Today's show features: - Rob Dell, Vice President of Bob Ruth Ford - Frank Zombo, Vice President of Sales at Auto Hauler Exchange - John Murphy, Used Vehicle Director at Holler-Classic Automotive Group This episode is brought to you by: Great America – Planning a new service lane, collision center, or showroom refresh? GreatAmerica finances dealership build‑outs and remodels—including service equipment, collision & repair, body & paint, EVSE, car wash, signage, and software. Our fast cre...
Mar 02, 2026•1 hr 1 min
Today's show features: - Bob Kuehl, Vice President of Fixed Operations at Zeigler Auto Group - John Bishop, Service Director at Volkswagen of Clarksville - Vince McIsaac, Director of Parts Operations at Hawk Auto Group This episode is brought to you by: Impel – Your sales team should be selling—not answering the same questions after hours or chasing low-intent leads. Impel AI works 24/7, instantly answering complex inventory, trade-in, and financing inquiries while booking appointments automatic...
Feb 27, 2026•1 hr
Today I'm joined by Michael Maroone, Chairman and CEO of Maroone USA. Michael breaks down why new cars are becoming commodities , where profit has actually migrated, and why culture, curiosity, and operational freedom matter more than pay plans. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Podium - 78% of customers buy from the first business that responds, yet most businesses reply an hour or more late. Jerry 2.0 is the only fully customizable AI Employee. Jerry learns your playbooks, understands your...
Feb 26, 2026•49 min
Today's show features: - Matt Sokolowski, COO of Willis Auto Campus - Michael Gilson, CEO of Conversica - Ryan Merrick, Finance Manager at Fred Beans Automotive Group This episode is brought to you by: Impel – Your sales team should be selling—not answering the same questions after hours or chasing low-intent leads. Impel AI works 24/7, instantly answering complex inventory, trade-in, and financing inquiries while booking appointments automatically. And with Agentic Response capability, Impel AI...
Feb 25, 2026•1 hr 1 min
Today Sam D'Arc is joined by Zach Billings, Co-Founder of Wikimotive. We break down why AI search is an evolution of SEO — not a replacement —and why consumer behavior is changing far slower than the hype suggests. Zach explains where GEO actually matters today, why reputation and human content outperform technical gimmicks , and why most dealers should still double down on traditional search. The big takeaway: AI is loud, but the real lead opportunity hasn’t moved yet. This episode is brought t...
Feb 24, 2026•50 min
Today's show features: - Jake Lebowitz, Partner/Dealer Principal of Raceway Auto Group - Paul Sansone, Owner of Sansone Jr Auto Group - Zach Billings, CEO of Wikimotive - Michael Wood, General Manager of Land Rover Chantilly This episode is brought to you by: Impel – Your sales team should be selling—not answering the same questions after hours or chasing low-intent leads. Impel AI works 24/7, instantly answering complex inventory, trade-in, and financing inquiries while booking appointments aut...
Feb 23, 2026•1 hr 10 min
Today's show features: - David Rogers, Fixed Operations Director of Piazza Auto Group - Bill Demaree, Corporate Director of Fixed Operations at Tom Wood Automotive This episode is brought to you by: Stream Companies – How much revenue is slipping through the cracks at your dealership? Stream Companies’ Missed Opportunities Report analyzes your strategy and highlights where you can drive more sales, faster. Request your free report today at https://www.streamcompanies.com/MissedOpportunitiesRepor...
Feb 20, 2026•58 min
Today I'm joined by Matt Stuckey, President of Stuckey Automotive. Matt explains how real estate mandates, throughput targets, and workforce pipelines intersect, and why productivity— not volume —is the real competitive edge in today’s market. This episode is brought to you by: 1. iPacket - iPacket also offers iPacket Recon, iPacket OnTargeting and iPacket Value - the newest product to the iPacket line-up. iPacket partners with thousands of dealer partners and is headquartered in Williamstown, W...
Feb 19, 2026•46 min
Today's show features: - Richard Brunell, General Sales Manager at Toyota of Bellingham - Jarrod Kilway, VP of Digital Ops at Casa Auto Group - Devin Kaulback, General Manager of Subaru of Niagara Stream Companies – How much revenue is slipping through the cracks at your dealership? Stream Companies’ Missed Opportunities Report analyzes your strategy and highlights where you can drive more sales, faster. Request your free report today at https://www.streamcompanies.com/MissedOpportunitiesReport/...
Feb 18, 2026•1 hr 3 min
Today Sam D'Arc is joined by Justin Zane, SVP, US Marketplace & Services at OPENLANE. We unpack why digital auctions have overtaken physical lanes in reach and efficiency , and why old habits —not economics—are keeping brick-and-mortar alive. Justin explains how off-lease inventory is reshaping acquisition strategy , where AI improves condition accuracy , and why speed is now the dealer’s most valuable asset. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Wikimotive - Wikimotive delivers organic and ...
