The Nissan Armada is a large SUV that can carry a lot of people and cargo. It's great for families and has a powerful engine for towing things like trailers.
A factory warranty is like a promise from the car maker that they'll fix certain problems for free if they happen within a set time or distance you drive. It's a way to protect you from unexpected repair costs for a while after you buy the car.
A lifetime powertrain warranty means that if something goes wrong with important parts of your car, like the engine or transmission, the dealership will fix it for free for as long as you own the car.
An extended warranty is like extra insurance for your car that you can buy to cover repairs after the regular warranty ends. It helps protect you from unexpected repair costs.
A vehicle service contract is a deal you make to pay for certain repairs on your car, but it's different from a warranty because it's not from the car's maker. It can help with repair costs after the original warranty runs out.
A crate engine is a new engine that comes in a box, ready to be put into a car. It's a quick way to replace an old engine without having to build one from scratch.
The Ford F-150 is a big truck that people often use for work or to haul things. The 2013 version is one of the latest models from a long line of popular trucks.
An extended service agreement is like buying extra protection for your car after the original warranty ends. It helps cover repair costs if something goes wrong.
An infotainment screen is the touchscreen in your car that lets you control music, navigation, and other features. If it stops working, you can't use those functions, which can be really frustrating.
An extended service contract is like an insurance plan for your car that helps pay for repairs after the regular warranty ends. It can save you money if something goes wrong with your vehicle later on.
A deductible is the amount of money you have to pay yourself before your insurance or service plan starts to help pay for repairs. For example, if your deductible is $100, you pay that amount first, and then the plan covers the rest.
Term
best selling segments
Best selling segments are groups of cars that sell the most in a certain time period. For example, compact crossovers and pickup trucks are types of vehicles that many people buy.
A rebate is like a discount that you get back after buying something. In cars, it means the manufacturer gives you money back to help you buy the vehicle.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a big SUV that's great for driving on rough roads and also feels nice inside. It's popular because it can handle outdoor adventures while still being comfortable for everyday use.
The Chevrolet Corvette is a fast and stylish sports car that's famous for being fun to drive. It's considered a good deal for a car that can compete with much more expensive sports cars.
A crossover is a vehicle that mixes the characteristics of a car and an SUV. It usually has more space and a higher seat position than a regular car, making it a popular choice for families.
The Chevrolet Silverado is a big truck that can carry heavy loads and is great for work or outdoor activities. It's popular because it can do a lot of different things, like towing trailers or hauling equipment.
The Nissan Titan Crew Cab is a large truck with a roomy back seat, making it comfortable for passengers. It's built to handle tough jobs and has a strong engine, but it's not as popular as some other trucks.
The Honda HR-V is a small SUV that has a lot of space inside for passengers and their stuff. It's easy to drive and good on gas, making it a popular choice for city driving.
The Ford Taurus was a family car that was known for being comfortable and having a lot of space inside. It's no longer made, but many people remember it as a reliable choice for getting around.
The Kia Optima is a comfortable car that looks nice and is good for driving around town. It has a lot of features for the price, making it a smart choice for people who need a reliable vehicle.
The Nissan Frontier is a smaller truck that's good for carrying things and doing work. It has been updated recently to make it more modern and easier to use.
The Toyota Tacoma is a smaller truck that is tough and can go off-road, which means it can handle rough terrain. It's popular because it's reliable and can be used for work or fun activities.
The Honda Ridgeline is a truck that's built more like a car, which makes it comfortable to drive. It has some cool features, like a truck bed that can hold things securely, making it handy for different tasks.
The Ford Bronco is a tough SUV that's great for off-roading and outdoor adventures. It has a classic look and is popular among people who like to drive in nature or on rough roads.
LIVE
Hey folks, Lenny Lawson, the Cargoogrew here with a warning.
I got three letters in the mail from, now let's see, yeah, three that are warning letters.
Trying to scare me, I guess.
They don't know who they're messing with.
I bought my wife a new 2026 Nissan Armada.
I think as of right now, it probably has maybe 2,000 miles on it, so it's new.
It's under warranty, however, if I were to open up this mail and really didn't know this kind of thing,
I would think that my warranty has already expired.
