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- 🚗 Right of First Refusal, Refused?
🚗 Right of First Refusal, Refused?
🚙 Top Workplace, Arnold, and Today's Big Episode
TOGETHER WITH
Sometimes, the hard days are easier if you narrate them in an elderly voice in your head. Like you, yourself in some better future old age, are telling somebody the story of how you overcame the thing about to happen…any second now…something hard is going to happen.
What’s “Grandpa-Me” gonna say about Tuesday, March 25, 2025?
Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi
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ASOTU CON 2025!
The Countdown Continues
We’ll level with you. Tickets are selling fast, and you MAY not have a chance to grab one in the last 30 days of the countdown.
But event location hotel rooms?
Those are already almost gone. So, if you want a front-row seat to every moment of ASOTU CON 2025, grab your ticket today.
Ford’s ROFR, Cyberattack Stopped, and Toyota Re-Re-Recommits to Hydrogen
📉 Ford Ordered to Pay $18M in Dealer Buy-Sell Dispute
A judge just slammed Ford with an $18M penalty for misusing its Right of First Refusal to block a dealer buy-sell in Arkansas. The court found “overwhelming evidence” of deceit, including withheld info and intentional delays. Dealers scored $16M in punitive damages and $2M in increased costs.
ROFR laws vary by state and are increasingly tense battlegrounds between OEMs and retailers. This verdict could ripple nationwide.
🛡️ 1,000 Dealerships Nearly Hit by Cyberattack
Malware disguised as a CAPTCHA infiltrated video plugins from LESA across sites hosted by DealerOn, Dealer.com, and Dealer Inspire—but Proton (Reynolds & Reynolds) caught it early.
💥 Dealers were urged to reset credentials, scan devices, and refresh cybersecurity hygiene.
This was a close call, not a drill. Cyber threats are evolving, and vendor transparency is mission-critical.
💥 Toyota Doubles Down on Hydrogen Amid EV Stall
Toyota’s betting big on hydrogen fuel cells—unveiling its third-gen system with 770km range and lower upkeep, ready by 2026. Sales are modest now, but the long-haul, fast-refueling use cases are clear.
🛠️ Already powering trains and generators, Toyota’s hydrogen push could shape dealer offerings and infrastructure over the next 5–10 years.
Stay ahead: The future might smell more like H₂ than lithium.
➕ More
Check out more on these and several other stories in our daily digest.
TOGETHER WITH TRADEPENDING
The Payment Calculator on Steroids
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TradePending’s payment calculator on steroids, aptly named Payments, is WAYYYY different than a digital retailing tool.
These 7 key differences between Payments and digital retailing tools help explain why it converts 3-4x more website traffic into leads.
Bonus! Now fully ASC compliant, too.
MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS
Rohrman Auto Group Wins National Top Workplace—and Gives Back Big
Rohrman/LinkedIn
Rohrman Automotive Group, one of the largest family-owned dealer groups in the U.S., was just named a 2025 USA TODAY Top Workplace Award winner—a recognition based entirely on what their employees had to say.
With 1,600 team members across 22 rooftops, they’re building something beyond the showroom. From their Rohrman Restored Foundation (supporting over 1,000 families) to Rohrman Recharge (their employee engagement and training series), this team is serious about people-first culture.
And they’re not just serving each other—they’re giving back in big ways.
During their January and February sales event, Rohrman pledged $25 per car sold and just delivered a $64,675 donation to Samaritan's Purse to help those impacted by the California wildfires.
The recognition? Well earned.
The impact? Still growing.
The next campaign? Stay tuned.
Rohrman, we see you—and we’re cheering you on.
AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE
Today: Episode 1,000!
Today at about 8:15 AM CST, you’re invited to join ASOTU for a monumental moment!
Paul, Kyle, and the whole ASOTU Crew are at once humbled and proud to announce the 1,000th episode of The Automotive Troublemaker.
Meet Urban Science at ASOTU CON!
Urban Science brings clarity to chaos with data-driven insights that help OEMs, dealers, and ad tech players thrive.
As a Mini Keynote Sponsor at this year’s ASOTU CON, they're sharing how certainty beats guesswork—every time. Join us in May to see how they are using analytics to fuel strategy.
Learn more at Urban Science!
🥊 Quick Hits
A car enthusiast used 3D printing to create a Bugatti Divo replica, showcasing the potential of at-home automotive manufacturing. Wonder how long before service departments can “print” their own parts? 🔩
Upcoming Apple Watch updates will add a camera and AI to your wrist. ⌚️
23andMe has gone bankrupt, and all its data will more than likely go to the highest bidder. 🧬
🔁 Today in History
1979: The first fully functional Space Shuttle orbiter, Columbia, is delivered to the John F. Kennedy Space Center to be prepared for its first launch. 🚀
1995: WikiWikiWeb, the world's first wiki, and part of the Portland Pattern Repository, is made public by Ward Cunningham. 🌐
2005: The Saturn Sky debuts. 🪐
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