Car Dealership Guy Podcast

In this episode, Leonard Bellavia, Founding Partner at Bellavia and Blatt Law, discusses dealership franchise laws and consumer-friendly auto brands. They explore the changing perception of dealerships, the history of franchise laws, and the need for them in today's market. They also talk about the potential for manufacturers becoming retailers and the benefits of a franchise system for Tesla. Additionally, they touch on the top concerns of dealers, recommended brands to buy or lease, and Hyundai's consumer-friendly approach.

In this episode, I'm speaking with Betty Jotanovic, President of Chrysler Capital and Auto Relationships at Santander.This episode is brought to you by:AutoFi - AutoFi empowers your team with digital retail technology that accelerates the sale. Learn more @ https://www.autofi.com/cdg/Podium - The lead conversion platform for car dealerships. Get 10% of your plan by texting “CarDealershipGuy” to (833) 441-1166 or visit https://bit.ly/48UKr4xInterested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line hereInterested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:03:04) - Betty’s background and career(00:09:47) - Distribution channels(00:10:52) - Difficulty in signing up with new dealers(00:12:23) - What makes an excellent dealership to work with(00:15:28) - Quantifying risk(00:16:21) - Auto loan and economic concerns(00:24:28) - Quantifying risk on EVs(00:26:25) - Repossessions and fraud(00:30:37) - Balancing digital lending vs. having a physical presence(00:33:05) - Embedded advantages to being vertically integrated(00:34:46) - What do you do with all the loans once they’re issued?(00:36:10) - Reacting to the changing nature of lending(00:39:16) - Automating the lending business(00:41:44) - Macroeconomic outlooks(00:43:28) - Advice to dealers(00:45:42) - Where to learn moreCheck out Santander 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.

You’re probably wondering: what is an “Emergency Podcast”?On November 18, 2023, Amazon and Hyundai made a splashy announcement that they’re teaming up to offer online car sales.I received tons of questions from dealers and consumers and decided to try something new: An impromptu, live podcast on Twitter Spaces.My special guest on this episode is Andrew Wright, a long-time car dealer and the incoming Chairman of Hyundai’s National Dealer Council.The following episode is the full, raw, and unedited recording of our discussion that occurred on November 17, 2023 @ 12pm ET.I hope you enjoy this episode and that it helps bring clarity to the situation.Please leave a comment on X, LinkedIn, YouTube, or wherever you are, and let me know if you want more of these.

In this episode, I'm speaking with Jamie Oldershaw, VP of Reputation Strategy at Cars Commerce.This episode is brought to you by:Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. Learn more at carscommerce.incAutoFi - 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 hereInterested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:03:02) - Jamie’s experience at DealerRater(00:13:12) - The DealerRater Product(00:17:41) - The decision-making process of the consumer(00:24:33) - How DealerRater makes money (00:26:26) - Fraud prevention(00:30:27) - Thoughts on anonymous reviews(00:32:41) - Jamie’s take on Yelp(00:35:24) - Thoughts on the state of the car market(00:37:21) - Adapting the dealership model(00:39:04) - Automating the consumer experience(00:42:27) - Patterns in Brand reviews(00:44;15) - The best way for consumers to purchase and the best way for dealers to leverage platforms like DealerRater(00:48:45) - The future for DealerRater(00:50:36) - Where to contact JamieCheck out Cars Commerce here.Get in touch with Alex by emailing him at Jamie@CarsCommerce.incCheck 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.

In this episode, I'm speaking with Bruce Miller, Owner of Miller Motors.This episode is brought to you by:Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. Learn more at carscommerce.incPodium - The lead conversion platform for car dealerships. Get 10% of your plan by texting “CarDealershipGuy” to (833) 441-1166 or visit https://bit.ly/48UKr4xInterested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line hereInterested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:02:51) - Bruce’s journey into automotive(00:06:17) Bruce’s business today (00:09:57) - Bruce’s mentality in approaching business(00:12:41) - Opening up a dealership(00:27:41) - How Bruce runs his dealership(00:35:44) - Profits(00:36:56) - Marketing and tracking customers(00:39:21) - It takes 100 customers to sell 21 cars(00:41:29) - The main misconceptions about independent dealers(00:43:16) - The future of the independent dealer(00:46:42) - Learning about equity(00:50:44) - Final thoughts(00:53:06) - How to get in touch with BruceCheck out Miller Motors here.Get in touch with Bruce by calling him at (504) 615-9297Check 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.

