Car Dealership Guy Podcast
Car Dealership Guy
Updated 1 day agoThe Car Dealership Guy Podcast Network is your front-row seat to the people, companies, and trends shaping the future of automotive retail—delivered across three focused formats: The Car Dealership Guy Podcast (Tuesdays & Thursdays) Hosted by Yossi Levi, these deep-dive interviews feature top dealers, operators, and innovators driving the industry forward. Daily Dealer Live (Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays) Our live-streamed show, also released here in audio format, brings real-time news, sharp takes, and high-impact guests—think CNBC for car dealers. Industry Spotlight Hosted by Sam D’Arc, this segment highlights standout dealerships and vendors with tactical insights and stories from the front lines. Follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for highlights and behind-the-scenes content from every episode.
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Episodes (489)
#64 Selling $200M/yr of used cars, Losing money on every car but still profiting, Can he succeed where other dealerships have failed? | Eli Hanna, Dealer Principal of Hanna Cars
In this episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast, I'm speaking with Eli Hanna, Dealer Principal of Hanna Cars where we discuss: Selling his first car behind a service shop, expanding his independent car dealership business into the Florida used car market, whether he can succeed in the same location where another dealership failed and much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: Car Dealership Guy Industry Job Board - Connecting world-class talent with top-notch companies in Automotive. Find your next role—or start hiring today—at CDGJobs.com. Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:45) - Eli’s career and background (00:05:51) - Launching a dealership (00:07:24)- Sales numbers today (00:09:23) - Scaling to 600 units (00:11:29) - Eli’s business model (00:13:24) - Who is your target market? (00:16:12) - Financing the company (00:16:52) - What’s your outlook for 2024? (00:17:43) - How did you get lenders early on and how are you experiencing lending today? (00:20:02) - Where do you wholesale inventory? (00:21:38) - How are you marketing? (00:22:04) - Expanding into Florida (00:24:02) - Projected revenue (00:25:43) - Have you considered Franchising? (00:26:16) - What are your biggest challenges right now? (00:27:27) - Plans for the future (00:27:58) - How did you come across CDG? (00:39:39) - What’s your outlook for the independent dealer? Check out Hanna Cars here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#63 Crushing 70M+ vehicle recalls, From infantry officer to chief executive officer, Technology fatigue in the car business | Ryan Maher, CEO of BizzyCar
In this episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast, I'm speaking with Ryan Maher, CEO of BizzyCar where we discuss: the looming public safety threat of 70 million vehicles affected by automotive recalls, how the tough months in the dealership business during covid inspired the creation of his company, his journey from infantry officer to chief executive officer and much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: Private Auto - The safest way to buy vehicles privately. Use code ‘CDG’ to list your car for free. Learn more @ https://privateauto.com/ CDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships. Learn more @ https://www.cdkglobal.com/dealership-xperience-platform BizzyCar - BizzyCar Delivers Service Revenue by Automating Recals. Learn more @ https://www.bizzycar.com/ Car Dealership Guy Industry Job Board - Connecting world-class talent with top-notch companies in Automotive. Find your next role—or start hiring today—at CDGJobs.com. Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Links: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:05:34) - Growing up in the dealer business (00:08:18) - Ryan’s military career (00:14:35) - Transitioning back to civilian life and launching BizzyCar (00:17:43) - Are recalls rising overall? (00:25:42) - Recalls 101 (00:30:46) - How are dealers using your platform handling recalls today? (00:44:42) - How do you think about your impact on the industry? (00:52:40) - What has the entrepreneurial journey been like for BizzyCar? Check out BizzyCar here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#62 Leadership masterclass from world's #1 Honda Dealer, Pushing $1 Billion in sales, the birth of the 24-hr service center | Brian Benstock, Partner & General Manager/VP of Paragon Honda
