In this vAuto podcast, used vehicle director Drew Hall of Cloninger Automotive Group details how/why the group adopted a source channel-specific strategy for acquiring vehicles to reduce dependency on auctions. Hear how this strategy has reshaped the way the group acquires, appraisses and prices vehicles to maximize profitability. Get insights to help you establish vehicle acquisition targets based on the source channels that perform best for specific rooftops; develop an “interactive” appraisal process to build transparency and trust when acquiring vehicles from customers; evaluate appraiser performance based on source channel-specific parameters; and, ensure your pricing and desking decisions reflect the rationale/reasons used during appraisals to determine your retail exit strategy.

There’s no denying that it’s been a difficult year to predict what will happen for the automotive market. While June was down, July was hot for new cars. Tariffs are still a hot topic. In this Q3 Live Market View, Derek Hansen and Jonathan Smoke discuss how the trends may shape the year ahead; what increased affordability for top earners means for the used market; how tariffs have already affected the industry and why they're confident consumers and dealers will handle the impact.

In this vAuto podcast, used vehicle buyer Josh Kor of Richfield Bloomington (MN) Honda shares how UVeye’s AI-powered vehicle inspections and a new vAuto appraisal integration have made acquiring vehicles from service customers more effective and efficient. Kor details the process he follows that yields 1500 completed service lane appraisals and 40-plus vehicle acquisitions each month. Hear how the dealership uses UVeye technology to supplement vehicle inspections and uncover additional RO opportunities; ensures nearly 90 percent of service lane customers receive appraisals for their vehicles; and follows a “soft touch” approach that gives customers 30 days to say “yes” to the initial offer.

In this vAuto Quarterly Quick-Takes video, strategic planning director Bethany Johnson summarizes key take-aways from Q2, which saw a series of ups and downs across new and used vehicle departments for dealers. Get pointers to help you turn a new vehicle bright spot—improving trade-in equity—to your advantage to address slow-moving inventory; diversify your used vehicle acquisition strategy and mix to better serve affordability-minded buyers; and, help your car stand tall in merchandising to spur buyer interest/engagement online.

In this vAuto podcast, dealer principal Rob York of the Indiana-based, six-store York Automotive Group, shares how/why he moved from a “stock to stock” strategy for used vehicle acquisition to a strategic approach, where distinct parameters guide appraising and acquisitions decisions. York shares key metrics to identify the “right” vehicles for their inventories as well as how/when the vehicle transfers occur across rooftops. He also details the steps his team follows to mine the service drive for acquisitions as well as their approach for monitoring/pursuing missed trades.

In this vAuto podcast, vAuto’s Senior Director of Customer Program Management, Dan Winchester, addresses five performance improvement opportunities for groups. The opportunities flow from his work advising dealer groups on ways to improve their businesses. The specific opportunities include ways to bring more consistency to appraisals across group rooftops; how to ensure each vehicle retails at the rooftop that offers the best ROI opportunity; pointers to establish group-level targets to minimize vehicle price discounts; and, guidelines to understand if merchandising or pricing is problematic for a vehicle.

In the Q2 Live Market View, Derek Hanson and Jessica Stafford explore consumer shopping behavior, sales trends, and inventory dynamics in early spring 2025. They highlight how new car leads surged in March and April, how dealers adapted to tariff uncertainties, and how AI-driven tools are helping dealers optimize pricing and inventory decisions. The discussion also emphasizes the importance of real-time data, strategic marketing, and meeting consumers where they are in today’s fast-moving automotive market.

In this vAuto Quarterly Quick-Takes video, strategic planning director Bethany Johnson shares operational priorities for dealers coming off a strong pace of tariff-spurred sales in the first quarter of 2025. Bethany shares pointers to help you minimize age and maximize your new vehicle inventory mix; merchandise used vehicles to capture buyers who can’t afford a new vehicle; and align your used vehicle acquisition strategy to in-demand price points and segments.

In this vAuto podcast, general manager Bill Stanley of the North Dakota-based Ryan Family of Dealerships details his experience working with vAuto’s development team to create a better, faster way of assessing and addressing rooftop-level performance. Stanley also outlines why he expects his team will be “rocking and rolling” this summer, despite the risks of less favorable market conditions due to tariffs and other factors. Hear how Stanley uses a new enterprise-level dashboard to reduce discounting to an average of $150, zero in on pricing, people or process issues that need attention, shave hours of time he previously spent to compile performance reports and strengthen the group’s 60 percent Look to Book average to maintain a balance between sales and stocking levels.

In this vAuto podcast, vAuto and Cox Automotive associate vice president Patrick Janes shares perspective on how dealers can address the impact of tariffs as they manage new and used vehicle inventories. Janes offers pointers to help you acquire inventory from customers in a supply-constrained market; ensure your new/used vehicle pricing keeps pace as the market moves; adjust your inventory/sales momentum as market demand shifts.