ADS Welcomes Bruce Osborne

Richfield, OhioAdvanced Dealer Solutions is proud to welcome Bruce Osborne as General Manager.


Bruce has three decades of experience serving the F&I industry in a variety of roles since making his start in automotive retail.
“Bruce’s roles as Chief Revenue Officer and National Sales Manager at the product administration level make him an ideal fit to help take the ADS team to the next level.”– says Bob Mancuso – President of Advanced Dealer Solutions.


“Advanced Dealer Solutions has a well-earned reputation for overall dealership development. I am excited to be joining such a professional organization. Working together, we will help our dealers achieve new heights.” – Bruce Osborne


“We are excited to have Bruce and his vast industry knowledge available to our team. I am confident he will add immediate value to our dealers and associates.” – says Ryan Nelson – EVP of Advanced Dealer Solutions.


Bruce is based in Springfield, OH and will be focused on current and future dealer relationships alongside the team of ADS F&I training representatives.


Advanced Dealer Solutions is a full service, dealer development agency focused on automotive, RV, and powersports dealers across the United States. Please contact 844-320-3722 or [email protected] for any inquiries.

The Kerrigan Dealer Survey

The data for The 2023 Kerrigan Dealer Survey is based on over 650 responses from franchised auto dealers in Kerrigan Advisors’ proprietary dealer database. Survey responses were collected from June 2023 to October 2023. 

2023 Kerrigan Dealer Survey Results
Kerrigan Advisors’ fifth annual Dealer Survey was designed to gauge dealer sentiment on the future value of their business, growth plans, earnings expectations, as well as perspectives on franchise values and their trust levels in the OEMs.

The results of this year’s survey found a majority of dealers still have a positive outlook on valuation over the next 12 months with 52% projecting 2023’s strong valuations will sustain into 2024 and 21% expecting an increase next year. That said, more than a quarter of dealers (27%) expect valuations to decrease in the next 12 months, the highest level since the survey’s inception in 2019, and almost double 2019 and 2020’s levels.

The reduction in valuation expectations is consistent with dealers’ views on future profitability (see chart on following page). Only 15% of surveyed dealers project a rise in profits in the next 12 months, while 38% expect a decline. Interestingly, 47% project earnings will stay the same in 2024, a six-percentage point increase from last year and an indication that current earnings, which remain far above pre-pandemic levels, are starting to normalize according to more dealers.

With a rising number of dealers seeing a decline in earnings in the next 12 months, it is not surprising to see an increase in dealers seeking a sale, albeit still a slim minority. 6% of dealers surveyed plan to sell one or more dealerships in the next 12 months, three times 2022’s results. That said, nearly half of dealers still plan to grow their enterprise with 47% looking to add one or more dealerships.

Kerrigan Advisors attributes this growth bias to dealers’ significant capital accounts as a result of more than three years of record profits. Kerrigan Advisors estimates the industry has amassed over $200 billion in pre-tax profits since 2020. In addition to burgeoning capital accounts, the majority of dealers (62%) believe earnings will either stay at 2023’s high level or increase over the next twelve months. This indicates that most dealers do not believe earnings will revert to pre-Covid levels in the near future, if ever, which bodes well for the continuation of a growth bias amongst dealers.

2023 Kerrigan Dealer Survey Results by Franchise

Note: These results reflect the collective view of the 650+ dealers surveyed, regardless of a dealer’s specific franchise ownership.

While the majority of dealers surveyed believe individual franchises will either increase or remain the same in value over the next 12 months, every franchise saw a reduction in the percentage of dealers projecting an increase in value along with a rise in the percentage of dealers expecting a decline in value as compared to 2022. Kerrigan Advisors believes these results are a reflection of the rising discontent within the dealer body regarding OEMs’ electric vehicle (“EV”) strategies and the overabundance of EVs on many dealers’ lots.

Highest Expected Valuation Gains:Kia, Hyundai, Lexus, Toyota, Porsche

  • Over 30% of surveyed dealers expect these five franchises to increase in value in the next 12 months.
  • This marks the second year Kia and Hyundai topped this list and exceeded Toyota.
  • Notably, Kia’s results are nearly two and a half times higher than the industry average.

Least Likely to Decline in Value: Lexus, Toyota, Porsche, BMW

  • 90% or more of surveyed dealers expect these four franchises to either increase or remain the same in value in the next 12 months.
  • Of note, this is the same list as last year.