In this episode, I'm speaking with Brian Benstock, Partner and General Manager of Paragon Honda & Acura where we discuss: his rise in the New York automotive industry and becoming the #1 Honda dealership in the world, the wild success of his 24-hour service center, how leasing could be the salvation to the affordability problem, his strategy to mentor and develop his employees in the dealership business, what it takes to keep up with Brian Benstock and much more. This episode is brought to you by: Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. Learn more at https://www.carscommerce.inc/ AutoFi - AutoFi empowers your team with digital retail technology that accelerates the sale. Learn more @ https://www.autofi.com/cdg/ Car Dealership Guy Industry Job Board - Connecting world-class talent with top-notch companies in Automotive. Find your next role—or start hiring today—at https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:12) - Paragon’s delivery and pick-up strategy (00:05:11) - Brian’s early career and family life (00:15:30) - Brian’s leadership style (00:21:24) - Who has had a significant impact on your career? (00:23:15) - What does a typical day look like for you? (00:25:06) - Who are the 6-8 people you surround yourself with? (00:29:31) - Do you think the opportunity to become a partner at a dealership still exists today? (00:32:10) - What is it like operating in your showroom and hitting these sales numbers? (00:37:43) - Online vs. in-person trends (00:40:34) - What have you done on the tech side to meet the consumer's needs? (00:48:06) - How have your efforts impacted profitability? (00:52:03) - How do you set your store goals? (00:55:09) - How do you view yourself as a dealer? (00:56:48) - How do you acquire inventory? (01:01:51) - What are your thoughts on the market? (01:04:58) - What are you seeing in consumer health? (01:07:10) - Is affordability the biggest issue right now? (01:09:55) - Solving incentive problems (01:11:25) - Thoughts on AI (01:13:39) - What keeps you up at night? (01:15:45) - Taking advantage of social media and being authentic Check out Paragon here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#61 Accounting mistakes costing dealers thousands, $800k stolen by a dealership controller, EV mandates clashing with consumer demand | Frank O'Brien, Partner at Withum
In this episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast, I'm speaking with Frank O'Brien, a partner at Withum. We discuss financial fraud in the dealership business, how dealerships can attract and retain technician talent, untapped warranty reimbursements from auto manufacturers, the clashing reality of EV mandates and consumer demand + much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. Learn more at https://www.carscommerce.inc/ CDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships. Learn more @ https://www.cdkglobal.com/dealership-xperience-platform Withum - Withum is a forward-thinking, technology-driven advisory and accounting firm, helping clients to Be in a Position of Strength in today’s complex business environment. Learn more @ https://www.withum.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:44) - Frank’s career in automotive fraud (00:03:16) - What’s your outlook on the market today? (00:13:00) - Technician shortages (00:17:30) - What is your specialty in this industry? (00:19:27) - What’s the dollar exposure for dealers in these reimbursements? (00:23:24) - Are there other opportunities like this for dealerships? (00:25:35) - Where do you see trends for dealership profitability going from here? (00:32:46) - Do you see any threats to the industry on the horizon? (00:34:17) - What’s your outlook for 2024? Check out Withum here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#60 Building the future of automotive retailing AI, Pivoting from fashion to cars, Acquiring a tech company in Eastern Europe | Devin Daly, CEO of Impel
In this episode, I'm speaking with Devin Daly, CEO of Impel This episode is brought to you by: Private Auto - The safest way to buy vehicles privately. Use code ‘CDG’ to list your car for free. Learn more @ https://privateauto.com/ Valvoline - Go beyond the traditional supplier-dealer partnership today by visiting https://partner.valvolineglobal.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:23) - Devin’s career and Building Impel (00:03:55) - Pivoting to auto (00:06:28) - Did you come from an entrepreneurial family? (00:07:15) - The evolution of the company (00:09:21) - How are dealers using this data? (00:11:36) - What are you building to help dealerships keep evolving? (00:13:13) - Thoughts on AI (00:21:48) - Where are you seeing the biggest impact from AI implementation? (00:23:18) - Raising $130m and acquiring a business in the Republic of Georgia (00:26:59) - Where are we headed with AI and the dealership? (00:28:12) - Where are you seeing customers the most frustrated with the dealership experience? (00:29:15) - What role does licensing play in all of this work? (00:30:52) - Partnering with ACV Auctions (00:33:35) - What do the next 5 years look like for our industry? (00:34:46) - What is your most popular product? (00:35:59) - Having a high bar for acquisitions (00:37:20) - “Oh sh*t” moments (00:38:22) - What products are most important to manufacturers right now Check out Impel here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#59 Becoming a #1 Volvo Dealership, $300M in revenue from "throwaway" brands, The "Great EV Recession" | Matthew Haiken, President of Prestige Collection Auto Group