Yeah, this letter, this particular one, and I've talked about this before.
It happens every time I buy a new vehicle, I start getting the letters, it happens to you as well.
But here's the difference, I get the letter and I don't panic, I bring it to my dealership,
sit down at my computer, fire it up, and start telling you what it's all about.
Because no, your warranty has not expired.
And you've never had the first notice, and this one says it's the final one.
Immediate response needed.
My vehicle, and it lists a 2026 Nissan Armada.
You need to call today about an urgent matter regarding your vehicle.
Now, if the novice reads that, they think they have a problem.
What did Lenny Lawson do to me, selling me this vehicle?
Has it been wrecked?
You know, there's all types of things that people can think, you know, because of this.
But yeah, this notice is to inform you that we have been trying to contact you,
and have not been able to, regarding your warranty for your 2026 Nissan Armada,
located at your home address, and it lists my address.
Please contact us immediately.
And then the next paragraph says, our records indicate that you have,
and this is in bold, not called us yet.
I mean, I'm being chastised here.
I don't know these people.
My vehicle's under warranty.
Then in another bold print, it says, failure to call, and that's also underlined.
Us, by the expiration date of January 28, 2026, may result in a lapse of coverage.
Now, you tell me, is that deceptive or not?
Why is this not illegal?
What lapse?
What coverage?
The factory warranty's good for three years or 50,000 miles,
and at Gateway, at my dealership, we offer a lifetime powertrain warranty.
There's no lapse of anything.
This is a warranty solicitation, folks.
And if you, well, let's call it, I always go through this, an extended warranty is the generic
term for a vehicle service contract, and I'll explain it one more time.
It's not a warranty unless it comes from the manufacturer of the vehicle.
Only manufacturers can put a warranty on something.
All the others are service contracts or service agreements.
So here's my second one.
It's on a more or less a postcard, and it says factory warranty alert.
Attention, Leonard Lawson.
Our records indicate that you have not contacted us to have your vehicle service
contract for your 2026 Nissan Armada activated.
You are receiving this notice to ensure no lapse in coverage.
Again, this is, and it says immediate response.
Request it.
Well, at least they're requesting it.
They're not demanding it.
And then this last one that I got, all of these came this morning.
You know what?
I bet they're all from the same company.
Well, they have different phone numbers.
But this one, I had to open up, it's almost like one of those built, you know,
we have to tear the sides off and tear the top off to get to it.
You open it up and normally there's a check in there.
Well, guess what?
This looks like a check, except it says, it has my name paid, or it doesn't say pay.
It says to the order of.
They left out the pay part.
It's not signed.
It's called an allocated waiver right over the $199 that they're giving me.
Your allocated waiver of $199 may be redeemed by activating new coverage.
So again, immediate action is requested.
They're being nice, then they're not being nice.
It says, this is our final attempt to notify you.
We reserve the right to revoke the allocated waiver after seven days of receiving this notice.
I am just scared to death.
What am I going to do?
Well, you could pick up the phone and call me 423-552-2020 when you get something like this
in the mail or text me, take a picture of it.
I've had a lot of panicked phone calls from people and I understand it.
You're a novice.
You know, it may have been eight or 10 years since you bought a vehicle.
And maybe you started listening to this program several months ago and you've heard me talk about
the importance of buying a service contract these days because of how expensive it is
to repair vehicles.
I told a story yesterday about a gentleman way out of warranty, 180,000 miles,
or right at 200,000 miles on his vehicle and he decided to put a new engine in it.
And it was $11,000.
It was a crate engine.
The engine itself was, let's see, 5,500.
And then the rest of it was labor.
We didn't, well, additional parts and labor.
They must have done some other things.
We didn't do the repairs on this vehicle.
It was done by an independent shop down the road.
But they bought the engine from us and the gentleman bought the F-150 for me back in 2013.
And so there was no warranty.
You can imagine, though, how you would feel if you had said,
I don't need one of those warranties, those service contracts, whatever they call it.
I don't need one.
And then your factory warranty expires and within 20,000 miles, there's a knockin' noise
where there shouldn't be a knockin' noise.
You take it in and they said, yeah, you've got a problem.