Highest Expected Valuation Declines: Lincoln, Infiniti, CDJR, Ford, Buick GMC, Nissan

  • Over 40% of surveyed dealers expect these franchises to decline in value in the next 12 months.
  • Notably, Lincoln and Infiniti’s results are more than double the industry average.


Kerrigan Advisors queried dealers again regarding the expected impact of OEM planned changes to the dealer model on future profitability. The majority of dealers are less concerned than they were in 2022 that OEM changes to retailing will impact their future profitability. Nearly every franchise saw a notable rise in the percentage of dealers who expect no impact on profitability from OEM retailing changes. Kerrigan Advisors believes this marked improvement from the 2022 Dealer Survey is a result of dealers’ skepticism regarding OEMs’ ability to execute on their proposed retailing changes, particularly given weak consumer demand for EVs.

For the first time since Kerrigan Advisors started querying dealers, our firm asked about dealers’ trust level in each franchise. The results were quite noteworthy and echoed the sentiment regarding changes to OEM retailing strategies. Toyota received the top results by far, with 72% of dealers indicating they had a high level of trust in the franchise, over three times higher than the survey average. By contrast, 46% of dealers reported they had no trust in Ford, consistent with the expectation of a decline in future Ford franchise profitability due to the OEM’s EV/future retailing strategy. 

Notable Changes for Specific Franchises (2023 versus 2022)

CDJR – CDJR saw a notable increase in dealers expecting the franchise to decline in value, from 24% in 2022 to 53% in 2023 – a 29-percentage point increase. Kerrigan Advisors expects this negative dealer sentiment is a reflection of CDJR’s rising inventory levels and lack of incentive spending. Dealers are concerned Stellantis will continue to oversupply the market with new vehicles resulting in a return to pre-pandemic gross profits on new vehicles and a substantial decline in dealer profitability. Consistent with this change, CDJR ranked 2nd behind Ford as the franchise most expected to see a decline in earnings and value as a result of OEM retailing changes, up from 9th place in last year’s survey. Furthermore, 39% of dealers have no trust in CDJR, placing the OEM as the 4th least trusted franchise.

Ford –Ford remains the franchise most expected to see a decline in profits as a result of the OEM’s changes to its retailing model. Consistent with this negative sentiment, Ford is the non-luxury franchise least expected to see a rise in valuation in the next 12 months. These results reflect dealers’ lack of trust in the OEM with Ford ranking as the least trusted franchise – 48% of dealers surveyed reported that they had no trust in Ford, the highest percentage of any franchise. Kerrigan Advisors expects this negative sentiment to impact Ford’s future blue sky multiple and franchise valuation.

Kia  This franchise surpassed Toyota for the first time in 2022 to become the franchise most expected to increase in value over the next 12 months. Impressively, it sustained its improved results in 2023. Notably, Kia saw one of the largest increases in positive profit expectations as a result of expected changes to its retailing model and ranked as the 8th most trusted franchise. These positive results are consistent with Kerrigan Advisors’ upgrade of Kia’s franchise multiple in the second quarter of 2023 and positive outlook for 2024.

Toyota –Toyota continues to outperform on every level. Most notably, Toyota is the most trusted franchise by dealers, scoring 17 percentage points higher than its nearest non-luxury competitor Subaru. This monumental lead in the trust equation has resulted in the franchise having the highest expected increase in profits as a result of the OEM’s retailing changes with only 7% expecting a decline, the second to lowest level behind its sister franchise, Lexus. Most impressive, despite having the highest blue sky multiple of all non-luxury franchises, dealers expect the franchise’s value will continue to rise. These results are consistent with the buyer demand Kerrigan Advisors sees for Toyota franchises.

The 2023 Kerrigan Dealer Survey results demonstrate the changing auto retail environment and dealers’ perspectives of the OEMs. The majority of dealers project profits and valuations will remain at or rise above post-pandemic levels over the next 12 months, though an increasing minority have a more negative outlook. Nearly half of dealers are seeking to acquire dealerships in the next 12 months, despite higher interest rates, an indication of an overall positive industry outlook. That said, dealers have distinctly varying views on specific franchises, with certain OEMs eliciting a lack of trust and confidence, while others earn a high level of trust and strong profit expectations. 

Based on these results, Kerrigan Advisors believes there is more risk to valuations and the buy/sell market going into 2024, though we expect transaction activity will remain elevated as dealers seek to add scale to their business and believe OEM retail changes will have minimal impact on future profits.