In this episode, I'm speaking with Matthew Haiken, President of Prestige Collection Auto Group This episode is brought to you by: Stream Companies - Full-service, fully integrated, tech-enabled ad agency doing the ordinary extraordinarily well. Learn more @ https://www.streamcompanies.com/ CDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships. Learn more @ https://www.cdkglobal.com/dealership-xperience-platform Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:13) - Matt’s background and career (00:09:45) - NADA Dealer Candidate Academy (00:11:13) - Matt’s operating philosophy (00:12:52) - Moving away from selling Kia’s (00:15:20) - What’s changed the most in your business over the past decade to successfully operate multiple locations? (00:17:10) - What are you seeing in terms of consumer demand? (00:18:25) - How have your margins changed over the past year? (00:20:04) - Why did you become a Polestar dealer? (00:22:42) - How do you define the agency model? (00:27:03) - How are you making money here? (00:33:00) - Are you considering adding a service arm or selling used? (00:33:51) - Why are you bullish on Polestar? (00:35:07) - Does the agency model have a future in the US? (00:39:08) - Where do you think the market conditions will be as we go into 2024? (00:41:42) - What steps are you taking to insulate yourself? (00:44:13) - What’s next for you in terms of acquisitions? (00:44:49) - Will your kids get into auto? Check out Prestige Collection Auto Group here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#58 Leadership lessons from working for Elon, Raising millions to reimagine the dealership, why he has no exit plan | Jay Vijayan, CEO of Tekion
In this episode, I'm speaking with Jay Vijayan, CEO of Tekion This episode is brought to you by: Car Dealership Guy Industry Job Board - Connecting world-class talent with top-notch companies in Automotive. Find your next role—or start hiring today—at CDGJobs.com. Valvoline - Go beyond the traditional supplier-dealer partnership today by visiting https://partner.valvolineglobal.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:34) - Jay’s time at Tesla and career in tech (00:07:51) - Coming up with the idea for Tekion (00:11:26) - What did you learn from Elon? (00:13:45) - Tekion’s first deal (00:25:29) - What were the most shocking things you learned about dealership accounting systems? (00:33:27) - Putting a DMS into the cloud (00:36:43) - Are you building tech around current processes or are you looking ahead? (00:40:27) - What do your feedback loops look like? (00:42:02) - Tekion’s time owning dealerships and closing them down (00:49:54) - What does it take to create a genuine connection with an audience? (00:51:00) - Does anything keep you up at night? (00:52:46) - What are the biggest opportunities for Tekion? (00:58:52) - What’s the big-picture vision for your company? Check out Tekion here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#57 Evolving the dealership service department, Adapting to a possible EV future, Getting acquired by a $7T company | Chad Brooks, Head of Dealer Development at Valvoline Global
In this episode, I'm speaking with Chad Brooks, Head of Dealer Development at Valvoline Global This episode is brought to you by: CDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships. Learn more @ https://www.cdkglobal.com/dealership-xperience-platform Valvoline Global - Go beyond the traditional supplier-dealer partnership today by visiting https://partner.valvolineglobal.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:01) - Experiences at NADA (00:04:05) - Valvoline getting into F1 (00:05:40) - Chad’s career (00:07:50) - How is Valvoline reinventing itself in the age of EVs? (00:10:56) - Valvoline’s entry into the tech business (00:15:12) - What are the biggest opportunities for service providers? (00:17:34) - How does Valvoline perceive EVs and what are you seeing dealerships do with regards to EVs? (00:22:26) - Valvoline’s future after being acquired Check out Valvoline here - https://partner.valvolineglobal.com/ Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#56 Building a $2B car auction app, "Gambling for car dealers", Artificial intelligence vs. actual intelligence | Joe Neiman, Co-Founder of ACV Auctions
