🚗 High Payments, Lean Inventory

TOGETHER WITH

You know, we talk a lot about helping others (it’s kinda our thing).

But we don’t always talk enough about helping you.

On the days when people feel like a lot.
When your plate’s too full.
When you’re running on fumes and can’t even.

Reach out. Ask for help. Whether it’s someone in your circle or someone right here in this community.

We’re all in this together.
And sometimes the one who needs a helping hand most is you.

Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris, and Kristi

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The market officially pulled a wishbone. Stellantis is bringing diesel back in Europe because customers still like range and lower prices. Rivian is projecting big growth and even bigger losses. Lithia reminded everyone that service drives the bus, not press releases. Used inventory is tight under $15K, dependability scores are wobbling, and dealers quietly keep winning by selling what works and fixing what breaks.

Affordability grabbed the mic and would not sit down. Farley floated a JV playbook to compete with Chinese automakers without handing over the keys. GM said hard pass. Detroit is suddenly remembering sedans exist, especially the kind under $30K that create future SUV buyers. VW is cutting costs, tariffs are bruising everyone, and Rivian stock popped because Wall Street still loves a comeback story.

A dealership sold a Jeep for $1 and restored a little faith in humanity. Meanwhile, Ford outlined its $30K EV pickup plan, betting on lighter wiring, big castings, and squeezing range from smart design instead of monster batteries. Tesla’s labor drama in Germany escalated, Toyota is inching toward an electric Yaris, and Penske proved once again that when new gets weird, the service department keeps the lights on.

Used prices firmed up early for spring, wholesale lanes stayed strong, and EV depreciation headlines cooled down a bit. The stat of the week: 96% of BEV owners would consider another EV even without tax credits. Uber is investing big in charging because availability wins customers. Translation for dealers: explain charging clearly, stock used smartly, and stop pretending EV buyers are all first timers.

Reality check. Payments are hovering around $800, negative equity is creeping into one out of three trades, and 84 month terms are doing heavy lifting. OEMs are sticking to lean inventory to protect margins. The sneaky opportunity? Three year old EVs with warranty left and depreciation already absorbed. If your team can explain battery coverage and total cost in under a minute, you might just steal Q1.

Live from NADA 2026, Rohrman Auto Group CEO Ryan Rohrman and Foureyes CEO Dave Steinberg sat down with us to talk about something every dealer is wrestling with—bad data.

In just a few minutes, they cut to the core of what’s holding most stores back: messy systems, disconnected teams, and blind spots that lead to frustrated customers.

Foureyes is working to fix that with a smarter, more connected data foundation that helps dealers see what’s really happening in their pipeline, and act on it.

Watch the full interview now to discover how Foureyes is helping dealers turn good data into great deals.

The next generation of automotive leaders showed up ready.

At NADA Show 2026, we caught up with Elgie Bright and the Northwood University crew as their students took the stage for a live pitch contest. These weren’t classroom hypotheticals. They pitched real ideas to improve dealership operations and sharpen the customer experience.

We also met Logan Wilmot, a soon-to-be graduate who just accepted a role with Toyota’s regional sales office in Cincinnati. His biggest lesson so far? Raise your hand early. Step into opportunities before they feel comfortable. The people you meet now often show up later in your career.

Watch the full interview to see how Northwood is shaping the future of automotive.

Jeff Swickard didn’t wait around for perfect solutions.

In this episode of The Dealer Playbook, he shares how Swickard Auto Group built an AI department, launched an enterprise data warehouse, and started using tech like sentiment analysis to improve service experience in real time.

If you’re serious about using AI to improve operations and protect culture, this conversation is the blueprint.

In the newest episode of The Truth About Car Dealers, Paul and Kyle travel to Virginia to visit Carter Myers Automotive and chat with the team behind a dealership group that’s redefined what it means to care.

From being the first female-owned dealership in the U.S. to launching a company-wide employee ownership plan, CMA’s story is packed with powerful firsts, full-circle moments, and one clear message: when you take care of people, the business takes care of itself.

You’ll hear stories of family, leadership, career growth, and personal purpose—including a tour of their original 1902 building, a generational game show, and an emotional look into what makes this team a true community.

Watch the full episode now and see why 100 years later, they’re still just getting started.

LEGO’s new Technic McLaren MCL39 F1 Car drops at 1:8 scale with 1,675 pieces, and it’s all about hands-on engineering for grown-up fans. Inspired by McLaren’s 2025 double championship season, the set packs in working steering, a detailed V6 hybrid powertrain, full suspension, and a gearbox you assemble yourself.

The real kicker? A functioning Drag Reduction System lets you shift the rear wing just like the F1 pros. Every part connects with mechanical logic, making the build a deep dive into how modern race cars are actually put together.

Celebrating Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and a record-setting year, the kit’s less about shelf candy and more about slow, methodical satisfaction for anyone who loves both F1 and LEGO.

The MCL39 is available for preorder now and launches globally on March 1st.