And it's not covered by the factory warranty because it has expired.
And according to our records, you did not purchase an extended service agreement.
So you're going to have to pay for this.
Will that be cash, check,
or American Express, or a diners club?
Diners club?
Yeah, my dad used to have a diners club card.
I have no idea what that's for.
I wonder if that still exists.
Yeah, I don't think we take it here at Gateway.
But yeah, that would be your decision to make.
And then you've got to pay for it out of pocket.
Or if your infotainment screen goes blank and you can no longer control your air conditioning,
your heat, your heated seats, your radio, you can't see your Apple CarPlay, you are in distress.
And you take it into the dealership and they say, oh yeah, we can fix this.
It's going to be $3,500 plus tax.
Oh, but you did buy an extended service contract.
Oh, well, you just have to pay $100 deductible.
See what I mean?
I didn't used to be an advocate of these things, but I am now because I've seen how much it cost.
To repair these vehicles.
And that's important.
In today's show, we're going to talk about 2025 sales by the numbers.
Who sold the most cars?
Trucks was Toyota, the top brand, Hyundai, Honda.
What were the best selling segments?
Compact crossovers, full size pickup trucks, large crossovers.
Who sold the most pickups?
What about midsize vehicles, midsize crossovers?
Who were the top sellers?
What sold the best?
Well, that's not hard to tell.
All you have to do is go to a Walmart parking lot.
You'll see what sells the best and it ain't passenger cars.
I'll be back in just one minute.
And just like I promised, I am back.
You know, 2025 was an interesting year.
We really didn't know what to expect.
2024 was harder because we were really still trying to get our
inventories adjusted from the pandemic.
And it was quite the challenge.
And rebates really hadn't come back in full force
because the manufacturers were just trying to avoid paying them.
They still wanted to maintain their profitability.
Every time they put a rebate on something, that's a discount from the manufacturer.
They send me a check, you know, for $2,000.
If you have $2,000 rebate on a vehicle, that's actually $2,000 less for you to pay
and $2,000 that I get from the manufacturer to offset that.
It's not like fake money.
It's real money.
It's real money to me.
So who are the top automakers?
The five largest automakers all reported gains, but Stalantus posted its seventh
straight annual decline.
Stalantus has been in trouble.
They still are.
They're just trying to decide what to do to save it.
They got rid of their CEO.
And they're bringing back all of these hot rod engines, like in the Jeeps and in the Ram trucks,
and in the remaining few passenger cars that they sell, the Charger and the Challenger.
So is it going to work?
I don't know.
I think not.
I think Stalantus is going to break up.
Somebody else is going to have to buy Chrysler or it's just going to go down the tube.
Somebody will buy the Ram brand and somebody will buy the Jeep brand,
but I don't think it will be Stalantus who also owns Fiat and Pujo and a number of other European
brands.
I think that the Chinese are just going to just dominate in Europe now that they have
now that Europe has opened their markets to the Chinese.
Big mistake.
Canada is trying to do that as well.
Big mistake for Canada.
I don't think that will be opened up in the United States anytime soon unless a Democrat
gets elected to the White House and then they'll change all the rules.
And because they want electric vehicles to take over the world because of global warming
and all that stuff.
Well, the top selling brand in the country was General Motors at 2.8 million.
I'm not going to give you the dollars and cents, but just 2.8 million.
They went up 5.6 percent.
Toyota is next at 2.5, then Ford at 2.2.
They were up 6.2 percent.
Oh, Toyota was up 8 percent.
Now that's 2025 sales versus 2024 sales.
Hyundai Kia is the number four automaker at 7.5 percent increase.
1.8 million.
Then Honda 1.4.
Instalantus at 1.2.
And their sales were down 3.5 percent.
The top brands now don't confuse automakers with brands because General Motors has multiple
brands Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac and so forth.
But and then Toyota, for example, has Lexus and Toyota.
Nissan has Nissan and Infinity.
Almost couldn't think of it.
Okay.
So number one brand Toyota 2.1 million.
Ford just did well.
Yeah, almost 2.1.
They're really close.
And then Chevrolet 1.8, Honda 1.3, Hyundai at 901 and then Nissan at 873,000.