Feb 17, 2026•24 min
Today's show features: - Wesley McCullar, Dealership Operator of Lake Norman CDJR - Tina Tasche, Innovation and Technology Specialist at Van Horn Automotive Group This episode is brought to you by: Stream Companies – How much revenue is slipping through the cracks at your dealership? Stream Companies’ Missed Opportunities Report analyzes your strategy and highlights where you can drive more sales, faster. Request your free report today at https://www.streamcompanies.com/MissedOpportunitiesReport...
Feb 16, 2026•52 min
In this episode of the Industry Spotlight, we dive into why used car success in 2026 is no longer j ust about the purchase price , but about the high-stakes ability to acquire and articulate a vehicle's complete story. Joining host Sam D’Arc is Doug Horner of General Sales Manager at Mercedes-Benz of North Olmsted and Tyler Astorg, Vice President Sales at iPacket to discuss how precision data —specifically knowing the exact options and trim levels —serves as a dealer's ultimate superpower. They ...
Feb 14, 2026•32 min
Today's show features: - Tully Williams, Fixed Operations Director of The Niello Company - Dave Thomas, Director of Content Marketing at CDK Global - Jim Sabino, Fixed Operations Director of All American Ford Paramus This episode is brought to you by: Foureyes – Foureyes helps dealers turn data into action. Starting with a clean, connected data foundation across dealership systems, Foureyes empowers dealerships to use that data to drive consistent execution throughout their business. The data st...
Feb 13, 2026•1 hr 8 min
Today I’m joined by Donald Kemp, General Sales Manager at Stowasser Buick GMC. We dig into why human-first social content is outperforming inventory posts , how moving F&I earlier drives higher penetration , and where dealers are quietly leaking money through junk fees. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Experian Automotive - Like most Car Dealership Guy Listeners, you’re constantly looking for the inside edge on the auto industry. So if you’re ready to step up your game to the next level...
Feb 12, 2026•44 min
Today's show features: - Scott Simons, Dealer Principal of Simons Chevrolet GMC - John Ellis, CEO of Agile Auto - JR Toothman, Owner of Toothman Ford This episode is brought to you by: Foureyes – Foureyes helps dealers turn data into action. Starting with a clean, connected data foundation across dealership systems, Foureyes empowers dealerships to use that data to drive consistent execution throughout their business. The data stays dealer-owned, vendor-neutral, and works with any tools or partn...
Feb 11, 2026•1 hr 2 min
Today I’m joined by Jake Cronin, CEO of Siro. We break down the massive “dark matter” problem in dealership sales, why most of the sales process has been invisible until now , and how AI is finally capturing what actually happens in the showroom and F&I office. Jake explains how dealers are using real conversation data to coach faster, enforce process, and connect marketing spend directly to in-store outcomes. We also dig into adoption, consent, and why this tech is about collaboration—not s...
Feb 10, 2026•35 min
Today's show features: - Matt Bowers, Owner of Matt Bowers Automotive Group - Miguel Yelos San Martin, Principal of YSM Design, P.C. - Shane Wood, General Manager of Bruce Titus Automotive Group This episode is brought to you by: Foureyes – Foureyes helps dealers turn data into action. Starting with a clean, connected data foundation across dealership systems, Foureyes empowers dealerships to use that data to drive consistent execution throughout their business. The data stays dealer-owned, vend...
Feb 09, 2026•1 hr 8 min
Today, Sam sits down with Steve Hoggle, General Manager at Honda of Lake City and Sarah Copp, Director of Major Accounts at Lotlinx to pull back the curtain on the "Moneyball" strategy of modern automotive retail. While many dealers are still relying on gut instinct and "emotional buying" at auction , the nation’s top-performing groups—including the $11 billion Morgan Auto Group—have shifted to a predictive, VIN-specific model. We explore how Honda of Lake City achieved a staggering 4:1 used-to-...
Feb 07, 2026•43 min
Today's show features: - Dennis Gingrich, Sales and Finance Director of The Niello Company - Marion Cain, Managing Partner of Bell Auto Group - Russell Richardson, Russ Flips Whips This episode is brought to you by: Lotlinx – ChatGPT can write emails, plan trips, even tell jokes… but it can’t tell you which VINs are at risk of sitting too long, how your dealer performs against your competition, or how to improve your VDPs. That’s where LotGPT comes in. It's the only chatbot built exclusively for...
Feb 06, 2026•1 hr 5 min
Today I’m joined by Eric Rea, CEO of Podium. Eric breaks down how AI agents are replacing labor across sales and service , why speed is now the ultimate competitive advantage, and how fixed ops is finally getting real AI help instead of glorified answering services. This episode is brought to you by: 1. CNA National - CNA National is the premier F&I provider for dealerships nationwide. With more than four decades in the industry, we’ve earned a reputation for service excellence. If you are l...