Methodology

The data for The Kerrigan Dealer Survey was gathered from Kerrigan Advisors’ annual survey of auto dealers in conjunction with the issuance of The Blue Sky Report. The Kerrigan Dealer Survey is based on 650+ anonymous responses from franchised auto dealers in Kerrigan Advisors’ proprietary dealer database. Responses were collected from June 2023 to October 2023. 

Original Article

November Newsletter

Another month flies by at a seemingly record pace! It is shocking that we are down to our last two months of 2023. The good news is we all have 60 days to make the most of this year and head into 2024 with momentum on our side.

November brings us the Thanksgiving holiday which makes it a great month to stop, take stock and appreciate all that we have to be thankful for.

At ADS we are all thankful for the successful year we are having, the dealers we get to work with, and the incredible additions we have added to our team. Please take a moment and meet our newest team members to learn a little about them as well as the role they will play here at ADS.

In terms of other industry matters, it is good to know the strike has been settled and manufacturing can resume at the affected plants. Additionally, there is a lot of news coming out about the BEV market and how oversold the hype for electric really seemed to be. It will be interesting to see where the consumers and the industry end up taking the BEV offerings the many manufactures chose to race to market with. There are a few recent articles below which provide some good insight into some of the shift in enthusiasm.

We hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Gobble, Gobble ‘til you Wobble!

Some shareworthy news items…

UAW reaches deal with GM, ending strike against Detroit automakers

This Is Why Toyota Isn’t Rushing to Sell You an Electric Vehicle

Mercedes says ‘brutal’ EV market will pressure car sales margins

Cox Automotive Forecast: Despite Ongoing UAW Strike, U.S. Auto Sales Pace in October Expected to Increase from September

Events we will be attending:

RVDA – http://www.rvda.org/convention
F&I Product Conference – http://www.fandi-conference.com
NADA 2024 – https://www.nada.org/nada-show

Good luck and Good Selling!

Sincerely, 
Bob and Ryan

Full Newsletter

LoJack© GPS System assists with the Recovery of 7 Cars Stolen from a Dealership during the overnight.


Vehicles:
2019 Cadillac CTS-V Sedan – Satin Silver
2019 Cadillac CTS-V Sedan – White
2017 Cadillac CTS-V Sedan -Gray
2017 Cadillac CTS-V Sedan – Silver
2016 Cadillac CTS V Sedan Red
2019 Chevrolet Corvette Red
2022 Chevrolet Camaro Black/White


Activation:
Pennsylvania State Police Selinsgrove, PA


Recoveries:
Pennsylvania State Police Auto Theft Task Force (PSP-ATTF)
Pennsylvania State Police Selinsgrove, PA
Washington Metro DC Police
Swedesboro Police, NJ


Dealership:
Murry Motors Selinsgrove, PA


On October 2, 2023, at about 7 AM as employees from the car dealership came to work, they discovered that the dealership had been broken into and several vehicles were missing from the lot. Using the GEO-Fence option on the LoJack GPS App, they were able to determine immediately what vehicles had been stolen.
The dealership notified the Pennsylvania State Police, Selinsgrove who took the initial report. The Pennsylvania State Police Auto Theft Task Force was notified and responded to the scene. Working with the General Manager from the dealership
who has access to the LoJack GPS App, within minutes, they were able to determine the current locations of each of the seven stolen vehicles. The Pennsylvania State Police Auto Theft Task Force sent Troopers to locate and recover most of the stolen vehicles that were still in Pennsylvania. However, two of the stolen vehicles had already left the State of Pennsylvania. With information supplied by the Pennsylvania State Police Auto Theft Task Force, the 2022 Chevrolet Camaro was located and recovered by the Swedesboro Police Department in New Jersey. The 2017 Cadilac CTS-V (color Silver) was located and recovered by the Washington DC Metro Police, in Washington DC.


The value of the seven recovered stolen vehicles was estimated at a little over a half million dollars.


The Pennsylvania State Police Auto Theft Task Force said that the investigation is continuing. They have reached out to the LoJack Regional Law Enforcement Liaison Team to assist with their efforts.

