Dealership compliance takes center stage in this episode of Inside Automotive featuring Shannon Robertson, Executive Director of Automotive Finance & Insurance Professionals (AFIP) and host of Compliance That Works. Robertson outlines practical strategies dealers can implement to reduce regulatory risk, strengthen operations, and build a culture of accountability.

As digital retail and social media marketing expand, compliance oversight must evolve. Robertson explains why proactive monitoring, consistent training, and clearly documented policies are essential to preventing costly fines and enforcement actions. She also discusses how dealerships can significantly mitigate penalties by maintaining an active compliance program—even when individual employees make mistakes.

Key discussion points include:

• How active compliance programs can reduce fines by up to 96%
• The importance of ongoing employee training amid high industry turnover
• Managing digital advertising, disclosures, and social media risk
• Assigning a dedicated compliance officer and enforcing top-down accountability
• Integrating compliance into daily operations to protect profitability and trust

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Scout Motors’ approval to sell vehicles directly to consumers in Colorado has reignited debate around dealer franchise protections and OEM competition. On this episode of Inside Automotive, Brian Maas, President of the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA), unpacks the legal and market implications of the decision and what it could mean for dealers nationwide.

Maas explains why CNCDA, with support from NADA, filed suit against Volkswagen and Scout Motors, arguing that direct-to-consumer sales violate California franchise law. He discusses how the Colorado ruling may prompt dealer associations in other states to reexamine their statutes and enforcement mechanisms. Beyond the courtroom, Maas shares insights on broader industry trends, including EV sales normalization, rising vehicle affordability challenges, and intensifying competition in the used-car market. The conversation also looks ahead to key legislative priorities in California, from gubernatorial turnover to compliance preparations for the upcoming CARS Act. Together, these developments highlight the growing intersection of policy, retail strategy, and consumer access in today’s automotive market.

Discussion topics include:

• Scout Motors’ direct-sales approval in Colorado
• Legal challenges surrounding OEM direct-to-consumer models
• Franchise law protections and state-by-state enforcement gaps
• EV sales trends in California versus the national market
• New-vehicle affordability and used-car inventory pressures
• Legislative priorities facing California dealers in 2026

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Catalytic converter theft continues to disrupt dealerships and burden consumers nationwide, fueling renewed momentum behind the bipartisan federal PART Act. In this special edition of Inside Automotive, Greg York, President and CEO of Vann York Auto Group, and Charlie Dyjak, Legislative Affairs Manager at NADA, break down why the legislation matters and how it could reshape theft prevention and enforcement efforts across the industry.

York shares firsthand insights into how frequently dealerships are impacted, including the added financial and emotional strain when customer and employee vehicles are targeted. The discussion highlights why insurance alone fails to address the broader consequences of theft, from increased premiums to extended repair delays. Dyjak outlines how the PART Act aims to close enforcement gaps through traceability requirements, stronger penalties, and improved scrap metal recordkeeping. Together, they explain why federal standards are seen as essential, how bipartisan support has formed, and why dealer engagement with lawmakers remains critical. As affordability pressures rise and theft persists, the episode explores how coordinated legislative action could create meaningful deterrence while supporting dealers, consumers, and law enforcement alike.

Discussion topics include:

• The real-world impact of catalytic converter theft on dealerships
• Why customer and employee vehicle thefts are especially disruptive
• Limitations of current theft prevention and prosecution efforts
• How the PART Act would improve traceability and enforcement
• Bipartisan support and remaining industry concerns
• Why dealer advocacy plays a key role in advancing legislation

Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive.

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TrueCar founder Scott Painter returns to lead the automotive marketplace following a $227 million transaction to take the company private, marking a strategic reset for the platform. On this episode of Inside Automotive, Painter explains why his comeback centers on restoring balance between pricing transparency for consumers and sustainable profitability for dealers.

Painter reflects on TrueCar’s early impact on automotive retail, acknowledging dealer skepticism tied to its original pricing model, and explains how today’s digital-first buying environment has changed expectations on both sides of the transaction. He outlines why TrueCar remains committed to being a marketplace connector—not a retailer—and how the company plans to refocus on qualified demand, lower acquisition costs, and higher close rates. The conversation also explores TrueCar’s shift away from mass advertising toward affinity partnerships, the role of credit unions, and how emerging technologies like AI could enhance digital engagement without disintermediating dealers. Looking ahead, Painter shares his vision for growth under private ownership and why long-term value, not disruption, now defines TrueCar’s strategy.

Topics covered include:

• Taking TrueCar private and resetting its business model
• Balancing consumer transparency with dealer profitability
• Marketplace positioning versus direct-to-consumer retail
• Affinity partnerships and credit union strategies
• Digital retail tools, AI, and sales efficiency

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Customer retention and employee engagement are driving a different kind of dealership growth at Cherokee Mitsubishi. On this episode of Inside Automotive, new dealer principals Jonathan Dawson and David Booth share how a relationship-first strategy helped the store rapidly build momentum after its acquisition in mid-2025.

Rather than focusing on aggressive acquisition tactics, Dawson and Booth explain how prioritizing repeat business, referrals, and internal culture led to measurable gains in both sales and service. They outline how intentional customer experiences—designed to extend well beyond the showroom—create lasting emotional connections that translate into loyalty and advocacy. The conversation also explores how treating employees as the dealership’s first customers strengthens performance, accountability, and morale. By investing in people, consistency, and community presence, the owners believe dealerships can achieve sustainable growth even amid broader market uncertainty.

Topics discussed include:

• Retention-driven dealership growth strategies
• Referral programs and customer advocacy
• Redefining the vehicle delivery experience
• Employee engagement and internal culture
• Community visibility without heavy advertising

Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive.

