Today's show features: James Douvas, President of JND Consulting, Elgie Bright, Chairman of Northwood University, Matt Bowers, Owner of Matt Bowers Automotive, This episode is brought to you by: Wrench – Want to boost your gross profits by selling prepaid maintenance, without a service center? This new offering levels the playing field between independents like me and the big dealers. Wrench TotalCare lets you offer mobile maintenance plans—oil changes, tire rotations, even brakes—all done at yo...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 4 min
Today's show features: Ryan Maher, CEO of BizzyCar, Aaron Zeigler, President of Zeigler Automotive Group, Justin Villa, General Manager at Clay Cooley Ford. This episode is brought to you by: BizzyCar – How are top dealers keeping service profits high—even in uncertain times? They're using BizzyCar—the “easy button” for turning recall opportunities into real revenue. Built by dealers, for dealers, BizzyCar’s AI-powered Recall Management and Mobile Service Platform helps service departments reeng...
May 16, 2025•56 min
Today I’m joined by Derek Hansen, VP of Operations at Cox Automotive. We get into how AI is reshaping inventory pricing, pro tips for navigating vehicle tariffs, where vAuto is innovating next—and more. If your dealership is interested in learning more, reach out to Derek by email: derek.hansen@coxautoinc.com This episode is brought to you by: 1, Toma – If your BDC or Service Advisors are buried in calls, it’s time for a smarter solution. Toma builds custom AI agents that answer 100% of your dea...
May 15, 2025•37 min
Today's show features: Bill Vaughn, General Manager of Al West Nissan, Ed Petersen, CEO of Wrench, Ryan Knight, Director of Operations at Knight Automotive Group. This episode is brought to you by: BizzyCar – How are top dealers keeping service profits high—even in uncertain times? They're using BizzyCar—the “easy button” for turning recall opportunities into real revenue. Built by dealers, for dealers, BizzyCar’s AI-powered Recall Management and Mobile Service Platform helps service departments...
May 14, 2025•56 min
Today I’m joined by Jack Hollis, former COO of Toyota Motor North America. We unpack his 30-year journey helping Toyota become the #1 car brand in America, why he walked away at the top, and what he’s planning next. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Uber for Business - With Central, you can request a ride on behalf of your customers even if they don’t have the Uber app. If you’re ready to reduce the costs associated with maintaining shuttles and limit the liability of loaner vehicles, it's t...
May 13, 2025•54 min
Today's show features: Brian Benstock, Partner GM of Paragon Honda, Curtis Biggs, General Manager of NewRoads Mazda, Alex Lawrence, CEO of EV Auto. This episode is brought to you by: BizzyCar – How are top dealers keeping service profits high—even in uncertain times? They're using BizzyCar—the “easy button” for turning recall opportunities into real revenue. Built by dealers, for dealers, BizzyCar’s AI-powered Recall Management and Mobile Service Platform helps service departments reengage lost ...
May 12, 2025•59 min
Today's show features: Patricia Muyshondt, CMO of Sames Motor Company, Brett Morgan, CEO of Morgan Automotive Group, Preston Stewart, National Variable Operations Director at Napleton Automotive Group. This episode is brought to you by: CDG Recruiting – Hire top dealership talent, fast. From sales managers to GMs and C-suite execs, we’ve placed over 1,000 roles across auto retail. Ready to scale without the hassle? Visit cdgrecruiting.com to get started. Interested in advertising with Car Deal...
May 09, 2025•1 hr 1 min
Today I’m joined by Jimmy Douglas, CEO of Plug. We dive into why over half of dealers are missing an entire used segment, how two months on the lot is the tipping point for EV valuations, why dealers are shipping EVs an average of 800 miles — and much more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Copart – Are you looking to expand your dealership’s wholesale inventory? Finding front-line ready vehicles from finance, fleet, and rental consignors is now easier than ever. Copart Select gives you tran...
May 08, 2025•53 min
Today's show includes Chris Barman, CEO of Slate Auto, Ryan Maher, CEO of Bizzycar, and Austin Conroy, Fixed Ops Director at Rohrman Toyota. This episode is brought to you by: CDG Recruiting – Hire top dealership talent, fast. From sales managers to GMs and C-suite execs, we’ve placed over 1,000 roles across auto retail. Ready to scale without the hassle? Visit cdgrecruiting.com to get started. BizzyCar - How are top dealers keeping service profits high—even in uncertain times? They're using Biz...