In this episode, I'm speaking with Joe Neiman, Co-Founder of ACV Auctions This episode is brought to you by: Car Dealership Guy Industry Job Board - Connecting world-class talent with top-notch companies in Automotive. Find your next role—or start hiring today—at CDGJobs.com. CDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships. Learn more @ https://www.cdkglobal.com/dealership-xperience-platform Stream Companies - Full-service, fully integrated, tech-enabled ad agency doing the ordinary extraordinarily well. Learn more @ https://www.streamcompanies.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:06) - Joe’s early career in auto (00:09:21) - Building ACV Auctions (00:17:16) - Have we lost the thrill of the in-person auction? (00:20:41) - What are the major issues with online auctions? (00:23:02) - How do we evolve the online car auction? (00:25:07) - Will you launch an auction platform? (00:26:40) - Having the entrepreneurial mindset (00:34:01) - Why did you leave ACV? (00:38:31) - What’s happening in the wholesale market right now? (00:48:16) - Thoughts on the current market (00:51:04) - Parting advice Check out Dealer Club Get in touch with Joe: [email protected] Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#55 Double-digit increases in dealership auto theft, Adapting to the future of cars, Losing $10,000 a year in keys | Steve Baucom, President of KEYper Systems
In this episode, I'm speaking with Steve Baucom, President of KEYper Systems This episode is brought to you by: Private Auto - The safest way to buy and sell vehicles privately. Use code ‘CDG’ to list your car for free. Learn more @ https://privateauto.com/ Valvoline - Go beyond the traditional supplier-dealer partnership today by visiting https://partner.valvolineglobal.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:40) - Steve’s journey into auto (00:04:37) - Realizing the major key problem in the industry (00:06:25) - Financing the business (00:07:12) - Did you have a gut feeling of ‘this is going to work’? (00:08:35) - How were you able to build this 35 years ago? (00:11:28) - Is there still opportunity for niche hardware businesses in the car industry? (00:13:24) - How do you innovate against the possibility that keys will go away? (00:15:33) - What is the practical next step for keys? (00:17:20) - How do you maintain a culture of innovation? (00:19:38) - What does your product look like today? (00:21:48) - Selling the company (00:25:52) - Is there competition in this space? (00:29:04) - What theft trends do you see at dealerships? (00:32:39) - Crazy stories Check out Keyper here. Get in touch by emailing [email protected] Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#54 Leadership secrets of the world's #1 Toyota Dealer, Selling 25,000 cars a year, Lease returns crashing in 2024? | Doug Eroh, President and GM of Longo Toyota
In this episode, I'm speaking with Doug Eroh, President and GM of Longo Toyota This episode is brought to you by: Car Dealership Guy Industry Job Board - Connecting world-class talent with top-notch companies in Automotive. Find your next role—or start hiring today—at CDGJobs.com. Fullpath - Discover Automotive's Leading Customer Data and Experience Platform. Learn more @ https://fullpath.com/ AutoFi - AutoFi empowers your team with digital retail technology that accelerates the sale. Learn more @ https://www.autofi.com/cdg/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:06) - Doug’s exposure to auto (00:04:39) - Is LA the largest Toyota market in the world? (00:05:29) - Making the jump from corporate to the retail side of auto (00:07:09) - Officing in the dealership showroom & experiences as the GM of Longo Toyota (00:12:37) - Longo’s scale (00:14:00) - The difference between Doug’s roles at Longo and Penske (00:14:58) - Longo’s structure, amenities, and talent recruitment (00:23:48) - Longo’s tech stack & AI implementations (00:32:13) - What metrics are you tracking daily? (00:37:32) - Thoughts on affordability & leasing (00:42:41) - Is Toyota hurting itself for being undersupplied & staying away from EVs? (00:51:02) - Do you have any concerns right now? (00:54:34) - Where are the opportunities right now? (00:57:36) - How are you attracting talent? Check out Longo Toyota here or get in touch. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#53 Solving the aging used car bubble, Saving dealers $48M with accurate appraisals, From porter to General Manager in 6 years | Brian Kramer, EVP of Cars Commerce