All of those had gains.
Now the all-time highs, there were eight brands in the United States that achieved all-time U.S.
volume records in 2025.
And the one that had the biggest increase was Hyundai.
You're supposed to say Hyundai.
I like to say Hyundai, but I also wouldn't buy one.
Kia is next at 852,000, GMC 652.
BMW had the fourth largest increase at 388,000.
Then Lexus, Genesis, Porsche and Lucid.
I guarantee you've never heard of that.
That's an electric vehicle brand.
They sold 10,000.
So I mean, they had a 51% increase.
So good for them.
All right.
As far as segments of vehicles are concerned, so what do I mean by that?
Compact versus compact crossovers versus full-size pickups, large crossovers.
What would be a large crossover?
That would be like a Chevy Traverse or a Ford Explorer or a Toyota Highlander.
Those would be large crossovers.
Full-size SUVs would be like the Nissan Armada, the Chevy Tahoe, the Ford Expedition.
And then you have subcompact crossovers.
What's that?
Well, that's a really small SUV.
They call them crossovers originally because,
well, you know, the Ford Edge was one of the first crossovers.
And basically it was a car and an SUV combined.
At that time, an SUV was a vehicle that was built on a ladder type frame.
So he had a body on a frame.
But then they figured out, so we can make these things cheaper if we just make them unibody.
Well, there is no frame, but the body itself makes up the structure of the vehicle.
It doesn't need a ladder type frame underneath it like a pickup truck.
Now you can tow more and haul more with a vehicle with a frame because overall it's stronger.
But when it comes to ride and handling and safety,
then unibody constructed vehicles are often the superstars when it comes to safety.
So what were the biggest segments?
Compact crossovers.
What would that be?
Like a Honda CR-V or a Toyota RAV4 or in our brands a Nissan Rogue, something like that.
Okay.
And then you have full-size pickups was the second biggest segment,
which would be the Silverado, the Ford F-150 or Ford trucks basically.
The Toyota Tundra, we used to have the Nissan Titan, but it's gone.
And then the GMC and did I say Silverado?
Yes, I think I did.
And then RAM, of course.
And then you have large crossovers, which would be like I said, Ford Explorer and
Chevy Traverse and Toyota Highlander.
That was the third best-selling segment and then subcompact crossovers.
Well, what's that?
That's like a Honda HR-V, which is smaller than a CR-V.
That could be like a Nissan Kix versus a Nissan Rogue.
So it's just that next step down.
Most of those sold are two-wheel drive vehicles because it's the most affordable thing that
people can buy and a lot of people want them.
Okay.
When it comes to mid-size market, the four mass-market mid-size segments are all similar
in size now with pickups and SUVs gaining on cars and trucks.
So what's a mid-size truck?
Well, that would be like the Ford Ranger and the GMC Canyon and the Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma.
Those are mid-size pickup trucks.
Mid-size cars?
Well, you know, it used to be a Chevy Malibu and a Ford Taurus.
But since they're gone, about the only mid-size cars and they call them mid-size now would be
a Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Kia Optima.
I think they still make those.
So mid-size cars were the largest segment, then mid-size crossovers, mid-size pickups,
then mid-size SUVs.
That kind of surprises me.
But then again, the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord still sell really well.
And they're in that mid-size car segment.
So that does make sense.
Okay, pickup parade.
General Motors remain the top selling pickup.
And Toyota was close to selling more pickups than Stalantis, which would be the Ram truck.
Wait a minute.
I thought Ford sold the most truck.
They do.
They're the best-selling brand.
But General Motors has two brands, Silverado, I'm sorry, Chevrolet and GMC.
So, you know, as far as brand is concerned, Ford outsells any other brand.
But General Motors sells the most pickup trucks.
$1,080,000, then Ford at $1,054,000, then Stalantis at $430,000, Toyota at $422,
Nissan at $67,000.
See, Nissan, just the only truck they have is the Frontier.
And they redesigned it.
And it's really selling well, but it's just, you know, the Toyota Tacoma will sell
what, $250,000, close to $300,000?
They sell a bunch of them.
And then Honda, what truck do they sell?
Oh, the Ridgeline.
That's right.
