TOGETHER WITH :
Howdy Fam!
We’re 64 days from ASOTU CON 2026, and I don’t want to sound hyperbolic, but wow-wee-yall. It’s gettin’ real.
Check out what The Year of the Human is about and hit reply if you have a story about a past year you’d like to share.
If you’re new to the idea, catch up on some ASOTU CON 2025 content here.
Keep Pushing Back,
-Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
Reading time: 4 mins
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Spring showed up. So did a few complications.
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Retail auto moved into March with a little more pulse than it had earlier this year.
Used values rose in February, dealer sentiment improved, and new incentive activity picked up.
At the same time, Middle East shipping risk started creeping into the broader market conversation.
Put simply, the market has more motion than it did in January, but it is not exactly coasting.
What changed first?
Used-vehicle pricing gave the clearest early signal.
Cox Automotive said its Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index rose 4.0% year over year in February and 0.8% from January to 212.3, the highest reading since September 2023. Cox tied the move to stronger dealer buying and confidence around tax refund season and spring demand.
That does not mean the whole market suddenly got easy, but it does suggest spring arrived with more urgency than winter did.
Optimism is back, but caution never left.
Cox’s Q1 2026 Dealer Sentiment Index showed a rebound in expectations for the next three months, rising to 56 from 42.
Current conditions still look restrained, and EV expectations remained weak, but the mood clearly improved as the quarter turned. That is not a boom story. It is more like a market saying, “Maybe spring will be better.”
So why does the tone still feel a little tense?
Because affordability is still doing what affordability tends to do. Incentives are becoming a bigger part of the story again.
Stellantis rolled out its “Declaration of Deals” campaign for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, offering qualified buyers a choice of 0% APR financing or sales tax coverage, plus 90 days with no monthly payments on select models. That kind of offer does not happen in a vacuum. It shows brands know shoppers are still doing careful math.
Spark AI By ReyRey
We’re excited to reintroduce our friends Reynolds and Reynolds as a presenting sponsor for ASOTU CON 2026 this May in Hanover, MD.
They’re dedicated to dealers thriving in this ever-changing industry. Between their foundational Retail Management System and Spark AI, they help dealers minimize errors, eliminate the costs of duplicate work, empower your team, better serve your customers, and drive profitability – all at the same time.
Don’t let AI be an idea for someday; hit up Reynolds and Reynolds now.
EV pricing got louder.
One of the most concrete retail examples came from Chevrolet.
Electrek reported Chevy is offering up to $10,000 off the 2026 Equinox EV, trimming some versions by roughly 20% off MSRP. On the low end, that brings the Equinox EV LT 1 FWD down to about $30,295 before other variables, keeping pressure on the wider affordable-EV conversation.
Meanwhile, the global stuff stopped being background noise.
Reuters reported that the conflict involving Iran is threatening vehicle shipments from Asia to the Middle East, a major export destination for China, India, South Korea, and Japan.
In 2025 alone, China shipped 1.39 million vehicles to Gulf countries, about one-sixth of its overseas volume, while 25% of India’s $8.8 billion in car exports went to the Middle East. CNBC, citing Bernstein, said a closure of the Strait of Hormuz could add 10 to 14 days to transit times, raising logistics costs and delaying deliveries.
So, where does that leave the retail picture on March 9?
Busy, mixed, and very predictable. Used values are firmer. Incentives are active. EV pricing remains under pressure. And global events that once felt distant are starting to reappear in supply chains and shipping routes.
The spring market is trying to build. It just isn’t doing it in a vacuum.
Turn discovery into a store visit
You already know, most car shoppers start online. When your store answers the same questions they are already searching for, it becomes easier for them to discover your brand and move from research to a visit.
Use this prompt to turn the news into a local, search-friendly update that connects online discovery to your showroom.
Publish on your site, social, or a newsletter to position your store as the hero of your customers’ questions.
Working prompt
Write a local market update for {brand} at {address}. Include stronger used vehicle values, current incentives, one EV pricing example, and a brief note on how global supply or shipping news could affect pricing conversations.
Use clear SEO/GEO/AEO relevant H2 and H3 subheads for skim readers and keep the tone calm, helpful, and factual.
Reference {city/region} where appropriate and close with a short note from {sales manager name} inviting shoppers to visit the store.
Optimize the article for local search so people researching car prices and incentives near {city} can easily discover {brand} and learn what to compare before buying.
Dealer Conferences and Industry Events
March 31: NY Auto Forum
May 12: AutoIndustry.AI Summit
May 13-15: ASOTU CON 2026—get ready for the Year of the Human
🤖 AI: Once the military starts investing, things usually don’t go backwards. The US Department of War is in talks with several AI companies with major investments to show for their intentions.
🛒 Retail: UPS just offered a $150K in buyouts to drivers in an effort to restructure around Amazon shifting from big customer to big competitor.
💰 Economy: Data shows 64% of shoppers complete their car buying in 2 hours or less, up from 61% year over year. As the economy tightens, so do expectations.
1901 – Olds Motor Vehicle Co. prototypes destroyed in fire
1959 – The Barbie doll makes its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York.
1987 – Chrysler announces its acquisition of American Motors Corporation.
Thanks for reading, Friend!
It’s crazy knowing that today somebody is going to walk into your store with anxiety and leave with peace. (and a dope new ride)
Enjoy.