In this episode, I'm speaking with Brian Kramer, EVP of Cars Commerce This episode is brought to you by: Valvoline - Valvoline can help drive your service department by streamlining operations and increasing revenue with hands-on technician and sales advisor training, state-of-the-art service lane technology, and a robust preventive maintenance chemical program. They even have programs to help you sell more cars and increase trade-ins! Learn more @ https://partner.valvolineglobal.com/dealership Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. Learn more at carscommerce.inc Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:47) - Brian’s career in auto: Lot Porter to GM (00:10:00) - Launching the VR Car buying experience (00:14:46) - Making the jump to evangelize Accu-Trade (00:19:05) - How is this tool different from legacy options? (00:22:13) - What are the biggest changes we will see in used cars over the next year? (00:27:41) - Is the trade-in process broken? (00:33:45) - Consumer’s ability to appraise a vehicle (00:37:23) - Does it matter where a car comes from when appraising? (00:40:19) - What’s your hope for the evolution of the used car business? Check out Cars Commerce here. Connect with Brian on LinkedIn and check out his YouTube channel. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#52 Building a $6B car sales software empire, Electric vehicle revolution's slow start, China's strategy entering US car market | Brian MacDonald, CEO of CDK Global
In this episode, I'm speaking with Brian MacDonald, CEO of CDK Global This episode is brought to you by: Valvoline - Valvoline can help drive your service department by streamlining operations and increasing revenue with hands-on technician and sales advisor training, state-of-the-art service lane technology, and a robust preventive maintenance chemical program. They even have programs to help you sell more cars and increase trade-ins! Learn more @ https://partner.valvolineglobal.com/dealership CDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships. Learn more @ https://www.cdkglobal.com/dealership-xperience-platform Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:52) - Brian’s career in the industry (00:02:23) - Experiences at CDK and transitioning to Sunoco (00:09:26) - Evs & the future of the dealership (00:13:32) - What services and technology are you offering dealerships? (00:16:40) - How are you staying ahead of dealership needs? (00:18:03) - What are your top focuses today? (00:20:48) - How are you approaching integrating all dealership products into one solution? (00:22:42) - What are you looking for when considering an acquisition? (00:25:51) - Thoughts on AI (00:29:46) - At what point does a dealership typically adopt software like CDK? (00:32:41) - Are you seeing SaaS fatigue in dealerships? (00:35:30) - Will we see some international OEM players enter the US market over the next decade? (00:38:51) - Plans for the NADA conference (00:40:09) - How can people get in touch? Check out CDK Global here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#51 Secret weapon to dealership efficiency, Providing payment transparency to car shoppers, Solving dealership chokepoints, Lessons from building and selling a video game | David Domm, Co-Founder and CEO at Carmatic
In this episode, I'm speaking with David Domm, CEO at Carmatic. This episode is brought to you by: Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. Learn more at carscommerce.inc Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:38) - David’s early career in gaming (00:08:53) - How did you become the CPO at Cars.com? (00:11:01) - What insights led you to found Carmatic? (00:15:13) - What is the current buying experience and how are you changing that? (00:28:16) - Does this risk anyone’s job at a traditional dealership? (00:30:30) - How are you able to provide the correct payment to the customer if you are not the bank? (00:34:52) - Would Carmatic make digital retailing tools obsolete? (00:42:33) - Carmatic’s early results (00:45:07) - What is the result of mass adoption of this product? Check out Carmatic here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is meant for informational purposes only and should not be used as a basis for investment decisions.
#50 Rise of Lease Here Pay Here dealerships, Innovating payment affordability, Subprime consumer health check | Tim Lawrence, CEO of LHPH Capital
In this episode, I'm speaking with Tim Lawrence, CEO of LHPH Capital This episode is brought to you by: CDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships. Learn more @ https://www.cdkglobal.com/dealership-xperience-platform AutoFi - AutoFi's powerful platform helps dealers sell smarter, not harder—online and in the showroom. Learn more at autofi.com/cdg Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:24) - Tim’s previous life as a marriage and family counselor (00:07:11) - What is Lease Here Pay Here? (00:08:56) - How is this different from Buy Here Pay Here? (00:11:01) - How does this model impact dealers and consumers? (00:12:51) - How do you and the dealer make money? (00:15:32) - What are you seeing from consumers right now? (00:16:56) - Thoughts on EVs (00:19:13) - How do you break into a new market? (00:21:02) - Who else is doing this model? (00:21:53) - What’s the IRR for a dealer on one of these loans? (00:23:07) - Who’s accountable for service in this model? (00:24:13) - Are we headed to a world where most people will not own their vehicles? (00:29:01) - How are you being impacted by interest rates? (00:31:31) - Will used car leasing ever go mainstream? Check out LHPH here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#49 How A.I. is changing car buying forever, Who's job is up for grabs, Predicting car shopper behavior, Buying a car in 2024 vs 2030 | Aharon Horwitz, CEO of Fullpath
