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Car Dealers Can't Sell Expensive Cars & They're FINALLY Feeling IT | Episode 948

Car Dealers Can't Sell Expensive Cars & They're FINALLY Feeling IT | Episode 948

CarEdge Live Oct 22, 2025 34 min
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About this episode

Car dealers are feeling the pinch as profits per vehicle sold drop significantly, particularly at Lithia Motors, the largest car dealership group in the U.S. The episode discusses the implications of an 11% decline in gross profit per vehicle, highlighting how dealerships are forced to offer substantial discounts to move inventory. The hosts analyze specific examples of vehicles with steep discounts and the strategies sales managers might employ to clear out aged stock. Insights into the current state of the automotive market and dealership operations provide valuable context for potential car buyers.

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Company

Lithium Motors

"...Lithium motors. Dad, their profit went down 1.1%. Not a big deal."

Lithium Motors is a car company that makes electric vehicles. They are part of a movement to create more environmentally friendly cars.

Term

gross profit per new vehicle

"...the big deal is when you scroll down and you realize that gross profit per new vehicle actually declined 11.2%."

Gross profit per new vehicle is how much money a car dealership makes on each new car after paying for it. If this number goes down, it can mean the dealership is having a tough time making money.

Term

floor plan

"Explain what floor plan means, Dad, for our community. Floor plan is the credit line that each of these dealerships has that they utilize to pay for their new cars. So just like a customer, they're not paying cash."

A floor plan is like a loan that car dealerships use to buy cars. Instead of paying for the cars all at once, they borrow money to get the cars and pay it back later when they sell them.

Term

new car gross profit per vehicle sold

"Hence, we've seen an 11% drop in their new car gross profit per vehicle sold. 11% is significant, okay? It is extremely significant."

This term means how much money a car dealership makes from selling each new car after paying for it. If this number goes down, it means they're making less money on each sale.

Car

Hyundai Tucson Limited

"I just went ahead, Dad, and downloaded one of the recent Lithia deals that we worked on that the AI negotiator worked on. And look at this. This is on a 2025 Hyundai Tucson Limited."

The Hyundai Tucson Limited is a version of the Tucson SUV that comes with extra features and upgrades. The 2025 model is the latest version available.

Term

dealer discount

"We've got a dealer discount on a Hyundai, Dad, of over $5,000."

A dealer discount is when a car dealership lowers the price of a car to make it cheaper for customers. It helps sell cars faster.

Term

MSRP

"That's more than 10% off, isn't it? Yeah, so this is a perfect example of $42,000 Hyundai. That's not the sweet spot for a Hyundai customer."

MSRP is the price that the car maker suggests the dealer should sell the car for. It's like a guideline for how much the car should cost.

Term

gap insurance

"...selling you the warranty, selling you the gap insurance, selling you the paint protection..."

Gap insurance helps pay off your car loan if your car is totaled and you owe more than it's worth. It's helpful for new cars that lose value fast.

Term

dealer fees

"...which obviously, if you're in the car edge community, you know if it's taxable, it's negotiable."

Dealer fees are extra charges that car dealerships might add when you buy a car. These fees can sometimes be negotiated down.

Company

Lithia

"But Dad, this is what's going on over at Lithia. And if Lithia is the largest car dealership in the United States..."

Lithia is a big car dealership group in the U.S. that sells cars from different brands. They have many locations and are listed on the stock market.

Term

inventory

"Trust me, at this point, it is less expensive for them to take a short deal and get rid of a vehicle than it is to continue to carry that vehicle on the lot in inventory."

Inventory means the cars that a dealership has for sale. It's important for them to have the right number of cars so they can sell them and make money.

Term

new car side

"obviously, they were making over $3,000 per vehicle sold on the new car side."

The 'new car side' is where dealerships sell brand new cars, which can be different from selling used cars. They often make different amounts of money on each sale.

Term

front-end gross profit

"...the average front-end gross profit on a new car would be $3,000? And my answer would have been, yeah, at a Porsche store, okay? Not at a Hyundai store, not at a Jennie store."

Front-end gross profit is the money a car dealership makes from selling a car before paying for things like advertising or employee salaries. It's an important number for understanding how well a dealership is doing financially.

Brand

Porsche

"...my answer would have been, yeah, at a Porsche store, okay? Not at a Hyundai store, not at a Jennie store."

Porsche is a car brand from Germany that makes very fast and expensive cars. They are famous for their sports cars like the 911, which many people love for their speed and design.

Term

dealer invoice price

"36,807 dollar MSRP, 34,634 dollar dealer invoice price. The target discount range is anywhere from 1,500 to 2,500 big ones."

