📈 May’s Bounce

TOGETHER WITH

Any job can give you tools, training, and time to practice, but they can’t give you the most important piece of turning a job into a career; tenacity.

You gotta bring that from home. Looking around the troublemaker community we see plenty of tenacious spirits showing up, putting in extra, and pushing past “good enough” to reach something of which they can be proud.

And we’re proud to be witness to it all.

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, & Chris

DEALERS

Forever Homes

North Park Subaru in San Antonio is well-known for supporting its community, but people are not the only ones they’re considering.

The dealership also has a long-standing history of supporting four-legged friends looking for forever homes.

Weekly, they cover the adoption fees of one sheltered “pet star” needing a bestie. The goodest boys and girls are brought into their showroom to take glamour shots next to all the shiny cars, and often, buyers find themselves heading home with more than just a new ride.

Recently, through their partnership with the nonprofit Puppy Food Bank, they sponsored the launch of a new distribution van (aptly named the Puppy Love Xpress), which coincided with the organization's inaugural pet food event.

In addition, the dealership generously donated $20K to contribute to the food bank's mission of providing nourishment to no-kill pet rescues across the state.

Telling it like it is - Anybody who has had a pet knows they become family pretty quickly. So really, this is like helping people complete their families. How nice.

Have your own excellent dealer story of community support, love, or engagement? Let us share it.

AUTOMOTIVE

May Gots Its Bounce Goin’

📈 May 2023 sees an expected 20.3% surge in new vehicle sales, hitting 1.35 million units, thanks to enhanced inventory levels and robust fleet sales momentum. 🤯

🛡️ Despite the drop from April's 15.9 million SAAR to 14.9 million in May, the market exhibits resilience amid affordability issues attributed to high-interest rates and elevated vehicle prices. 💰

🚀 With improved inventory levels satiating pent-up demand, market dynamics shift from supply to demand.

Against the backdrop, average transaction prices continue to rise, reaching a record high of $45,838 in May, and fleet sales anticipate a 50% YoY rise. 🚐🚐🚐🚐🚐

🧾Despite economic headwinds, overall sales volume receives support from increased incentives and fleet volume.

Telling it like it is - We look forward to hearing about your success this month, friends! Send us your good stories, rock star teammates, and any shift in the market you notice. We would love to celebrate each with you here in the Daily Push Back email! 🎉

TOGETHER WITH SHOPIFY

Any Other Options Would Be Nuts

We've all been there - it started as a hobby. You had some walnuts, a decent pocket knife, and some energy left over at the end of your day. Carving little characters was fun and helped clear your mind. Now, tiny walnut men in clothes, roller skates, knight armor, and sombreros have taken over your home.

Luckily for you, there is Shopify!

Founded by people who found e-commerce solutions needing more control, Shopify offers users an all-in-one commerce platform to start, run, and grow a business. Millions of businesses trust Shopify's years of experience to help run and grow their business.

Start a free trial today to see how Shopify can help build your business by finding new homes for your “friends.” 🥜

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Join David Long and the All Things Used Cars community today for a conversation to remember! Preparing for the Memorial Day weekend like a champ!

Join us today at 6am PST / 9am EST.

AUTOMOTIVE

Motor Morsels: English Vans, Vietnamese Downloads, American Batteries, and Chinese Honesty

🚐🇺🇸💪

Let's try again! Electric van startup Arrival, originally dubbed Britain's Tesla, is refocusing on the US market with a lifeline from the Inflation Reduction Act's subsidies and a second SPAC merger. With $283 million expected from this merger, Arrival will target US production of medium-duty vans, leveraging big ole subsidies. Despite financial struggles and layoffs, Arrival is banking on the uncluttered Class 4 van segment to kickstart success.

💻🛰️🚙

Downloading safety! Vietnamese EV maker VinFast has recalled the first batch of 999 VF8 electric SUVs sent to the US due to a software error that is potentially obscuring critical safety information on the display. VinFast is issuing an over-the-air update to rectify this issue. This voluntary recall is an early hurdle for the ambitious EV manufacturer as it expands globally.

🔋📈🤷‍♀️

Why are these batteries so big, tho?? Ford CEO Jim Farley questioned the industry trend towards bigger EV batteries, emphasizing efficiency over sheer size. He warned that massive batteries are expensive and bring environmental and safety concerns due to vehicle weight. Farley highlighted Chinese automakers, especially BYD, as Ford's primary EV competition, surpassing Tesla and GM.

📢👎📉

Sometimes telling the truth hurts, but lying is illegal. Chinese EV maker, Xpeng's shares fell after it reported earnings below expectations and a forecasted drop in car sales. It expects Q2 deliveries to fall by 36.1%-39.0% YoY, while Q1 revenue declined 50% YoY to 4.03 billion yuan ($571.6 million). However, Xpeng, hurt by China's economic situation and rising competition, plans to boost sales with new launches, including the G6 SUV.

Telling it like it is - Arrival tries again for US EV tax credits, VinFast recalls ALL their US models, Jim Farley says batteries are too big and those making them smaller will win, Xpeng will deliver fewer cars in Q2 (shareholders are bummed).

CULTURE/TECHNOLOGY/WHAT THE KIDS ARE INTO

Snack Science and Sharing

🍿🍪Snacks Save Lives! From brain to belly, the science of food tells a fascinating tale. For example, AgRP neurons, tiny conductors of our hunger symphony, illuminate our "hangry" feelings. These neurons, eavesdropping on stomach and fat tissue, orchestrate our eating urges, notably disturbed in disorders such as anorexia. The unsettling side of AgRP activity? It makes even mice feel unpleasant, prevailing in danger zones and driving their desperate quests for food.

So, next time you’re having a time, get a snack. It's science.

🍒🍓Snacks also save communities. Meanwhile, in Boston's Edgewater neighborhood, a grassroots food revolution blooms. For a mere $100, the Boston Food Forest Coalition turned an empty lot into a verdant, community-driven food haven.

Benches nestled under black walnut trees where fruits and berries were on hand for harvest, and even mushrooms found a home. The park works as a diligent steward, testing soil for lead and sparking leaders to become climate activists. This innovative food forest aims to sow seeds of resilience against climate change, one delicious bite at a time.

The ground wants to make things for people and animals to eat. The best use of an extra acre is to let it... or let some goats live there. Goats are great. 🐐

Quick Hits

• Jobless claims increased by 4K last week but are still near a historic low point. 💼

• PS5 is getting a Switch… or a screen, it looks like a Switch, but it’s just a PS5 controller with a TV in the middle. 📺

• So many people stole from Dollar Tree that the stock dipped. Guess that extra $0.25 didn’t work out for em… 🥷

History

• 1896: The Dow Jones industrial average is first published. 📈

• 1897: The vampire novel Dracula, by Irish writer Bram Stoker, goes on sale in London bookshops.🧛

• 1927: The 15 millionth Ford Model T leaves the factory. 🏭

• 1998: The first "National Sorry Day" is held in Australia. Reconciliation events are held nationally and attended by over a million people. 😢