In this episode, I'm speaking with Aharon Horwitz, CEO of Fullpath. This episode is brought to you by: Autofi - AutoFi's powerful platform helps dealers sell smarter, not harder—online and in the showroom. Learn more at autofi.com/cdg Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:51) - Fullpath & customer data experience Platforms (00:04:47) - What happened that spawned the opportunity for Fullpath? (00:15:03) - How are you leveraging AI for the auto industry? (00:20:29) - Where will AI have the biggest impact in the industry? (00:25:13) - What’s the industry’s appetite for AI? (00:36:53) - What does the car buying experience look like in 5 years? (00:39:29) - How can smaller dealerships survive the AI wave? Check out Fullpath here Follow Aharon on X Read Play Bigger by Al Ramadan Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#48 Buy Here Pay Here secrets revealed, Managing 40% loan default rates, Financing customers that banks avoid, Crazy customer horror stories | Tiger Okeley, President at Oak Motors
In this episode, I'm speaking with Tiger Okeley, President at Oak Motors. This episode is brought to you by: AutoFi's powerful platform helps dealers sell smarter, not harder—online and in the showroom. Learn more at autofi.com/cdg CDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships. Learn more @ https://www.cdkglobal.com/dealership-xperience-platform Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:26) - What is a buy here pay here dealership? (00:03:20) - How’d you get into this industry? (00:07:10) - Why is Buy Here Pay Here so controversial? (00:11:23) - What does your business do? (00:13:22) - What’s your customer profile? (00:16:27) - How are you able to approve people who may not qualify elsewhere? (00:18:49) - Pricing risk & interest rates (00:26:02) - Where do you source vehicles? (00:28:05) - Repossessions (00:32:48) - What’s the level of utilizaiton you can get out of a car? (00:37:18) - Do you target a specific IRR or profitability metric? (00:43:24) - How do you fundraise? (00:47:13) - Philanthropy Check out Oak Motors here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#47 Managing $500M+ in dealership ad dollars, Uncovering marketing budgets, Do gimmicky dealership mailers work? | David Regn, Co-Founder & CEO of Stream Companies
In this episode, I'm speaking with David Regn, Co-Founder & CEO of Stream Companies. This episode is brought to you by: CDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships. Learn more @ https://www.cdkglobal.com/dealership-xperience-platform Stream Companies - Full-service, fully integrated, tech-enabled ad agency doing the ordinary extraordinarily well. Learn more @ https://www.streamcompanies.com/ Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:38) - Starting Stream (00:03:52) - What services does Stream offer today? (00:04:16) - How have you seen dealers shift the way they deploy marketing dollars? (00:08:59) - Stream’s scale (00:14:27) - How much are dealers paying to acquire a customer? (00:17:06) - Do local dealers have an embedded advantage over national brands or vice versa? (00:18:35) - What is the budget you are responsible for and where is it being deployed? (00:20:30) - Thoughts on 3rd party listing sites (00:27:20) - Do you still believe in traditional media advertising? (00:30:12) - Call to Actions (00:32:32) - Are you doing anything in the AI space? (00:33:47) - Is there any meaningful AI implementation on the consumer front? Check out Stream Companies here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#46 Selling $5.5B+ worth of car dealerships, State of the auto market, Most and least desirable brands, What’s next for dealership profits? | Alan Haig, President & Founder, Haig Partners (Part 2)
In this episode, I'm speaking with Alan Haig, President & Founder of Haig Partners This episode is brought to you by: Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. Learn more at carscommerce.inc Haig Partners - Helping dealers maximize the value of their businesses. Learn more at Haigpartners.com Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:37) - The state of the car market (00:05:54) - Findings from the Haig report (00:11:36) - How is Toyota doing well with declining market share? (00:15:32) - What brands are dealers flocking toward right now? (00:18:49) - What brands are dealers staying away from & the talent war (00:29:18) - Is it easier to find buyers or sellers right now? (00:36:06) - Drivers Behind Economies of Scale (00:39:26) - How do you explain the rise of non-car business investors getting into the industry? (trim up) (00:45:37) - What are you seeing in terms of dealer sentiment? (00:50:16) - How do you add value to your dealerships today? (00:55:23) - What’s the best way to cultivate talent in this industry? (01:01:26) - What’s your outlook for the car market in 2024? Check out Haig Partners here and the Haig Report here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#45 Building a $200M+ car parts empire, Solving the auto repair crisis, Most profitable parts, Using A.I. and 3D printing | David Meniane, CEO Carparts.com
