Let’s call it what it is: most car dealers are addicted to the high of the quick close. Bargain-driven tactics might hit a monthly number, but they don’t build anything real, not with your customer, not with your team, and certainly not with your brand. It’s a short game masquerading as a long-term strategy. And […]

The automotive retail industry has been on a rollercoaster ride over the past few years, but it appears to have finally reached some stability, at least for now. The average franchised dealership saw a 3.7 percent increase in net pretax profit in Q1 compared to last year according to the Presidio-NCM Average Dealership Performance Benchmark. […]

In the early ’90s, during the Gulf War, dealerships faced significant challenges, and not all adapted to the changing market. Rohrich Toyota in Pittsburgh, however, saw a modest increase in unit sales (50 to 75 cars) even as others in the area saw declines. Though the numbers were small, it marked a remarkable turnaround, moving […]

FM Capital has successfully closed its fourth round of venture capital funding with $240 million raised. This fund marks the firm’s largest to date, surpassing its initial target by 20% thanks to contributions from a diverse group of investors within the automotive sector. The venture capital firm specializes in early-to-mid stage technology companies innovating in […]

Personalization in marketing means tailoring every interaction to meet each customer’s unique needs and preferences. This approach is pivotal across industries, particularly automotive sales, where personalized customer experiences significantly influence brand loyalty and purchasing decisions. For example, a study found that 74% of car owners were swayed by the personalized experiences offered during their vehicle […]

Car Wars’ AI-powered service scheduling tool, Cari Scheduler, now integrates with Xtime, a widely used service management platform. The integration is designed to help dealerships simplify appointment scheduling and improve operational efficiency. Cari Scheduler utilizes AI to manage service appointment calls, providing dealerships with a tool that operates 24/7. It’s ability to manage accurate and […]

2025 has already proven to be a year marked by economic turbulence and uncertainty. The only constant has been change, and the potential for significant shifts looms large. Auto dealers find themselves at the center of various challenges, including the impact of tariffs, geopolitical pressures, and falling consumer confidence levels. To thrive in this environment, […]

Aging vehicles are yet another challenge dealerships will be facing in the coming months as new vehicle carryover inventory has increased by eight percent so far this year according to the Q1 2025 Quarterly Vincensus Report from Lotlinx. That rise in carryover inventory saw it hit a total of 60 percent, a 14 percent increase […]

In recent years, while artificial intelligence (AI) has empowered dealers and lenders to enhance their businesses, it has also provided fraudsters with sophisticated tools to perpetrate financial fraud. One of the most concerning developments is the use of generative AI techniques, including deepfakes, to create counterfeit documents. Deepfakes, short for “deep learning fakes,” enable fraudsters […]