October Newsletter

A Message From The ADS Team
As we head into the final quarter of the year, many of us begin turning our attention to next years goals, objectives, and planning for our future successes. Although next year is important, and there are steps we can all take to ensure a fast start to the year, we need to be mindful that we still have a full quarter of sales to transact, 2023 goals and objectives to measure, and customer needs to satisfy today… as well as into next year.
 
For many of our dealers, they find the challenge of finishing strong, and starting stronger invigorating and seem to find an extra gear (as we do) this time of year. We know the importance of both, and we work hard to assist our dealers and their teams to make the most of both present and future.
 
One of the ways we do this is by conducting a thorough review and planning session with each of our dealers where we focus on in store profitability, product attachment rates, return of participation premium and individual development plans. This collaborative review adds accountability to all levels as well as pushes all stakeholders to the next level of performance.
 
If you haven’t taken a deep dive into your store’s performance, processes, reinsurance program, or pay plans recently, please reach out to us to conduct an unbiased evaluation and profit analysis so you can be sure you are getting everything your time and capital investment deserves.
 
Be sure to check out the article from one of our wealth management partners, Chris Daizel with London & Capital, as he discusses current markets and future outlooks and how they can affect a dealers trust portfolio. https://advanceddealersolutions.com/2023/10/reinsurance-trust-updates/
 
Some shareworthy news items… Electric cars have a road trip problem, even for the secretary of energy
As EV sales surge and cars get heavier, parking garages will have to change
UAW targets more Ford and GM plants as union expands autoworker strike
September Sales Forecast by Cox Automotive to be Up 13% Year Over Year

Events we will be attending:
 
Live2Lead – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live2lead-cleveland-tickets-630417905927
RVDA – http://www.rvda.org/convention
F&I Product Conference – http://www.fandi-conference.com
NADA 2024 – https://www.nada.org/nada-show
 
Good luck and Good Selling!

 
The ADS Invitational
 

 
Last month we were excited to host our 3rd annual ADS Invitational at historic Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. We had dealer representatives from across the country join us for 3 days of spirited competition on the golf course. The competitiveness was on full display not only on the golf course, but also at the poker table and bags court! We appreciate everyone taking time out of their busy schedules to spend the time with our team.  

Congrats to Team Mancuso for their victory! 
 

 
AFIP Certification
 

 
The AFIP Certification Program gives F&I professionals the power to sell their products with confidence and authority. Professionals certified through AFIP gain a working knowledge of the state and federal laws associated with the F&I profession, opportunities for continuing development, and higher standing in the industry.

In a continued effort to bring value to Auto, RV, and Powersport Dealers ADS will be hosting an on-site discounted AFIP course to North East Ohio on October 17th – 18th, 2023. 

Interested in AFIP certification? Reach out to an ADS representative about hosting an AFIP course near your location!
 
Sign Up
 

 
In The Community
 

 
Susan G. Komen® Organization
In 1980, Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan, that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became the Susan G. Komen® Organization and the beginning of a global movement. What started with $200 and a shoebox full of potential donor names has now grown into the world’s largest nonprofit source of funding for the fight against breast cancer. To date, they have invested nearly $3.6 billion in groundbreaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 60 countries. Their efforts have helped reduce deaths from breast cancer by 43% since 1989 and they won’t stop until their promise is fulfilled.
 
Ways to Help
 

 
What We Are Reading
 
This past month the ADS Team enjoyed The Power of One More by Ed Mylett. At it’s core, The Power of One More is about your willingness to do one more rep, make one more phone call, get up one hour earlier, build one more relationship, or do one more thing for whatever your situation calls for. You were not born to be average or ordinary, You were born to do something great.
 

 

 
Live2Lead
 
LIVE2LEAD, hosted by Maxwell Leadership Team Members Kelly Price and Nicole Harwood, will be a day full of personal and professional growth opportunities.

You will hear from some of the most impactful leaders in the country.  Ryan Leak, Marcus Buckingham, Kendra Scott, and of course, John Maxwell!  In addition, Kelly Price, an entrepreneur, Leadership, and Personal Growth Coach, will speak on building a robust culture in your business and personal environment. The event will be held on Thursday, October 12th at Grace Church in Middleburg Heights, OH. 
 


 
Sign Up
 

 
 The Toy Box
 

 

The Batmobile….. There is not much debate for which superhero is best known for their car, it is Batman, bar none. We will be looking at a few models of the Batmobile in this section. 

