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At the NY Auto Forum, Force Marketing CEO John Fitzpatrick breaks down the real forces shaping automotive retail right now—from tariffs and policy shifts to EV adoption and affordability pressures. With insights tied directly to Senator Moreno’s surprisingly accurate market predictions, this conversation challenges the “doom and gloom” narrative and reframes where dealers actually stand today.

Fitzpatrick dives into what’s actually working on the ground: transparency, consistent communication, and operational fundamentals that most high-performing dealers already execute well. He also unpacks the FTC’s latest enforcement stance, the opportunity in used EV inventory, and why AI isn’t about perfection—it’s about speed. For dealers navigating uncertainty, this is a grounded, operator-level look at what matters now and what’s coming next.

Timestamped Takeaways

0:00 Intro

0:18 Why This Moment Matters for Dealers

1:05 Senator Moreno’s Market Prediction Accuracy

2:10 Tariffs, Policy, and Dealer Sentiment Shift

3:05 Dealers at the Intersection of Economy and Consumer

4:12 FTC Enforcement and Advertising Transparency

6:02 The “Bad Actor” Narrative vs Reality

7:25 What Consumers Actually Respond To

8:40 Used EV Opportunity and Affordability Shift

10:05 Toyota’s Strategy Dealers Should Copy

11:15 Why Service Drives Repeat Purchases

12:05 AI as Speed, Not Perfection

13:20 The Future Impact of Decisions Made Today

Connect with John Fitzpatrick at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwfitz/

Our coverage of the NY Auto Forum is brought to you Force Marketing. Learn more at https://www.forcemarketing.com/

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