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- 🚗 Certainty Is the New Product
🚗 Certainty Is the New Product
🚙 Creates clarity early. Win more.
TOGETHER WITH
Howdy Fam!
Before we get into everybody’s new favorite word, Certainty, I wanted to share a story that made me proud to be in this industry.
Zeigler Auto Group just celebrated its 50th anniversary, and instead of making it all about themselves, they turned it outward. Their 7th annual holiday canned food drive collected 51,260 items in 2025, bringing their total to 191,505 items across four states over the last seven years. One store, Mercedes-Benz of Hoffman Estates, led with 20,629 items donated!
It’s so good to see dealerships treat “community” like a verb, and not a slogan.
Keep Pushing Back
-Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
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THE NEWS
Demand Is There. Confidence Isn’t.
Confidence is the invisible “rate hike.”
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Consumer confidence fell again in December (Conference Board index 89.1). That usually shows up first as hesitation.
Dealers are feeling this in real time, and the data simply confirms the moment: shoppers still show up, but they negotiate harder, wait longer to commit, and fixate on monthly payments even when they love the vehicle.
The J.D. Power/GlobalData December outlook reinforced the story from the industry side: demand exists, but affordability pressure is shaping outcomes and pushing more buyers into longer terms and tighter payment-first decisions.
This is a “permission to buy” market. People need to know the numbers and paperwork are ready before they get to the table. Like a dinner invite, don’t start cooking when the guests arrive.
Inventory and incentives are normalizing, so execution matters more
Cox Automotive’s December outlook points to a steady market pace, not a surge. That is the environment where customers shop harder, and small execution gaps become expensive. January is typically a cooler follow-up to December’s year-end push, so this ‘steady-not-surging’ picture is already a preview of early 2026.
S&P Global Mobility similarly characterized December as ending the year with a lack of momentum.
Used is stabilizing, helping trades, but the deal still breaks on equity math
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Manheim data shows wholesale used values stabilizing, with slight improvement month over month and year over year. That supports many trade-ins, but it also keeps acquisition costs firm, so you cannot rely on a falling market to create margin.
Investopedia noted that year-end used-car shifts are more about negotiating leverage, with category-by-category differences.
It’s a lot easier to talk a car shopper into an SUV than a truck. Ironically, it’s easier to talk a truck shopper into an SUV than a car. Is that why everything is an SUV these days??
Either way, it explains why category mix matters so much in used.
Used is the affordability release valve
When new payments stay high, used becomes the easiest path to a yes. Stores win here by appraising fast, reconning faster, and pricing with discipline.
Policy shift: EV credits ended, and the affordability map changed
Customers expected that money to be in the deal
Federal EV credits ended for purchases after September 30, 2025 (new and used). That changes the conversation instantly: some EV shoppers reroute to hybrids, others shift to used EV, and others abandon electrification and buy value-priced gas models because the payment no longer pencils.
This is a messaging moment. The dealer that clearly explains the new math keeps trust, even when the buyer changes direction.
Wallet mood check: energy demand supports the same “cautious consumer” story
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Reuters’ EIA recap showed a sharp rise in gasoline inventories and weaker implied demand measures, aligning with the confidence dip: consumers are acting conservatively and protecting cash flow.
Certainty sells
Cautious buyers want clarity on ownership costs. Transparent payment options and an early trade plan can outperform bigger discounts.
AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE
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Quick Hits
A few more headlines worth tracking, if you want the lightning round.
Today in History
In 1899, as “horseless carriage” names multiplied, the New York Times championed “automobile” on January 3. Though not first in print, its influential style adoption helped the term stick across American culture and language.
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