Classic T.V. Series Batmobile

While it’s never going to seem the most advanced entry considering its origins as a Lincoln concept car circa 1955, the original – the “OG”, if you will – is the favorite of many, and likely will remain so for as long as there’s someone to tell the story of where it all started. Long, bubble-topped – and, for some reason, two-toned — the original on-screen Batmobile (it had taken other forms in the comic books before the TV series debuted in 1966) would go on to be not just one of the most recognizable Batmobiles of all time, but one of the most recognizable movie cars of all time.

The Burton Era

The Burton movies were the first time Batman hit the mainstream since the ultra-campy Adam West TV Series, and they were a whole lot darker – some might even say scary, especially when considering Jack Nicholson’s take on The Joker in Batman – so they needed a ride to match. Enter the Burton-mobile, all long, monochromatic, bewinged and jet-powered. It looked like a cross between a steampunk rat rod and a Lockheed SR-71 spy plane and used a good ol’ Chevy V8 engine for motive force. This may be the most recognizable and celebrated Batmobile of all time, with everything from Lego, to Hot Wheels, to the Grand Theft Auto video game series featuring cameos of it.

Batman Forever

While the Burtonmobile’s cockpit was all dark and ghoulish, it seemed that the crew behind the car for the Val Kilmer-starring Forever film wanted a little more flash than that – or, a lot more. Not only did the dance rave-y blue lighting and crazy glowy wheels (with Batman spinners!) bring a lighter look to the Batmobile, it was also better in-keeping with the ultra-bright makeup and costumes worn by the Riddler and Two-Face villains played by Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones, respectively. It also kind of made it look like what you might see in a comic book because with all that colour, it would jump off the page that much more. Still had the bloody great big batwings out the back, though, and was still powered by a Chevy V8.

Batman and Robin

Remember when we said the Batmobile compliments the Batsuit in any given film? Well, when your Batsuit infamously features nipples, your Batmobile…well…let’s just say they ratcheted the “bling” component up to about 11 for this one. Even more glowy spinners than the Forever car, even spikier batwing tailfins, a quasi-transparent body shell and – just like the TV series car – no more roof all pointed to a Batmobile and Batman character that seemed to kick “stealth” down a few notches on his modus operandi.

The Dark Knight Trilogy

This is kind of where the Batmobile story takes a weird turn; no longer did it look lithe and low, instead appearing enormous and somewhat jeep-like. The weird part is how this particular Batmobile – nicknamed (or is that “officially named”?) The Tumbler wasn’t exclusive to Bruce Wayne himself. For starters, you can see that Wayne Enterprises owned a whole fleet of them to the point where we see Wayne actually having to request one in black from Lucius Fox. Later, in The Dark Knight Rises the “fleet” thing is driven home when we see a number of Tumblers patrolling the Gotham streets. Fun fact: The Tumbler was fully functional and did many of its own stunts during the filming of the movie.

Batman V Superman/Suicide Squad/Justice League

Good for this entry making its way into three movies – but that’s kind of easy to do when so much of what’s seen on-screen is CGI. This particular Batmobile may look kind of like a neat cross between the Tumbler and something a little more lithe and athletic (think quarterback to The Tumbler’s linebacker), but it was huge and quite expensive to build (its Mercedes-sourced 6.3L V8 probably didn’t help on the cost front) – and had to make it through three full-length movies. So, some CGI-derived cost-cutting had to happen. It does have the honour of the only Batmobile to be wrecked by Superman’s claws, though
We would love to hear your fun/historical/interesting piece including pictures and a short bio. Email to: [email protected]
 

 
What’s Cookin’?
 


 

 Skeleton Crudite
Looking to get veggies in on Halloween? Serve it up in this fun way to get everyone to put down the candy for a bit. The ingredients this week are all suggestions so arrange them with the vegetables of your liking and take a look at two different images for ideas.

Ingredients
Bell Pepper
Cucumber
Carrots
Celery
Broccoli
Tomato
Mushroom
Radish
Cauliflower
Zucchini
Olives
Snap peas
Directions
Make sure to slice the bell peppers in long strips. 
For the picture on the right the “guts” is spiralized zucchini and thinly sliced radishes. 
Be sure to serve with a side of ranch or vegetable dip!
 
If you have a recipe to share, please email us a picture of yourself and your recipe at [email protected] and you could be featured in our next newsletter!
 