Feb 05, 2026•39 min
Today I’m joined by Brian Hoang, CEO of Mia. We dive into why dealerships are moving beyond fragmented SaaS tools toward AI-native platforms that automate real work, not just conversations. Brian explains why consolidation is inevitable , and how dealers are already driving real revenue by offloading high-volume service tasks . We also get into where most dealers go wrong with AI adoption —and what separates winners from noise heading into 2026 . This episode is brought to you by: 1. Uber for Bu...
Feb 03, 2026•38 min
Today's show features: - David Steinberg, CEO of Foureyes - Brian Benstock, Vice President & General Manager Paragon Honda and Paragon Acura - Robert Steenbergh, CEO of AutoPayPlus This episode is brought to you by: Siro – Your customer conversations are gold—but most dealerships never extract the insights trapped inside them. Siro helps your team tap that data for smarter coaching, consistent process adherence, and measurable PVR growth. Come visit us at NADA Show - Booth #6368 (North Hall)...
Feb 02, 2026•55 min
Today I’m joined by Andrew Habberstad, CEO at Habberstad Auto Group. We unpack how a single relationship led to a $7,000 BMW franchise . Andrew breaks down generational continuity, smart expansion, and why listening to peers can quietly reshape a dealer’s entire future. Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: For dealers: CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/ Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com Dealership recruiting ➤ http://www.cdgrecruiting.com Fix your dealership’s social media ➤...
Jan 31, 2026•47 min
Today's show features: Margaret Henney, Vice President of Marketing at CoVideo Taylor Mazock, Social Media Manager at Cavender Auto Group Jason Espin, Automotive Technician at Benzel-Busch Motor Car Lauren Clarke, RV Sales Assistant at Airstream of South Florida Chris Escalante, Finance Assistant at Suburban Buick GMC of Troy This episode is brought to you by: Stream Companies – Stream Companies is a full-service, fully integrated, tech-enabled advertising agency that drives measurable results t...
Jan 30, 2026•1 hr 5 min
Today I’m joined by Annie Fallows, Head of Navigator Platform at Capital One. We dive into a massive shift in market sentiment , exploring how dealer trust skyrocketed from 44% to 70% . Annie breaks down why Gen Z is your most loyal—yet most anxious—customer and reveals the "spicy" truth that most digital processes only save five minutes of in-store time . You’ll learn how to bridge the friction-filled gap between online research and the showroom floor to double your conversion rates This episod...
Jan 29, 2026•30 min
Today's show features: - David Wyler, President and CEO of Jeff Wyler Automotive Family - Ryan Rohrman, Chief Executive Officer of Rohrman Auto Group - Cuyler Owens, CEO of Widewail - Scott Painter, Founder & CEO of TrueCar This episode is brought to you by: Stream Companies – Stream Companies is a full-service, fully integrated, tech-enabled advertising agency that drives measurable results through performance marketing, creative and content development, and proprietary AdTech solutions. Ou...
Jan 28, 2026•1 hr 26 min
Today I’m joined by George Karolis, President of The Presidio Group. George breaks down the tension between record-high blue sky multiples and the rising cost of capital, offering a rare look at who is buying, who is selling, and why the "big get bigger" trend is accelerating . Visit @ https://thepresidiogroup.com/v2ud to download the data discussed in today’s episode. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Amazon Autos - Sell vehicles to online shoppers who can now buy or lease at Amazon Autos...
Jan 27, 2026•42 min
Today's show features: - Chris Pres, VP, Automotive Distribution of Polly - Laura Perrotta, President of NJ CAR This episode is brought to you by: Stream Companies – Stream Companies is a full-service, fully integrated, tech-enabled advertising agency that drives measurable results through performance marketing, creative and content development, and proprietary AdTech solutions. Our innovative platforms, including the Retail Ready platform and Integrated Marketing Cloud, empower brands to optimi...
Jan 26, 2026•56 min
In part 5 of our Pre NADA AI Spotlight series, Sam sits down with Luke Sontag, Marketing, & IT Manager at Kissee Ford and Ari Polakof, CEO & Co-founder of Flai. We explore how one family-owned dealership used voice AI to capture after-hours and rollover calls without losing its local, human feel. Ari explains why most “bolt-on” AI fails , how deep DMS integration changes outcomes , and what it really takes to get service advisors to trust automation . The result is real appointments, imm...
Jan 24, 2026•41 min
Today's show features: - George Nenni, Founder of Generations Digital - Ryan Maher, CEO of BizzyCar - Rob Studebaker, General Manager of Treasure Valley Subaru This episode is brought to you by: Impel – Your sales team should be selling—not answering the same questions after hours or chasing low-intent leads. Impel Sales AI works the inbox 24/7, qualifying every lead, responding with intent-aware, personalized answers, and booking showroom appointments automatically. With Agentic Response, Impel...
Jan 23, 2026•1 hr 1 min