Alex Vetter, CEO of Cars Commerce, discusses predictions for the car market, software fatigue, acquisitions, gaps in the customer journey, the evolution of retail, instant financing, onsite behavior changes, the loss of budget cars, and trends in the industry.

In this episode, I'm speaking with Chase Fraser, Founder & Managing Partner at FM Capital.This episode is brought to you by:AutoFi - AutoFi empowers your team with digital retail technology that accelerates the sale. Learn more @ https://www.autofi.com/cdg/Podium - The lead conversion platform for car dealerships. Get 10% of your plan by texting “CarDealershipGuy” to (833) 441-1166 or visit https://bit.ly/48UKr4xInterested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line hereInterested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:02:49) - Vroom-Carvana Saga(00:05:26) - Chase’s background and specializing in automotive(00:08:34) - Sourcing deals & areas of focus(00:11:00) - How dealers should think about autonomous cars (00:14:28) - The auto agency model(00:16:16) - Tightening parameters in VC for Autotech(00:19:51) - The state of AI in auto and how it will impact dealerships(00:28:07) - Thoughts on EVs(00:38:17) - Dealers acting as investors with Chase(00:42:21) - Regional dealership consolidations(00:44:18) - Economic concerns(00:48:36) - Advice to dealers(00:50:55) - Chase’s biggest VC wins and humbling moments(00:55:00) - Get in touch with ChaseCheck out FM Capital 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.

In this episode, I'm speaking with Daniel Crainic, CEO of Time Auto GroupThis 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-platformPodium - The lead conversion platform for car dealerships.Get 10% off your plan by texting “CarDealershipGuy” to (833) 441-1166 or visit www.podium.com/automotiveInterested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here.Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:02:43) - Daniel’s journey into the industry(00:07:55) - Growing from 1 to 7 lots(00:09:51) - Acquiring real estate(00:13:35) - Marketing tricks(00:15:04) - Financing through Tesla stock(00:19:00) - Balancing family and work(00:20:16) - Delegation(00:21:23) - Dan’s first acquisition & moving into the franchise model(00:29:32) - The turnaround playbook(00:31:01) - Mentors(00:34:37) - Incentivizing General Managers(00:36:41) - Creating wealth in this business(00:44:20) - Biggest challenges(00:47:08) - Rebates, acquiring inventory, and technology(00:54:39) - What are you bullish on in the industry(00:58:49) - How to get in touchCheck out Time Auto Group hereFollow Daniel on XEmail Dan at Daniel@TimeAuto.comCheck out the website for me and follow me on X @GuyDealership!This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

In this episode, I'm speaking with Brandon Miller, Founder of Miller Auto.This episode is brought to you by:Podium - The lead conversion platform for car dealerships.Get 10% off your plan by texting “CarDealershipGuy” to (833) 441-1166 or visit www.podium.com/automotiveCDK Global - Empowering dealers with the tools and technology to build deeper customer relationships.Learn more @ https://www.cdkglobal.com/dealership-xperience-platformInterested in advertising with CarDealershipGuy? Drop us a line here.Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:03:06) - Brandon’s previous life as the mayor of a small town(00:05:42) - Starting a dealership(00:11:40) - Funding inventory and knowing what to buy(00:15:40) - Brandon’s role at the dealership(00:16:38) - The profitability of the dealership(00:17:05) - Financing inventory(00:19:04) - Auction Strategies(00:20:03) - Building a vertically integrated company(00:22:19) - Building a Tesla modification arm of the business(00:28:25) - Monthly sales numbers(00:29:05) - Marketing strategies(00:30:08) - Profits & team structure(00:35:06) - Warranties(00:35:56) - The Tesla market in Wisconsin(00:41:20) - The impact of interest rates on dealerships(00:43:08) - Consumer lending(00:45:21) - How to get in touch with BrandonCheck out Miller Auto here.Follow Miller Auto on X & FacebookCheck out the website for me and follow me on X @GuyDealership!This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Barb Edson, Chief Marketing Officer at CDK Global, discusses the future of car dealerships, challenges in the automotive industry, and the integration of technology. Topics include the Internet of Things, digital transformation, future-proofing tech, and improving the customer experience.