In this episode, I'm speaking with David Meniane, CEO of Carparts.com This episode is brought to you by: Car Dealership Guy Newsletter - Become an automotive insider in just 5 minutes. Get the weekly email that delivers transparent insights into the car market. Be the first to know where the market is moving, for free. Join here: https://newsletter.cardealershipguy.org/subscribe AutoFi's powerful platform helps dealers sell smarter, not harder—online and in the showroom. Learn more at autofi.com/cdg Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:01:59) - David’s journey to America (00:02:54) - Going on Shark Tank *trim up the question* (00:04:33) - Starting CarParts.com (00:08:13) - What are you seeing in the economy? (00:09:53) - Who buys parts online? (00:10:38) - How do you compete with dealers? (00:12:06) - What’s been the experience building this company? (00:19:01) - Are you doing anything with AI? (00:21:15) - How have interest rates impacted your business? (00:21:49) - What are your margins? (00:25:20) - Who is your competition? (00:26:02) - Why are tires considered separate from the parts industry? (00:26:49) - Thoughts on EVs (00:30:02) - Who is your customer? (00:31:14) - What do you think about manufacturing in the US? (00:34:31) - What does the future look like for your business? (00:35:48) - David’s media goals Check out Carparts.com here Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#44 Making millions from Parts & Service, Dealership incentives, Economic concerns, Record profits and Daryl’s favorite auto franchises | Daryl Kenningham, CEO at Group 1 Automotive
In this episode, I'm speaking with Daryl Kenningham, CEO at Group 1 Automotive This episode is brought to you by: Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. To learn how you can measure and improve your team’s follow-up performance, visit carscommerce.inc/experience Dealer Image Pro - A car with bad photos sends the wrong message about your dealership. Photo Assistant improves your photos and increases speed-to-market. Head over to makemyphotosgreatagain.com to learn more. Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:03:08) - The founding story of Group One (00:05:47) - Moving from OEM to the dealership side of the business (00:07:52) - What was the driving force behind going international? (00:12:24) - OEM’s appreciation for dealer networks (00:14:07) - Consumer feelings about dealerships (00:16:07) - Incentive programs (00:17:17) - Daryl’s favorite brands and opportunities right now (00:18:06) - Manufacturers side-stepping dealer laws (00:19:21) - Differentiating in service (00:24:31) - Is there any technology you’re investing in? (00:25:50) - Pick up and Delivery for Service (00:29:00) - What do you look for in new acquisitions? (00:30:55) - Are there brands you’re avoiding right now? (00:31:44) - Rebranding acquisitions to fit the brand (00:34:17) - How do you structure your operations? (00:37:15) - Growing while remaining a community-branded dealership (00:38:31) - Operating leverage and economies of scale for dealerships (00:41:17) - Are you seeing an increase in staff turnover? (00:42:55) - Pricing pressure on cars (00:48:41) - How are you thinking about your company over the next 3-5 years? Check out Group 1 Automotive here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#43 Building a $1.5B+ digital car auction, Peter’s car market predictions, OPENLANE's acquisition of Manheim Canada | Peter Kelly, CEO at OPENLANE
In this episode, I'm speaking with Peter Kelly, CEO at OPENLANE. This episode is brought to you by: Car Dealership Guy Newsletter - Become an automotive insider in just 5 minutes. Get the weekly email that delivers transparent insights into the car market. Be the first to know where the market is moving, for free. Join here: https://newsletter.cardealershipguy.org/subscribe CarNow - The industry leader in automotive messaging and digital retailing solutions. See how CarNow can make an impact at your dealership by visiting https://info.carnow.com/cdg Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:41) - Peter’s background (00:06:40) - Were you the first fully digital auction attempt? (00:07:22) - What is Open Lane? (00:09:41) - Acquiring Manheim Canada (00:12:40) - Do you see the future of car buying being all digital? (00:14:32) - What is the key to a successful auction at your scale? (00:16:47) - Supply and demand (00:21:36) - Looking abroad for value (00:23:03) - Should American dealers be looking to Canada for vehicles? (00:25:39) - What does the future of Open Lane look like? Check out more on OPENLANE here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#42 Building an app store for 16,000 dealers, Pitfalls of direct-to-consumer, Dawn of the A.I. salesperson? | Phil Oriani, CEO at Shift Digital
