five percent of truck buyers finance for seven years or more,” Kuniskis said. “They keep it for 12 years... but no one has changed the warranty.”
Big picture: Ram is betting that better warranty coverage will boost retention and win back defectors.
Used market is holding up despite sourcing pain points, says Cox Auto's Jonathan Smoke
Used cars are quietly propping up the auto market this summer.
Manheim’s Used Vehicle Value Index rose 1.7% in early June and sits 6.5% higher than a year ago. And used retail sales are steady, inventory is tight, and pricing momentum favors dealers.
Cox Automotive chief economist Jonathan Smoke says it comes down to a simple backlog: millions of buyers delayed purchases over the last few years and are still sitting on aging vehicles.
Zooming out: With affordability crunching the new car market, used demand is keeping the engine running. But dealers will have to work harder (and smarter) on sourcing if they want to keep pace.
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No exceptions: How this Kia store boosted fixed-ops gross profit by 250% with one simple change
Dealer Jake Lebowitz saw customer pay spike after rolling out video MPIs at his Audi store. So, he implemented the same process at his Kia location.
Despite heavy pushback from techs, he held the line.
The result: Fixed ops gross jumped 250%.
Every car gets a video walkaround, no exceptions. And techs who don’t comply are replaced.
Bottom line: Lebowitz proves you don’t need new tech or fancy tools to drive massive service gains. You just need total consistency, and the discipline to enforce it.
Why Matt Bowers’ Nissan stores are beating the odds: ‘It’s the people’
Matt Bowers runs one of the top-performing Nissan locations in the country, but he says the secret isn’t the brand. It’s the people.
His Murfreesboro Nissan store ranks #1 or #2 nationally for customer-pay parts and labor sales, and in May, his group swept CSI scores across all levels.
Bowers credits that to elite operators like David Beer and a clear focus: hire the best, set high expectations, and don’t sabotage yourself with bad processes.
At the end of the day, you can have the right brand in the right market, but without the right team, none of it matters.
67% of 2025’s most American-made cars are built by foreign automakers – study
Tesla swept the top four spots in Cars.com’s 2025 American-Made Index, but two-thirds of the ranked vehicles came from foreign automakers.
Kia, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and VW took 13 of the top 20 slots. And the Kia EV6 ranked #6 overall, with the highest U.S. parts content on the list at 80%.
The signal: The badge on the hood doesn’t tell the full story, and dealers are using the index as proof when customers ask what’s really “American made.”
Missed yesterday’s episode of Daily Dealer Live?
Japanese auto imports plummet, Ford stop-sales, and more
This episode is brought to you by: Experian Automotive
Featuring:
Andrew Suntrup, Vice President of Operations at Suntrup Auto Group
Mike Cavanaugh, Regional Vice President at Lithia & Driveway
Three opportunities hitting the CDG Job Board right now:
Fairhurst Automotive: Controller/CFO (Virginia)
CLASSIC.com: Business Development Representative (remote)
Goodwyn Partners: Vehicle Acquisition Manager (Alabama)
Looking to hire? It’s 100% free.
Honda is recalling 259K vehicles due to braking problem
GM’s new production plan is tackling EV and tariff headwinds
Chesrown Automotive acquires three Ohio dealerships from Germain Auto
Ford’s recall issues grow with Mustang Mach-E stop-sale
Nissan’s new LEAF is here—with more range, more charge speed, and more to prove
