🚗 Emission Regulation Roll-Backs Begin

🚙 Big Fans, Keys to Freedom, and Public Policy Day

January 30, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

Traditional Wisdom Thursday!

Traditional wisdom says the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. But we say the better way is just to invite all your friends.

Despite their majesty, this isn’t about elephants.

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

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🏛️ Emission Rule Roll Back, CDK Settlement, and Repo’s Rise

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1️⃣ New DOT Secretary Rolls Back EV Rules

The Biden-era push for stricter fuel economy and EV adoption is getting reversed. If Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards are rolled back, it could:

  • Lower compliance costs for automakers, leading to potentially cheaper vehicles for consumers.

  • Slow down the aggressive shift to EVs, keeping ICE models relevant longer in the market.

  • Impact dealership inventory planning, as manufacturers adjust their future lineups.

With affordability being a top concern for both dealers and consumers, this policy shift could significantly shape 2025 and beyond.

2️⃣ CDK Coughs Up $630M in Data Lawsuit

CDK, one of the dominant Dealer Management System (DMS) providers, was accused of restricting access to dealer data and overcharging vendors. This settlement signals:

  • Potential lower costs for software vendors, which could trickle down to better pricing for dealers.

  • More competition in the DMS space, possibly reducing reliance on CDK/Reynolds.

  • A wake-up call for vendors to rethink how they integrate with dealer data platforms.

For dealers frustrated by high software costs and restrictive data policies, this is a big win.

3️⃣ Auto Repossessions Are Surging

Rising repo rates signal consumer financial strain, which directly impacts:

  • Lending & financing approvals – Banks may tighten credit for car buyers, making it harder to close deals.

  • Demand for used vehicles – As more repos hit the market, used inventory could increase, potentially affecting pricing and margins.

  • Service department opportunities – Owners struggling with payments may delay maintenance, leading to more repair work later.

Operation: Big Fan

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Ascent Dealer Services is on a bold mission to help dealers enhance every aspect of their F&I operations. Its claim to fame is a strong focus on training and development, hiring only former dealers, GMs, and F&I directors to coach dealership teams.

Ascent Dealer Services believes that while selling a vehicle today is important, ensuring a sale tomorrow is even more crucial. The approach centers on F&I departments offering products that actively engage retail customers with the service department. With a focus on retention-based selling, the company aims to create lifelong raving fans for its dealer partners.

🔑 Keys to Freedom

For two years, Adrianna Boyer did what she had to do—hauling groceries in Ubers, budgeting for expensive delivery fees, and hoping no emergencies would come up. But when her son got hurt at school and she had no fast way to get to him, that moment really hit hard.

Then came Vehicles for Change, NADA and a Kia Rio that flipped the script. Now, her son is playing football, errands aren’t an all-day ordeal, and she’s building credit while making car payments.

For Adrianna and her family, she says it’s more than a set of wheels—it’s a future with fewer roadblocks.

See how dealers are driving real change and how you can be part of it. Read the full story here!

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

🗓️ Coming Soon

📝 TODAY, January 30th — Public Policy Day with WANADA and the Washington, D.C. Auto Show.

  • Keep an eye on our LinkedIn to catch all the content from the event first.

🦀 May 13-16th — ASOTU CON in Baltimore, Maryland. Get the app!
The NADA Show just ended, and we’re already counting the days until we can all get together again! ASOTU CON has improved each year, and we are ready to guarantee this year will be as unique as it is unmissable.

🥊 Quick Hits

  • OpenAI is furious DeepSeek may have stolen all the data that OpenAI stole from all of us. 😡

  • According to a new report by the U.S. Copyright Office, artists may be allowed to copyright works made with the help of AI. 🎨

  • In honor of Valentine’s Day, LEGO Botanicals is hitting the road in their Le Florist Flower Trucks. 💐

🔁 Today in History

  • 1487: Bell chimes are invented. 🔔

  • 1962: A Laughter Epidemic begins at a girls' mission school in present-day Tanzania affecting fourteen schools and thousands of people. 🤣

  • 2020: World Health Organization officials declared the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak (aka COVID-19) a public health emergency of international concern. 😷

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