 

 
Brain Food
 

 

 
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Claims Administrators’ Latest (and Greatest) Challenge

Claims administrators face a variety of challenges, including new and evolving regulations, staffing needs and catastrophic events. But at the moment, our greatest challenge may be keeping abreast of rapidly evolving expectations.

Technology plays a pivotal role. A successful administrator must be keenly aware of what our agents, dealers and customers want and need and how to provide solutions that solve their problems.

Those at the forefront of claims administration have transitioned to app-based or mobile-friendly platforms to account for advances in technology and have created a model more akin to a self-service portal. Such platforms allow dealership personnel and customers to access information and file claims beyond typical service hours.

But consumers are increasingly demanding a phone-based experience — and not to make calls. They want to communicate and transact via text. Savvy claims administrators must embrace these challenges, embark on digital transformation initiatives and accommodate changing needs to stay one step ahead.

Originally posted by Portfolio https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/claims-administrators-latest-greatest-challenge%3FtrackingId=BjI%252BQUUhyCK%252FnpZgttAsAw%253D%253D/?trackingId=BjI%2BQUUhyCK%2FnpZgttAsAw%3D%3D

September Newsletter

Labor Day can be a bittersweet time of the year; kiddos going back to school, long summer nights quickly disappearing, and end of the summer selling season can be tough to deal with. Conversely, we are on the doorstep of football season, the Ryder Cup, and for many people, fall weather and leaves changing is their favorite season.
 
Labor Day unofficially bookends the Summer and to some extent, draws most Summer activities to a close. As this Labor Day comes and goes, it certainly brings to mind the current strife the automotive industry and its primary labor force is facing. We are all hoping for a best possible outcome so the wheels (pun intended) of industry can keep churning.
 
Speaking of labor, if you are like most dealers, you have increased your labor rate several times in the last couple years, as well as having your parts cost increase by well over 20% (see article below). For most dealers, their reinsurance representation is not helping them navigate these changes to maintain the desired level of profitability. We have seen dealers, especially with vertically integrated companies, and OEM’s take big hits to their profitability because they are not working for the dealer.
 
Reinsurance is a huge wealth building opportunity, and unfortunately most of the industry is not well versed in how to manage all facets of what goes into a successful, and profitable reinsurance company. Dealers may go months, or even years without seeing a statement, and when they get it, there is a good chance they don’t know everything that goes into it (which by the way is not their fault), that is what they hire a product provider to do.
 
For those reasons, and many more, we are hosting our 2nd Annual Reinsurance Lunch and Learn with Jeremy Elsberry from GPW&A, the leading provider of reinsurance accounting and management for dealers. Please be sure to click the link below to register for the incredibly valuable session.
 
Some shareworthy news items…
 
Soaring Auto Repair Costs Prices Take Significant Jump In A Year
Motor Vehicle Thefts are Up 34% Over Same Period Last Year
Union Alleges GM, Stellantis Not Bargaining in Good Faith 
BMW, Mercedes launch biggest EV push yet to catch Tesla with new models
Voluntary Protection Product Policy Information

Events we will be attending:
 
Live2Lead – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live2lead-cleveland-tickets-630417905927
RVDA – http://www.rvda.org/convention
F&I Product Conference – http://www.fandi-conference.com
 
Good luck and Good Selling!
Sincerely, 
Bob and Ryan

Full Newsletter

New-Vehicle Incentives Make a Comeback in July

J.D. Power reports incentives rose to 3.9% of the vehicle’s sticker price in July.

New-vehicle incentives have made a comeback, with a noticeable spike in July.

According to J.D. Power data, incentives rose to 3.9% of the vehicle’s sticker price, up from 2% in July 2022.

Automakers offered incentives of about $2,151 per vehicle, up from $1,174 in July 2022, according to Motor Intelligence data. J.D. Power put incentives at $1,830 per vehicle in July, a significant year-over-year increase from $908.

J.D. Power analysts note that the increase in incentives is driven by:

  • Electric vehicle offers
  • Luxury car lease deals
  • Growing inventory levels

The higher days’ supply of EVs compared to combustion vehicles has increased the industry’s spending on incentives. In fact, EV incentives average $3,986, Tyson Jominy, vice president of data and analytics at J.D. Power, told Automotive News.

J.D. Power and Motor Intelligence data also noted that the return of leasing, which decreased significantly when vehicles were in short supply, also boosted incentive spending, particularly in the luxury segment. Overall lease spending increased to more than $6,000 per vehicle from $3,500 in July 2022, according to Jominy. For premium brands, lease spending reached $8,815 in July.