The dealer invoice price is what the car dealer pays to get the car from the manufacturer. It's usually less than the price you see in the showroom, which is the MSRP.

Term

target discount range

"The target discount range is anywhere from 1,500 to 2,500 big ones. But I'm curious about that."

The target discount range is the amount of money you might be able to save when buying a car. It's a guideline for how much lower the price could go from the original price.

Car

Subaru Crosstrek

"First thing I want to look at here, what's the days supply of the Subaru Crosstrek indicator, Georgia?"

The Subaru Crosstrek is a small SUV that can drive well on different types of roads. It's a good choice for people who want a car that can handle both city driving and outdoor adventures.

Term

days supply

"First thing I want to look at here, what's the days supply of the Subaru Crosstrek indicator, Georgia? 101 days. That's high, Dad."

Days supply is how long it would take to sell all the cars of a certain model if no new ones were added. If there are a lot of cars sitting around, it means they might be easier to get at a lower price.

Brand

Subaru

"...So that's Subaru."

Subaru is a car brand from Japan that makes vehicles known for their ability to handle tough weather and off-road conditions.

Company

Wade Ford

"...So Wade Ford here. This looks what I was expecting."

Wade Ford is a car dealership that sells Ford cars and helps people buy or maintain them.

Car

Ford Escape

"...in this case a 2024 Ford Escape. He have 586 days on the market."

The Ford Escape is a small SUV that's good for families and everyday driving. The 2024 version has new features and a modern look.

Car

Ford F150

"...2024 Ford F-150 Platinum, nearly an $80,000 MSRP 490 days on the market. And again, the lead here is that car dealers cancel expensive cars and they're finally starting to feel it."

The 2024 Ford F-150 Platinum is a fancy version of Ford's best-selling pickup truck. It has a lot of luxury features and is built for both work and comfort.

Term

aged vehicles

"Because there is no way from a corporate perspective that they would want to have vehicles in inventory for 500 and some days, 490 days. So if I was the sales manager or the general manager at that store, every one of my aged vehicles would be upfront and around the showroom, if not in the showroom."

Aged vehicles are cars that have been sitting unsold for a long time. Dealers want to sell them quickly because the longer they sit, the less valuable they become.

Term

Woznowski

"And they would have what I affectionately refer to as a Woznowski. What's a Woznowski? A Woznowski is a mirror hanger that says the price was X, whatever that was. And the price now is a hell of a lot less than X."

A Woznowski is a sign that shows how much a car's price has dropped. It helps to catch the attention of buyers by showing them that they can get a better deal.

Term

SPF

"What's referred to in the industry as a SPF or a bonus. Now, my SPF or a bonus on vehicles like that would be you will get your minimum commission..."

SPF is a bonus that car salespeople can earn when they sell cars that have been sitting on the lot for a long time. It helps motivate them to sell these older cars by giving them extra money for each day the car was not sold.

Term

minimum commission

"Now, my SPF or a bonus on vehicles like that would be you will get your minimum commission, whatever the minimum commission is at that store. It might be $100, it might be $250."

Minimum commission is the smallest amount of money a salesperson can earn when they sell a car. Even if they don't make any extra bonuses, they will still get this guaranteed amount.

Car

Ford Expedition

"... you can look at it at the micro, holy cow. Ford Expedition 2024, $85,000 MSRP, 446 days on the market. No w..."

The Ford Expedition is a large SUV that can carry a lot of people and their stuff. It's great for families or anyone who needs extra space and power, especially if they want to tow things like trailers. The 2024 version is quite expensive and has been on the market for a long time, which might mean it's popular or hard to find.

Company

Penske

"When the Penske organization in Scottsdale, we moved to North Scottsdale. I mean, we were supposed to get like an extra 350 cars for having built a new dealership."

Penske is a company that owns many car dealerships and is involved in selling cars. They help manage and run these dealerships.

Car

Toyota 4Runner

"...What are we looking forward to out of Toyota? ...Was it a forerunner?"

The Toyota 4Runner is a type of SUV that is great for off-roading and outdoor activities. It's built to handle tough conditions and is known for its durability.

Term

days on market

"I mean, we're still sorted by days on market oldest. So in this particular area, I guess this was around Kansas city, dad. The oldest ones, 92 days, 86 days."

Days on market is how long a car has been for sale. If it's been listed for a long time, it might be harder to sell or could be overpriced.

Brand

Toyota

"That's actually for a Toyota, man. That's high. Yeah, it is."

Toyota is a car company from Japan that makes many different types of cars. They are known for being reliable and having good fuel economy.

6 cars featured

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