🚗 Believed

Howdy, Fam!

People are mostly smart; we just don’t always have all the facts. So our brains protect us from that confusing terror of not knowing by filling in blanks with things we DO know.

Any time a customer sees a price change, an add-on, or a fee they don’t understand, they’re going to reach for an explanation they do understand.

“Hidden Fees”

It’s a pretty loud headline right now, and it fits in so many information gaps.

So, if you want to be believed, you've gotta get pretty good at explanations that are simpler than the ones folks already have.

Should be easy right?

Keep Pushing Back,
—Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi

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Just as dealers gather this week to discuss compliance and transparency, a new Wall Street Journal report suggests hidden fees and pricing discrepancies remain a challenge across the industry.

Researchers cited in the report found many shoppers still encounter significant differences between advertised vehicle prices and final purchase quotes. The FTC has signaled that enforcement is coming, and recent settlements have made it clear that regulators are prepared to act.

As Paul and Kyle discussed on yesterday’s show, the issue is bigger than compliance. Every pricing headline becomes part of the public conversation about whether consumers can trust the retail automotive experience.

At the same time, Cox Automotive's latest Vehicle Affordability Index delivered encouraging news.

New vehicle affordability improved again in May thanks to stronger incentives, lower transaction prices, and continued income growth. The average monthly payment dipped slightly, while the number of weeks of median income required to purchase a new vehicle continued to trend lower.

In other words, consumers are getting a little more room in their budgets.

That's important because it shifts attention away from affordability alone and back toward the buying experience itself.

Black Book's latest market update paints a picture of a relatively stable used-vehicle market. Inventory is moving. Auctions remain healthy. Wholesale values continue to adjust in predictable ways.

The market isn't flashing warning signs.

Yet consumers continue to tell researchers, regulators, and review platforms that pricing confusion remains a pain point.

During this morning's show, Paul shared something Don Hall offered; The dealers paying attention to transparency, compliance, and customer experience often aren't the ones creating the problem. The question is whether those voices can shape the broader perception of the industry before someone else does.

Because every hidden fee story, every pricing dispute, and every AI-powered mistake reinforces one thing: trust remains harder to earn than ever.

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