May 07, 2025•59 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Today I’m joined by Brad Wise, executive manager at Ferman Chevrolet Mazda. We dive into his mission to sell 900 cars a month, why he’s handing out hundreds in cash to his service team five times a day, how “energy vampires” kill sales culture — and more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Kenect AI – The platform auto dealers are using to gather reviews, generate leads, and improve their online reputation, all powered by AI @ http://www.kenect.ai 2. CarGurus - maximize your performance on th...
May 06, 2025•48 min
Today's show includes Chad Cunningham, CEO of DuPONT Registry Exchange, Andy Wright, Managing Partner of VINart Dealerships. This episode is brought to you by: CDG Recruiting - Building on the success of my industry job board, I’m launching CDG Recruiting — a more hands-on, white-glove automotive recruiting service. Our team has decades of experience and has successfully placed over 1,000 roles in the automotive industry. So if you’re ready to find your next rockstar employee, try CDG Recruiting...
May 05, 2025•57 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with Kimberly Scogin, Controller at Hudson Management Group, and Shane Bigelow, CEO of CHAMP Titles. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by CHAMP Titles: CHAMP Titles - In automotive retail, everything moves fast — except vehicle titling. Consumers ca...
May 04, 2025•34 min
Today I’m joined by Joe Neiman, President of DealerClub, part of the Cars Commerce ecosystem. We dive into the details behind his $25M exit, how reputation-based wholesale is shaking up the auction block, why he’s paying dealers to sell on DealerClub, and more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. DLRdmv - Dealers, are you still stuck using outdated interstate titling methods? DLR50 from DLRdmv modernizes out‑of‑state titling by providing 24/7 sales tax, title, and registration fees, pre‑popula...
May 01, 2025•46 min
Today I’m joined by JR Toothman, Dealer Principal at Toothman Ford. We break down how he’s quietly 4x’ing used car sales—his secret acquisition playbook, the hailstorm that led to his biggest sales day ever, and the behind-the-scenes strategy powering his used car empire. This episode is brought to you by: 1. OPENLANE - The world’s best online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. Learn more @ https://www.openlane.com / 2. C...
Apr 29, 2025•43 min
Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with Yuriy Demidko, Chief Information Officer at DPFox; and Matthew Muilenburg, Chief Product Officer at Impel. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by Impel. Impel AI - Impel AI helps you drive loyalty with proactive, personalized service outreach tha...
Apr 24, 2025•45 min
Today I’m joined by Chase Channell, General Manager of Victory Honda Jackson. We get into how he went from college dropout to GM by 25, why mastering finance separates good GMs from great ones, and why he still personally desks every single deal at his store. This episode is brought to you by: 1. DLRdmv – Dealers, are you still stuck using outdated interstate titling methods? DLR50 from DLRdmv modernizes out‑of‑state titling by providing 24/7 sales tax, title, and registration fees, pre‑populate...
Apr 22, 2025•52 min
Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with Doug Obenhaus, President Texas Auto Sales, and David Kang, Chief Marketing & Analytics Officer, Copart. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by Copart: Copart – Are you looking to expand your dealership’s wholesale inventory? Finding front-lin...
Apr 20, 2025•35 min
Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with Cody Hansen, Fixed Operations Director Ferman Automotive, and Matt Gonzalez, Sr. Account Executive, Automotive at Uber. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by Uber For Business: Uber For Business - With Uber for Business, dealerships create a sea...
Apr 17, 2025•26 min
Today I’m joined by Christian Crain, VP of Operations at Crain Automotive — a 16-store dealer group based in Arkansas. We dig into a story that’s both unique and all too common in the car business: generational turmoil, how control can fracture a family, what it takes for the next generation to rebuild and much more. CDG's Automotive Tariff Tracker mentioned in this episode: https://news.dealershipguy.com/p/breaking-cdg-s-automaker-tariff-tracker-is-here-2025-04-03 This episode is brought to you...
Apr 15, 2025•49 min
Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with Tom Bear, Platform Used Car Director at Cable Dahmer Automotive Group, Stephan Morris, Used Vehicle Acquisition Manager at Cable Dahmer Automotive Group, and Frank Zombo, Vice President of Sales at Auto Hauler Exchange. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is broug...