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Dealership buy-sell activity is gaining momentum in 2026 as confidence in earnings, valuations, and capital availability strengthens across the automotive retail landscape. On this episode of Inside Automotive, Erin Kerrigan, Founder and Managing Director of Kerrigan Advisors, breaks down what’s driving the next wave of dealership acquisitions and how emerging forces are reshaping transactions.

Kerrigan explains why improving dealer sentiment is bringing both buyers and sellers back to the table, setting the stage for increased consolidation and larger, more complex deals. She outlines where acquisition activity is most concentrated geographically, how capital markets are supporting growth, and why transaction structures are becoming more sophisticated. The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence is beginning to influence dealership operations and why AI-driven efficiency may factor more heavily into valuations over time. Kerrigan also shares insights into shifting franchise performance and what dealers should understand as buy-sell transactions increasingly resemble corporate M&A.

Topics covered include:

• 2026 outlook for dealership buy-sell activity
• Mega deals, capital access, and liquidity trends
• Regional consolidation and high-demand markets
• AI adoption and operational efficiency
• Shifting franchise valuations and dealer sentiment

Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive.

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General Motors Canada has selected Force Marketing to support after-sales marketing for its dealer network, marking a significant expansion of Force’s OEM-certified footprint. On this episode of Inside Automotive, John Fitzpatrick, President and CEO of Force Marketing, joins the show to unpack what the partnership means for Canadian GM dealers and where retention strategies are headed in 2026.

Fitzpatrick explains how Force Marketing’s inclusion in GM Canada’s CSSR choice program reflects a broader industry shift toward fixed ops performance, cleaner data, and more integrated customer communication. As affordability pressures push consumers to keep vehicles longer, dealers are increasingly focused on retention, lifecycle marketing, and execution across every customer touchpoint. The conversation also explores how data hygiene, operational handoffs, and OEM alignment can either strengthen or undermine long-term dealer profitability.

Key discussion points include:

• Why GM Canada selected Force Marketing from a competitive OEM RFP process
• The role of retention and fixed ops in dealer profitability entering 2026
• How Audience IQ supports personalized, lifecycle-based customer communication
• The importance of data hygiene within DMS and CRM systems
• Execution challenges across marketing, BDCs, and frontline teams
• What retention-first strategies mean for dealers navigating longer ownership cycles

Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive.

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Electric vehicle adoption, pricing power, and distribution strategy are converging at a pivotal moment for automotive retail. On this episode of Inside Automotive, Kevin Tynan, director of research at The Presidio Group, breaks down how shifting supply discipline, EV economics, and direct-sales models are reshaping dealer and OEM priorities heading into 2026.

Tynan explains why disciplined production helped stabilize margins in 2025 and why automakers now face clear trade-offs between volume growth and pricing power. He also examines how fading EV subsidies have exposed weaknesses in EV business models, prompting OEMs to redirect capital toward higher-margin segments. The conversation explores emerging portfolio strategies for EV technology, the structural limits of direct-to-consumer sales at scale, and what these shifts mean for dealer profitability and inventory planning. As regulatory pressure eases, Tynan outlines why 2026 is shaping up as a reset year driven more by market forces than mandates.

Topics covered:

• Production discipline and its impact on pricing and margins
• EV demand trends following the loss of subsidies
• OEM capital allocation and portfolio strategy
• Affordability challenges and demand-led EV deployment
• Direct-to-consumer sales models and scale limitations

Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive.

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As dealers confront mounting pressure from OEM incentive structures and online pricing transparency, Andy Wright, managing partner at Vinart Dealerships, shares his perspective on how the industry can protect profitability and restore consumer trust. On this episode of Inside Automotive, Wright reflects on Vinart’s 2025 performance and explains why he remains cautiously optimistic about 2026 amid shifting market dynamics.

Wright examines the challenges tied to stair-step incentive programs, describing how unpredictability complicates planning and undermines both dealer margins and the customer experience. He outlines a collaborative, objective-based alternative that brings dealers into the conversation earlier and aligns OEM goals with retail realities. The discussion also addresses conditional pricing on third-party marketplaces and the need for industry-led standards to prevent consumer confusion. Finally, Wright weighs in on growing direct-to-consumer efforts, including recent developments involving Scout Motors, and reinforces his belief in the long-term strength of the franchise model.

Topics covered:

• The impact of stair-step programs on dealer profitability
• Dealer–OEM collaboration as a path to sustainable incentives
• Pricing transparency challenges on third-party listing platforms
• Industry self-regulation versus government intervention
• Direct-to-consumer tensions and the future of the franchise model

Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive.

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A landmark acquisition is redefining Ohio’s luxury automotive landscape as the Jeff Wyler Automotive Family acquires Midwestern Auto Group and launches The Wyler Collection. On this episode of Inside Automotive, CEO David Wyler joins Dave Cantin, CEO and Chairman of the Dave Cantin Group, to discuss the strategy behind the transaction and what it means for luxury retail consolidation.

The conversation explores why the single-site Dublin, Ohio luxury campus—home to 14 premium and ultra-luxury brands—represents a rare opportunity, and how the acquisition aligns with Wyler’s disciplined, regionally focused growth strategy. Wyler and Cantin also address the importance of cultural alignment, OEM relationships, and long-term planning in large-scale dealership transitions. Together, they offer insight into why legacy preservation, operational readiness, and generational thinking played a central role in bringing the deal together.

Topics covered:

• The strategic rationale behind acquiring Midwestern Auto Group
• Launching The Wyler Collection and expanding luxury brand reach
• Preserving culture and legacy during ownership transitions
• The role of OEM alignment in complex luxury transactions
• What the deal signals about luxury retail consolidation

Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive.

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