The single most important dealership KPI in 2025, May U.S. auto sales, Jon Alcorn's path from employee to owner

Hey, everyone. Know someone who should be featured on CDG?

Or maybe… it’s you?

If you’ve got a story to tell, a unique take, or something the auto world needs to hear, drop it here.

We’ll read every submission and reach out if there’s a fit. Feel free to share it with someone you think should be on our radar.

— CDG

First time reading the Car Dealership Guy Newsletter? Subscribe here.

Welcome to The Weekly, your go-to roundup of the top five auto industry headlines of the week. Let’s dive in.

With refund season behind us and no major incentives muddying the waters, May gave a clear look at which brands are winning on product alone.

Automaker winners and losers in May (U.S sales YoY):

The signal: May was all about right-sized hybrids, and lineups that deliver value without compromising on drivability are pulling ahead.

(Go deeper: 4 min. read)

At The Niello Company, service retention isn’t just a metric—it’s the whole business model.

Fixed-ops director Tully Williams has one rule: 70% of customers must return within 14 months of their last visit.

Anything less = failure. And he’s tossed out old-school KPIs like effective labor rate to get there.

Big picture: Most dealers don’t know their true retention rates. Niello tracks it directly—and aligns pay plans, service processes, and promotions around driving repeat visits.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

Want to boost your back-end profits—without a service bay? 

Wrench TotalCare is a prepaid mobile maintenance plan that covers oil changes, tire rotations, even brakes—all done at your customer’s home. It adds real value for them and extra revenue for you.

If you use DealerCenter, Wrench TotalCare is already built into your workflow for seamless upsells. 

Not on DealerCenter? No problem—you can still offer it and start earning on every deal.

Visit WrenchTotalCare.com to learn more and get started today.

At Hansel Auto Group, David Long swears by one mantra: the dealer with the best inventory always wins.

But instead of bidding at auction, Long builds buy centers that target a neglected source—private-party sellers who avoid dealerships at all costs.

The strategy: Hire baristas, not car people. Follow up relentlessly (up to 8+ touches). And stay invisible. No flashy ads, just 1:1 conversations.

(Go deeper: 4 min. read)

Jon Alcorn started as a dealership salesperson. Today, he owns three Virginia rooftops under Dogwood Automotive thanks to a dealer-operator buyout partnership with Jim Keffer.

The structure was simple: invest upfront, run the store, earn equity over time. No shortcuts, just a clear path to ownership.

The result: Alcorn now leads with discipline—focusing his team on daily execution, not market noise.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

This episode is brought to you by: Podium

Featuring:

An employee at a Utah dealership spotted a fake VIN during a routine truck appraisal, uncovering a stolen 2023 Chevy Duramax and landing three men in jail.

Zooming out: The suspects had already sold another stolen truck with similar VIN tampering for $44,000. This time, a mismatched VIN triggered a deeper inspection, revealing the truck was stolen from California.

Why it matters: The VIN alterations were nearly undetectable, proving that dealers need to verify every number, no matter how legit the paperwork looks.

(Go deeper: 1 min. read)

Three opportunities hitting the CDG Job Board right now:

Looking to hire? Add your roles today—it’s 100% free.

That’s a wrap for now – make sure you’re following along on X, LinkedIn and IG for more real-time updates.

Thanks for reading. Hit reply and let me know if you found The Weekly valuable or have any feedback. I’ll see you next weekend.

— CDG

Want to advertise with CDG? Click here.

Want to be considered as a guest on the CDG podcast? Right this way.

Want to pitch a story for the newsletter? Share it here.