In this episode, I'm speaking with Phil Oriani, CEO of Shift Digital. This episode is brought to you by: Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. To learn how you can measure and improve your team’s follow-up performance, visit carscommerce.inc/experience AutoFi - AutoFi empowers your team with digital retail technology that accelerates the sale. Learn more @ https://www.autofi.com/cdg/ Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:41) - Phil’s career journey with Shift Digital and Ford Direct (00:17:10) - How does tier 1, 2, and 3 advertising work for cars? (00:20:44) - Do traditional OEM commercials work? (00:23:19) - What tier 3 marketing have you seen work recently from dealers? (00:26:50) - Do dealers have the technology to compete with Carvana? (00:28:39) - What do you think about the trend of the leading automotive software providers consolidating under one umbrella? (00:32:44) - Who is your customer and how do you make money? (00:35:21) - What is the risk with DTC model? (00:39:43) - Harnessing the power of organic social media (00:44:36) - What does the world look like if Shift didn’t exist? (00:46:31) - Are you seeing anything in AI work to change the dealership experience? (00:50:22) - How do you see the technological landscape changing for dealerships over the next 5 years? (00:52:04) - How do you see Shift Digital evolving? Check out Shift Digital here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#41 How CarGurus is evolving, Amazon’s threat to car dealers, Cracking down on fake car prices, Why he’s hiring former dealers | Jason Trevisan, CEO at CarGurus
In this episode, I'm speaking with Jason Trevisan, CEO at CarGurus. This episode is brought to you by: CarNow - The industry leader in automotive messaging and digital retailing solutions. See how CarNow can make an impact at your dealership by visiting https://info.carnow.com/cdg CDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships. Learn more @ https://www.cdkglobal.com/dealership-xperience-platform Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Links: CarGurus Jason on LinkedIn CDG's emergency episode on Hyundai/Amazon Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:30) - Jason’s journey into automotive (00:03:32) - The impact of technology on the consumer experience (00:05:50) - Taking over as CEO (00:08:12) - CarGurus’ core business model (00:12:59) - Balancing keeping customers and dealers happy (00:14:37) - What are you doing to mitigate bad-faith actors? (00:17:45) - How do you hedge your business against Google? (00:22:42) - How do you envision the company evolving alongside the customer experience? (00:26:07) - Why is CarGurus a great option for consumers? (00:27:18) - Do you recruit Ivy League students? (00:33:38) - CarOffer (00:39:46) - Thoughts on Hyundai/Amazon (00:44:20) - How will dealer marketing change over the next 5 years? (00:49:07) - How are you thinking about the future of CarGurus? Check out CarGurus here. Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
#40 Secrets behind dealership franchise laws, Consumer-friendly auto brands, Dealers’ top legal concerns | Leonard Bellavia, Founding Partner at Bellavia and Blatt Law
In this episode, I'm speaking with Leonard Bellavia, Founding Partner at Bellavia and Blatt Law This episode is brought to you by: CDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships. Learn more @ CDKglobal.com Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. Learn more at carscommerce.inc Interested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here Topics: (00:00:00) - Intro (00:02:47) - Len’s career in law and auto (00:05:52) - How the perception of the dealer has changed over 40 years (00:11:11) - The history of franchise laws (00:15:48) - Do we still need franchise laws in today’s market? (00:21:38) Is there a world where manufacturers become retailers? (00:35:38) - What’s stopping Ford from going DTC with their EVs? (00:47:23) - The benefit of Telsa embracing a franchise system (00:51:09) - Do you get the taste of 2009 with everything we're seeing in the EV push? (00:54:09) - What are the top concerns you hear from dealers today? (00:59:21) - What brands would you recommend to buy or lease? (01:02:44) - Dealers vs. Cancer Check out Bellavia Blatt here Get in touch via email at [email protected] Check out the website for more (https://dealershipguy.com) and follow me on X @GuyDealership! (https://x.com/guydealership) This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.