#500 -🍾 Here's To 500 More!

TOGETHER WITH

Today marks a milestone: our 500th Daily Pushback email! 🎉

While it's undoubtedly a day for celebration, it's also a Monday, and we've ensured that this edition is jam-packed with the best content to kickstart your week.

Your engagement – whether through opening, reading, sharing, or offering invaluable feedback – has been the driving force behind each edition. Together, we've co-created an email experience that evolves and improves daily.

We can’t wait to show you what we’re cooking up in Baltimore for ASOTU CON. See you in two weeks, or should we say 10 Daily Pushback emails. 😉

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

TODAY’S LOT WALK

• MTCM: Laser Focused On Acquisitions. 🎯

• Business: Cold Seats, Heavy Batteries, Dipping Prices, and Hiring Plans. 🥶

• Culture: Art Out-Lives Artists. 🖌

Reading time: 4 mins 40 secs

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

Acquisition Avenue

Last week, David Long’s All Things Used Cars community discussed the best practices and tactics for successful used-car acquisition. We learned that dealerships must master a range of channels to stay competitive and maintain an inviting inventory. Here’s where to look:

👀 Owner Base — Y’all Come Back Now, Ya Hear?
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The race to retain a buyer begins when they drive off the lot. Consistent marketing and outreach strategies help remind customers that when it's time to swap vehicles, their trusted dealership is ready to take them back.

👀 Service Drive — Where Value Meets Velocity 👀
The service drive is a vital part of the acquisition strategy for used car dealerships, offering a cost-effective way to access desirable vehicles and engage with valuable customers. Keeping a dedicated, well-informed service team is key to successful acquisitions.

👀 Off-Lease — Seizing Timely Opportunities 👀
Off-lease vehicles are a valuable resource for replenishing your inventory. Keep tabs on customers whose leases are expiring, especially at the 2, 4, and 6-month marks, to ensure you're at the forefront of a customer’s mind when they make their next move.

👀 Trade Opportunities — Knowledge is Power
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A well-promoted trade-in option can help get the word out to your customers. Many consumers are unaware they can part ways with their trusty steeds without a purchase, so enlightening them is key.

👀 Rental Companies — Quality Fleets
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Despite initial cost concerns, the regularly replaced, well-maintained vehicles from rental car companies can be an important source of used inventory. Having a complete service history and regular maintenance also enhances resale appeal.

👀 Auctions — The Traditional Route 👀
Auctions have historically been a significant source of inventory, but as the industry evolves, their role is beginning to change. New technologies and methods are emerging, making auctions less dominant as dealerships explore more efficient and profitable acquisition strategies. However, they can still be an exceptional source of leads as long as you are diligent in doing your homework.

👀 Buy Center — Laser Focused 👀
A well-functioning buy center can be a game-changer for inventory acquisition. By having a dedicated team focused solely on purchasing used cars directly from private sellers, they are often successful at securing better margins for the dealership.

TOGETHER WITH VELOCITY AUTOMOTIVE

The Perfect Matchup

They say great things come to those who wait; this partnership is proof. Velocity Automotive and Rapid have teamed up, and the world is taking notice.

Ok, but why? When industry leaders in window stickers, data, vehicle portfolios, and reconditioning come together, it's not just another partnership. It's a roadmap to innovation.

Innovation that moves the needle and sells more cars!

Dive in:
🚀 Perfect Matchup: Velocity's wisdom + Rapid Recon's magic = Mega efficiency vibes.
⭐️ Dealer's Dream: They're opening doors to a next-level dealer experience.
👀 Just getting started: Strap in. It's about to get wild, and Velicity wants to bring you along!

Ready for the ride? Check out Velocity and Rapid now and see how they're innovating bold new solutions just for you! 

BUSINESS

🚗 BMW's Seat-Heat Saga

• What happened? BMW axed its controversial $18 monthly fee for heated seats.

• Customer Reaction? There is a major backlash for charging extras on pre-existing car features.

• Not the first time: Reminds folks of the failed attempt to charge for Apple's CarPlay.

• Trend alert: Other automakers are eyeing similar monetization strategies.

⚡ Stellantis' EV Battery Mission

• Goal: Produce EV batteries that are 50% lighter by 2030.

• Why? The current batteries = too heavy! Innovation is key.

• Investment: €40 million in Turin Battery Tech Center + new facility in Windsor, Canada.

💲 Used Vehicle Pricing Trends

• Current scoop: A 0.2% price increase from July to August 2023, per Cox Automotive.

• Comparison: Prices are still high but down 7.7% from August 2022.

• Prediction: 📉 Cox sees a return to pre-pandemic price levels by 2028.

🔌 Volvo's Big Electric Leap

• Grand Plan: Full electric transition by 2030.

• Strategy: CORE+ initiative to boost efficiency, cut costs, and gear up the workforce.

• Job Shifts: Cutting >10% white-collar jobs in the US & Canada by October.

• The Future: Hiring spree! Looking for EV experts to propel the electrification wave.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

We’re getting close, fam! Don’t risk the FOMO — get your tickets today! 🎟️

CULTURE

Art Lives On: Zombies and Beach Bums

About 6 years after the father of zombies death, Brad Anderson has been chosen to direct George A. Romero's final 'Living Dead’ movie, "Twilight of the Dead.” The film, produced by Roundtable Entertainment, is the concluding chapter of the iconic zombie series. Romero co-wrote the treatment, and the film, inspired by societal transformations, will begin shooting this year.

Jimmy Buffett's posthumous album, "Equal Strain on All Parts," is set for a November 3 release. Completed before his recent death from Merkel cell skin cancer, the album features collaborations with Paul McCartney, Emmylou Harris, Angelique Kidjo, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Three tracks, including a Bob Dylan cover, are available now.

Quick Hits

• AI-powered warships and subs are openly under development. 🤖

• Spotify prepares free audiobook trials. 📚

• The coastguard arrested a man trying to run a giant floating hamster wheel across the Atlantic Ocean. 🐹

History

• 1970: The Ford Pinto goes on sale. 🚙

• 1987: BMW Z1 is introduced. 🏎

• 2001: Passenger planes hijacked by terrorists collapse New York's World Trade Towers killing thousands. 🕯️