Ramsey Mazda's 55% retention playbook, Policy rollbacks renew interest in ICE vehicles, ETHZilla acquires stake in AI lender Karus

Presented by:

Hey everyone,

Marcello Sciarrino, Co-Owner of Island Auto Group, just joined me for an episode of the CDG Podcast.

Together, we dig into how family-owned dealerships can stand out against national groups, why transparency matters now more than ever, and the biggest fixed ops opportunities in today’s market.

Worth the watch/listen.

— CDG

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Banks just hit a five-year high in auto loan share:

In Q3, banks captured 31.3% of all auto loan originations, their largest slice of the market since 2020.

The likely reasons:

Competition among lenders is intensifying
Captives are pulling back on subsidized APR programs
And credit unions are absorbing most of the refinancing surge

The signal: The balance of power is resetting.

(Data source: Experian)

From loaner chaos to loyalty engine: How Ramsey Mazda built a 55% retention playbook

Ramsey Mazda used to struggle with loaner chaos and uneven service routines, but Fixed Ops Manager Manny Gonzalez rebuilt the whole flow, one simple habit at a time.

Now, the team reviews real customer surveys every morning, preps loaners the day before, and stages cars with the customer’s name on the dash before they even arrive.

Advisors also stay visible after sending video inspections, and they even sign older-vehicle owners up for five-year oil change plans right in the drive.

The payoff: Faster handoffs, happier customers, and a 55% retention rate on vehicles more than two years old.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

A quick word from our partner

Identity Fraud is hurting auto dealers.

Experian Automotive found that nearly 90% of dealers are concerned about rising fraud, with 75% reporting a measurable impact on their operations. In the past year, 85% have suspected or confirmed fraud cases, primarily due to income fabrication and forged documents.

The fix? Experian Automotive's Fraud Protect.

Fraud Protect quickly and easily validates customer identities and documents with zero disruption to your sales flow or the consumer journey.

Trust Experian to help protect your dealership

Policy rollbacks help renew consumer interest in gas-powered vehicles – EY survey

Global shoppers are drifting back to gas-powered cars, and EY’s latest survey shows just how quickly the swing is happening.

By the numbers: Half of all buyers now say their next vehicle will be an ICE, up 13 points, as interest in full EVs drops to 14% amid policy rollbacks and shaky charging infrastructure.

And the shift is showing up everywhere, from U.S. emissions pullbacks to Europe rethinking its 2035 combustion ban.

For dealers, the move is simple: Keep a balanced mix of ICE, hybrid, and EV options because customers are re-running the math in real time.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

ETHZilla acquires stake in AI lender Karus to develop blockchain-based auto loans

ETHZilla just bought 20% of AI lender Karus for $10 million, giving the blockchain company a direct path into the U.S. auto-loan market.

What we know: Karus brings AI models trained on 20M+ loan outcomes and a network of 20,000 dealers, banks, and credit unions, which is fuel for ETHZilla’s plan to turn everyday auto loans into on-chain investment products.

Plus, by blending Karus’s underwriting engine with Ethereum-based infrastructure, the companies aim to price risk faster and tokenize portfolios the moment they’re built.

For dealers and lenders: This shift could mean quicker approvals for harder-to-place customers and a new wave of questions around compliance and how F&I gets sold.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)