TOGETHER WITH
Howdy Fam!
With ASOTU CON getting closer, we are going to spend a lot of time talking about the “career accelerant” qualities of the speakers, sessions, and connections. But we don’t want to forget another joy of getting our friends together each year in Hanover, MD: Giving stuff away!
Vehicles for Change will be there connecting dealers who love people, to people who need a little love.
It’s something dealers truly do better than any other field or profession.
Check out this story from the Greater New York Auto Dealers Association. They participate in a coat drive every winter, and are now sitting on top of over 200,000 coats donated to people in their city.
200,000+ people who are warm because dealers work hard enough to have a little to give away.
What a wonderful industry we get to serve, Friend.
Keep Pushing Back,
- Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
Reading time: 4 mins
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Dealer Briefing: Reliability, Recalls, and Affordability Pressure
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Buyers aren’t walking in cold anymore. They show up with screenshots, search tabs, and a few strong opinions pulled straight from the last headline they read. Over the past week, four themes are doing the most to raise doubt and slow decisions.
“Brands to Avoid” Coverage Is Creating Brand Level Hesitation
What shoppers are reading
One widely shared roundup, built on Consumer Reports scoring, calls out Jeep, Land Rover, GMC, Dodge, and Alfa Romeo as major car brands to avoid, pointing to low reliability and weaker overall scores.
What it does in the showroom
Customers often apply brand language to every model, then come in looking for confirmation:
“Should I avoid this brand?”
“Is this model one of the bad ones?”
Your move is simple: don’t debate the list. Get specific fast: model, year, ownership history, warranty, safety ratings, and cost to own.
Recalls at Scale Are Forcing VIN Check Conversations
What the recall covers
Car and Driver reports Ford is recalling about 4.38M vehicles over an Integrated Trailer Module (ITRM) issue that can disrupt trailer brake lights and turn signals (and in some cases trailer brakes). It spans 2021–2026 vehicles including F-150, Super Duty, E-Transit, Expedition, Maverick, Ranger, and Lincoln Navigator, with an OTA software update beginning in March 2026 and notifications starting March 17.
What buyers want
Not reassurance. Proof:
“Is this VIN affected?”
“Is it safe?”
“How fast is the fix?”
Make VIN checks visible and routine.
“New Cars Are Unaffordable” Is Now a Mainstream Talking Point
What the poll is telling customers
An ABC News poll reports more than half of Americans say a new car is unaffordable. That changes the tone of the deal before numbers even show up.
Destination Charges Are Adding a New Layer of Sticker Shock
Why the fee is in the headlines
The one report highlights destination charges averaging around $1,600 and estimates buyers paid more than $26B in destination charges last year. Shoppers may not care who sets the fee. They care that the price feels stacked.
What Dealers Should Do This Week
Move from brand debate to model clarity
Put VIN verification where customers can see it
Lead with out the door structure and payment options
Read more on this and what dealers can do about it today, here.
Hot Leads Delivered Daily
Every morning, your inbox could be serving up more than headlines.
The Hot Leads List from TradePending highlights the shoppers who are already deep in your inventory, checking VDPs, comparing options, and raising their hands.
These are the buyers most likely to close, delivered to you daily so your team knows exactly where to focus. If you’re serious about selling more cars without chasing cold leads, it’s time to see what’s heating up in your market.
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Middle East shipping squeeze, energy prices jump
Conflict tied to Iran has damaged tankers, hurt crews, and stuck roughly 150 ships near the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and gas. War-risk insurance is getting pulled, and premiums are spiking, so shipping costs rise next. Dealers: expect fuel-price headlines and jittery consumer sentiment.
Acura heads to Japan, made in America.
Honda will start selling the Ohio-built Acura Integra Type S and Alabama-built Honda Passport TrailSport Elite in Japan later this year. First-ever Acura sales in its home country, timed with Acura’s 40th anniversary. Dealers: a tidy “built here, sold there” story that helps brand pride.
Sonic posts record revenue and gross profit.
Sonic Automotive hit record $15.2B revenue (+7%) and $2.4B gross profit (+9%), even as net income fell to $118.7M (−45%). Franchised stores were the main engine; EchoPark revenue dipped, but gross profit grew. Dealers: proof that scale plus execution still prints results.
Auto theft drops, thieves get smarter.
A report citing NICB data says U.S. auto theft fell 23% in 2025, after a big 2023 peak. Hyundai and Kia retrofits, and broader immobilizer use, helped. But thieves are shifting to quiet tech attacks: relay tricks, keyless hacks, OBD exploits. Dealers: sell protection, not panic.
Dealer Conferences and Industry Events
Tue, March 31: NY Auto Forum
May 12: AutoIndustry.AI Summit, Hanover, MD
Check it out here.
May 13-15: ASOTU CON 2026, Hanover, MD
Get ready for the Year of the Human
🛒 Retail: McDonald’s is bribing you with a free Egg McMuffin to love its app. Meanwhile, January sales may dip, NRF’s lawyers are sharpening knives, and earnings week is basically retail Hunger Games.
💰 Economy: Junk fees, scams, robocalls, hold time, subscription cancellation obstacle courses. USA Today says the “annoyance economy” costs Americans $166B a year. It’s easy to pay, hard to escape. The report wants tougher consumer enforcement, but Washington’s currently doing the opposite.
👽 Weird: Lock the phone away, do things the slow way, get bored on purpose, and your focus comes back. Trend name: friction-maxxing.
1875 – The first ever organized indoor game of ice hockey is played in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, as recorded in the Montreal Gazette.
1913 – Thousands of women march in the Women's Suffrage Procession in Washington, D.C.
2009 – Maybach pays tribute to its past with the release of Zeppelin.
Thanks for reading, Friend!
It’s a joy to write for you each day. I hope it’s similar on the reading end. Be well. See you tomorrow!
