Kyle Mountsier

What All Dealers Think But Don’t Want to Say Out Loud Cox Automotive just released the Q4 2025 Dealer Sentiment Index, and once you understand how this scale works, the story becomes brutally clear. Dealers weren’t asked to write essays. They were asked one simple question over and over: Are conditions strong, average, or weak? Cox converts those answers into a 0–100 index: • Strong = 100 • Average = 50 • Weak = 0 So yes, it looks like a 1–100 scale… but 50 is the neutral line. Above 50 means improving. Below 50 means weakening. And here’s what dealers across America just told Cox Automotive: Current market: 38 Dealers aren’t saying it’s “soft.” They’re saying it’s weak. Future outlook: 42 No one expects a sudden rebound in the next 90 days. Customer traffic: 31 This is the lowest traffic score ever recorded. Deals are dying before they even start. Profitability: 36 Margins are getting squeezed from every angle. Holding costs, recon, discounting, affordability… all pushing PVR down. Used sales sentiment: 42 The segment that usually saves the month is now the segment most dealers feel slipping. EV future sales: 24 This isn’t a slowdown. This is dealers saying: “Demand is fading, incentives expired, and we’re getting stuck holding aged EVs.” So what does this really mean? It means the entire industry just admitted what many have been feeling privately: We don’t have a lead shortage. We have a demand and confidence problem. Walk-ins are down. Digital traffic is down. Buyers are stretched. And the stores that win will be the ones that control what they can control: Speed. Follow-up. Outbound activity. Inventory discipline. Real trade strategy. Process, not hope. The CADSI didn’t shock anyone. It simply confirmed what’s already happening on the ground. The market didn’t collapse. It slowed down. The next 90 days will separate operators from order takers. Source: Cox Automotive Q4 2025 Dealer Sentiment Index (Dec 3, 2025)

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" We happen to be in one of the largest discounting cycles in the automotive century, and the reason for that has everything to do with interest rates, the pandemic effect, supply chain shortages, tariffs, and all the concerns about the economy." Many dealers worry digital lead tools force them to compete on price alone. Scott Painter, Founder & CEO of TrueCar, Inc., explains how pricing transparency fits into the broader economics of selling cars. Daily Dealer Live hosted by Sam D'Arc and Ulisse de' Martino — listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/g48rcD-N - Thank you to our partner Stream Companies! Check them out by visiting: https://lnkd.in/efxYAQAe

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🚗 A Wake-Up Call for the Automotive Industry In a recent interview, https://lnkd.in/gNRApeJ3 Ford CEO Jim Farley revealed that many dealerships are facing a two-week backlog in service appointments—not because of demand, but because we simply don’t have enough trained technicians to meet it. It’s an industry-wide challenge that threatens customer satisfaction, dealership profitability, and long-term brand loyalty. The vehicles are evolving. Our workforce strategy must evolve with them. #AutomotiveIndustry #TechnicianShortage #Dealerships #FutureOfWork

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🚗 Automotive Market Update October 2025: What Dealers Need to Know: ✅ Used cars are finally stabilizing - prices are flattening, but inventory mix remains tight. 💸 New car incentives are rising, helping offset high interest rates for buyers. ⚙️ Dealers focusing on data-driven marketing are seeing stronger lead quality and higher ROI. 📈 Electric vehicle momentum continues, but adoption varies heavily by region. 🧠 OEMs are pushing digital retail, yet most dealers still see the best conversion with hybrid models. 📊 Profit margins are normalizing, bringing operations and process efficiency back into focus. 👉 The market’s shifting fast - staying ahead means understanding why these trends are happening, not just what’s changing. 🎥 Watch the full Market Minute for deeper insights. Link in the comments!

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This useful #framework carries a lot of relevance for a #dealership business. It's about moving past "human error" to find the real root cause of issues, which I think is key for improving #automotiveretail operations. ​By applying this to your dealership, you can solve problems more effectively—whether it's a mistake on a customer's finance paperwork, an inefficiency in the service bay, or a miscommunication with the sales team. It helps you get to the heart of the issue, leading to better processes and a smoother experience for your customers. Delve deeper, dont buy into every excuse thrown at you! #ambitcollective

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🔧 Fixed Ops Directors ⚙️ 🚗 Service Managers 🔥 🔥 Dealer Principals 🚘 🚙 Automotive Professionals 🔥 Durran Cage shares two powerful ways to use video in your fixed ops department—educating customers and creating magical micro-moments that elevate the service experience. 📢 Want to enhance customer trust, improve engagement, and drive service department performance? Tune in Wednesday mornings at 9AM EST / 6AM PST on Clubhouse to hear insights like this and more on All Things Fixed Operations with Michael Barich and David Sparks. Join the discussion or be a 🪰 on the wall like me—either way, you’ll walk away with actionable takeaways to level up your service department TODAY. Click the link below for the full replay of Video Is Not Just For Variable…Part 2. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gA5ef3HD #automotive #autodealers #automotiveindustry #carbusiness #fixedops #fixedoperations #customerexperience #videomarketing

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According to Cox Automotive Inc.'s July Auto Market Report, the industry saw strong gains: ⏺️ +6.6% new-vehicle sales YoY ⏺️ +2% used retail sales YoY ⏺️ Credit access improved across most lender types Lower prices, higher incentives, and better credit access are creating opportunities for lenders to serve more borrowers—especially in near- and non-prime segments. These trends underscore the importance of adapting lending strategies to meet shifting demand and credit dynamics. Read the full Cox Automotive report here: https://lnkd.in/gEEZ4SGn #AutoLending #AutoFinance #CreditUnions #Banks #OpenLending #LendingInsights #CoxAutomotive

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The growing tension between Volkswagen and its U.S dealers over VW Group’s controversial plan to sell Scout Motors vehicles directly to consumers reached a new boiling point this week during a meeting on the eve of the NADA Show, with some dealers leaving frustrated and stonewalled. Dealers also remain concerned after VW‘s U.S. sales skidded three straight quarters amid headwinds that include a disappointing ID Buzz launch, the high cost of U.S. tariffs and the lack of a hybrid. The Dealer Principal Summit on Feb. 2 was held for retailers or executive managers only, according to dealers who attended. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gF5aZHhY #Volkswagen #VW #ScoutMotors #automotive #autoindustry #VWdealers

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AutoVision News Radio is host to the forward-thinking minds and voices shaping the future of the automotive industry. Recent guests include: -- Scott Tobin of Envorso -- Marley Devergilio, MBA of the Automotive Women's Alliance -- Faruk Heplevent of THE SCOPE Scott spoke about strategies for companies as they evaluate their software roadmaps. Marley shared advice for younger women considering a career in automotive, while Faruk expanded on how carmakers use CGI for their creative assets.  AV Radio is available on all major podcast platforms. 

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