Honda at $48,000, then Hyundai at $25,499.
Their sales are down 20%.
People just really don't like that Santa Fe.
It is not doing that well.
So that's kind of a summary of what is happening in 2025.
What's going to happen in 2026?
When I think about the same thing, I know that EVs are not going to sell very well.
I think it's interesting that Volkswagen somehow, well, let's see, they bought Navistar
and Navistar had the rights to the scout name.
You remember the international scout?
Maybe some of you do and some don't.
But it was a fairly popular early SUV, very crude and very prone to rust
and terrible gas mileage.
So does that sound like a brand that you want to resurrect?
Well, because of the success of the Ford Bronco, the Volkswagen conglomerate decided,
well, we own this scout name, let's build a new scout.
So what did they do?
Well, they decided to build the factory in South Carolina.
That's a good thing.
I think it's a good thing that they're building a scout.
They're going to have a scout pickup truck and an SUV.
And the interiors are fascinating.
They look really good.
I'm very pleased with the design, but there's a big problem.
That's right.
They're electric.
And I just don't think they're going to do very well.
I know they're not.
And they keep postponing when they're going to come out with it.
I guess they're just waiting for the correct kind of political party to get back into power.
And then when it does, they'll start and they'll bring back the $7,500 tax credit,
probably make it $10,000 just to make all the Republicans mad.
And then maybe the scout will sell.
I mean, EVs weren't selling that great to begin with.
I mean, there was growth for sure.
It was slowly taking off, but it wasn't.
I mean, if you watch the media or follow the media much as far as the automotive press,
oh, they are very liberal and they were just absolutely in love with anything EV.
But there was a hiccup, the 2024 presidential election.
That was a big hiccup for the EV industry.
And so sales are going to go down as far as that is concerned.
They're going to continue to drop.
I don't know where the bottom is for the EV market and I really don't care.
I'll be back in just one minute.
You know, I don't worry much about things I don't control.
I can't control.
That has been a new philosophy of mine.
I've been reading a lot of stuff about stoicism, being a stoic.
I always thought that was a bad thing.
I thought they walked around with, you know, hoodies over their heads and didn't didn't
think about anybody or anything.
They just sat in a corner and pouted.
But no, that's not what stoicism is all about.
Read about it.
Get the writings of Marcus Aurelius, who was an emperor in Rome.
He was a big follower of that.
But I can't remember Tacitus and Aristotle and different people were were stoics.
And really, it's a great philosophy.
And I've just started a new book on it.
And then the first part of it says, basically, don't worry about things that you can't control.
Focus on the things that you have control over and let everything else go.
That means don't watch the evening news.
You know, don't watch.
Don't look at Facebook.
Don't look at other things that may irritate you or scare you.
Make you fear the future because what can you do about it?
You can't do anything about Ukraine.
You can't do anything about the riots in Minneapolis.
I've been at Minneapolis one time.
That was enough for me.
I mean, we went fishing up in up near Bemidji, Minnesota, caught a lot of fish.
It's a great place to fish.
But I wouldn't want to live there.
And, you know, with what's going on, it's just, you know, however you feel about it,
you can't do anything about it.
What good does it do to work?
Well, you have to be informed.
Really?
Why?
What is the value of being informed?
I question that now in my stoic mindset.
Well, thanks for listening to this edition of My Car Guru.
If you have any questions, you know how to get me text me 423-552-2020.
If you want a copy of the My Car Guru guidebook, include your email address,
and I'll send you the 32-page masterpiece called the My Car Guru guidebook
that will keep you from making crazy financial decisions
when it comes to buying, selling, trading.
You name it.
If it has to do with your car, the guidebook will help steer you in the right direction.
Well, thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time.
About this episode
Lenny Lawson shares insights on deceptive warranty solicitation letters that often confuse new car buyers, emphasizing the importance of understanding vehicle warranties versus service contracts. He recounts personal experiences with these letters and highlights the need for extended service contracts due to rising repair costs. The episode also dives into 2025 automotive sales data, revealing top-selling brands and segments, with General Motors leading in pickup sales. Lawson discusses market trends, including the challenges faced by Stalantis and the future of electric vehicles.