Greater inventories also drive the incentives increase as automakers strive to move more cars. As of August, GlobalData reported inventories of light-duty vehicles totaled 1.9 million, up 14% year-over-year. Although days’ supply of vehicles remains low at 36 days, it has increased from 28 days in 2022.

Originally published by Auto Dealer Today. https://www.autodealertodaymagazine.com/371600/new-vehicle-incentives-make-a-comeback-in-july?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20230807_1690:64d13f60fe84667ba809eed3:ot_NL-ADT-Enews-Monday-20230807&omid=1141009562&cid=6351a3105ab698cb750194d1

August Newsletter

It is hard to believe that summer is heading into its final weeks! It feels like yesterday when we announced our Summer Tune-Up Series for F&I, Sales, and Fixed Ops Training Classes in conjunction with The Greater Cleveland Auto Dealers Association and the Great Lakes RV Association.

To date we have hosted eight classes which all received incredibly high praise from the attendees and have even heard of some record setting performances taking place upon returning to their stores. We are looking forward to hosting more classes for the dealer community, and going more in depth on our sales and training philosophies. Make sure you follow our LinkedIn page to see updates and testimonials from attendees.

Now that we have surpassed the halfway point of the year and all signs are pointing to a strong finish to the year (2023 U.S. Light Vehicle Forecast raised to 15.4 million from 15.1 million) we want to make sure dealers can take advantage of every opportunity presented to them. Whether it’s reviewing your digital marketing strategy and comparing it to the awesome power of Client Command or looking to establish a Why Buy Here to compete in your market, or if you are looking to maximize your in-store F&I results and reinsurance performance, we at ADS are ready to help you and your teams get to the next level! Reach out to us at [email protected] to learn more about how we are helping dealers exceed their goals.

Some shareworthy news items…

Ford loses billions on EV’s, shifts focus to hybrids

Car repair costs are up almost 20% over the past year. Here are 6 reasons why

Proposed IRS Rules on Microcaptives Defy Precedent and Logic

Used car prices expected to stabilize following major decline in June

New Car Market: Prices Are About To Plummet Due to Oversupply

RV industry steers through post-pandemic US slump Events we will be attending:

Live2Lead – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live2lead-cleveland-tickets-630417905927
RVDA – http://www.rvda.org/convention
F&I Product Conference – http://www.fandi-conference.com

Sincerely, 
Bob and Ryan

Full Newsletter

July Newsletter

And poof, there goes the first half of the year! Not sure about anyone else, but we are amazed at how fast the calendar continues to turn.

There are so many different metrics to track in our industry (check out the comprehensive report from Colonnade Advisors below), both on the micro and macro levels, and certainly no shortage of prognosticators willing to opine on a wide variety of items.

In the last 3-years, we have heard about a ‘digital transformation’, industry ‘electrification’, and the thought of ‘brick and mortar’ dealerships going by the wayside. Having read countless blogs, watched numerous videos, and participated in several conversations about these topics, we can assure you of two things; our industry is evolving, and the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Yes, our industry is evolving, what industries aren’t? At the end of the day the retail transaction so many of us are fortunate to participate in remains largely unchanged. Sure, there is a digital component to it these days. ‘Fresh ups’ on the lot don’t happen as often as they once did, but the process of qualifying, selecting, demonstrating, negotiating, and delivering are largely still intact, and that makes us happy.

At ADS we have a saying, ‘the process is the shortcut’. Over the last several years, many in retail have forgotten to follow the process while presenting and selling a vehicle, offering protection products in the business office, or recommending maintenance in the service drive.

In collaboration with the Greater Cleveland Auto Dealers Association, we are putting on a Summer Tune-Up Series for F&I, Sales, and Service. A ‘back to the basics’ if you will. We hope to see many of you, as you look to sharpen your skills, as we head into prime selling season. Registration for the classes are below.

Some shareworthy news items…

Colonnade Auto Dealerships Industry Report Spring 2023

ERC Tops The IRS’ Dirty Dozen List

New Vehicle Sales up 11% YoY

Events we will be attending:

Live2Lead – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live2lead-cleveland-tickets-630417905927
RVDA – http://www.rvda.org/convention
F&I Product Conference – http://www.fandi-conference.com

Hope You All Had A Happy Independence Day

Sincerely, 
Bob and Ryan

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