Apr 10, 2025•30 min
Today I’m joined by Michael Wood, GM at Jaguar Land Rover Virginia Beach. We discuss Jaguar returning to its roots as a niche sports car brand, the existential crisis facing car dealerships, whether “negotiation-free” really matters—and more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. SalesApe (AI Agent Group LTD) - SalesAPE is the AI sales rep built for dealerships - it understands your inventory and business, instantly engaging inbound leads as they come in, qualifying buyers, and booking appointme...
Apr 08, 2025•47 min
Today I’m joined by Oliver Phillips, COO of Qmerit. We break down the #1 EV problem dealers aren’t talking about—and how to solve it, why Florida is quietly becoming an EV powerhouse, how EVs are cutting through the political noise, and a whole lot more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. OPENLANE - The world’s leading online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. Learn more @ https://www.openlane.com/ 2. Experian Automot...
Apr 03, 2025•26 min
Today on the show: A powerhouse panel breaks down one of the most urgent issues facing auto retail — tariffs. With major policy shifts on the horizon, I brought together some of the industry's top operators, economists, and insiders to cut through the noise and unpack what tariffs could mean for dealers, OEMs, and the entire retail ecosystem. This isn’t theory — it’s what’s coming, and how the smartest folks in the room are preparing. Before we introduce today's panelists, this episode is brough...
Apr 01, 2025•54 min
Today I’m joined by Chad Rycenga, Chief Product Officer at Authenticom. We’re breaking down the data battle playing out on dealership lots — how dealers are protecting customer info, where the threats are coming from, and how smart businesses are using data to unlock serious profits. This episode is brought to you by: 1. CRC Transport LLC - If you’re tired of unreliable vehicle transport services or frustrated with delayed deliveries, you need to hear this. CRC Transport LLC operates as a premie...
Mar 27, 2025•32 min
Today, I’m sitting down with Andrew Dahl, President at Dahl Automotive, a 12 franchise dealer group based in Wisconsin and Minnesota to discuss: How He's Scaling to $1B a Year, Why 'entitlement' almost ruined a 5th-generation family legacy, How he found found a higher power to change his life and much more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. StoneEagle - Technicians hate writing repair stories, but incomplete documentation risks unpaid warranty claims. That’s why smart dealers are using Penci...
Mar 25, 2025•48 min
Today, I’m sitting down with David Thomas, Director of Content Marketing at CDK Global to discuss: Tesla polarizing customers and the brands they are flocking to, The potential impact of auto tariffs and how manufacturers are pivoting, the coming drought of used rental inventory—plus much more. This episode is brought to you by: DriveHRIS - DriveHRIS streamlines hiring, onboarding, timesheets, PTO tracking, and payroll—all in one seamless platform. Let DriveHRIS handle HR and Safety so you can f...
Mar 20, 2025•36 min
Today, I’m sitting down with Vinay Shahani, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer at Nissan/Infiniti USA. We break down Nissan’s comeback strategy, how its product mix is evolving, whether or not the brand is "over-dealered," and what it all means for the future of the franchise—plus much more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Corpay - Corpay is transforming how dealerships handle payments. We help you save time, score big rebates, and ditch manual headaches—all while syncing directly with yo...
Mar 18, 2025•52 min
Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I welcome back Alan Haig, CEO of Haig Partners to discuss: Why dealers are lining up to buy Stellantis stores, Why "Japan Inc." won't let Nissan fail, the vibe shift on dealership profitability in 2025, and how 10 million cars disappeared from American roads. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Uber for Business - With Central, you can request a ride on behalf of your customers even if they don’t have the Uber app. If you’re ready to ...
Mar 13, 2025•58 min
Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Wright, Managing Partner at Vinart Dealerships. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Phone Ninjas - Is your store missing opportunities before they even hit the lot? Phone Ninjas helps dealers maximize every opportunity with custom scripts and critical coaching on actual customer calls. Get your team certified today and watch your appointment set and show rates double! Visit @ https://www.phoneninjas.com/ to star...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Doug Horner, General Sales Manager of North Olmsted Mercedes-Benz and the creator behind the wildly popular Benzs and Bowties social media accounts. We discuss why he’s intentionally leaving $50K on table with every G-Wagon he sells, how he’s generating half of his leads through social media, and what finally pushed him to start creating content. This episode is brought to you by: 1. OPENLANE - The world’s leading online...
Mar 06, 2025•43 min
