Tony Piazza

Marine Trades people in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region…Here is some thinking outside of the box for the tech shortage problem that everyone is experiencing…Is this an idea/offer to a new tech coming onboard that you would consider as an employer?

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Many GM dealers are sitting on IMR funds right now that will never get fully used. After years of working inside dealerships and around the GM IMR ecosystem, I kept seeing the same pattern repeat itself. So I built something to fix it. Today, we launched IMRpros.com. IMRpros helps GM dealers turn underused IMR funds into a structured strategy, compliant submissions, and real community-driven market activation. Not just reimbursement. Execution. Now that we have launched the website, we are opening four dealership spots to work closely with stores that want to maximize their IMR funds before the end of the year. This includes: • identifying unused IMR funds • building a smarter IMR strategy • planning community marketing and events • handling submissions and documentation • making sure programs actually get executed If you're a GM Dealer Principal, GM, or Marketing Director who knows there’s IMR opportunity sitting on the table, I'd be happy to talk. You can learn more here: 👉 https://imrpros.com

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Volkswagen dealers are now advertising new 2025 ID.Buzz Pro S electric vans for under $49,000, nearly $15,000 off MSRP. The discounts arrive after VW confirmed it will not bring 2026 model year ID.Buzz inventory to the US, leaving dealers to clear remaining stock following early markups that pushed transaction prices past $100,000. More details on this at Electrek: https://lnkd.in/eGJfx6jU Story by Joseph (Jo) Borrás.

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Inventory is stabilizing, but customer expectations continue to rise. With interest rates still shaping buying decisions, transparency, strong service experiences, and operational discipline are what build trust. Dealerships that stay customer-first, data-driven, and consistent in execution will continue to outperform. Leadership and execution make the difference.

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I have thought about this for a few years and while I understand the cost cutting measures that have lead to the elimination of the GSM position under many rooftops, I have to say I agree with this post. Worth a read if you’re in the automotive industry, especially on the variable side.

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🚨 Wholesale CR Discrepancies Are Getting Worse — Here’s What Dealers Need to Know Funny thing happened this week…I dropped a quick comment on a post about bad condition reports — and it took off. And honestly, I’m not surprised. Every used-car manager I know has lived this moment: 👉 CR says “minor wear” 👉 Car shows up with $2,500 worth of surprises 👉 And your front-end vanishes before you even hit the brakes After 40 years in this industry, here’s the truth: Bad CRs don’t kill dealerships — bad seller relationships do. When you buy from sellers who: Stand behind their vehicles Disclose honestly Care about long-term business …your recon stabilizes and your profit stops getting ambushed. 🔧 Let’s talk Post-Sale Inspections — because most are useless I’ve seen thousands of PSIs over the years, and here’s the uncomfortable reality: PSIs fail because auction techs are inspecting cars at lightspeed. Most get 3–5 minutes per car. Some even less. They’re not checking panel alignment. They’re not spotting quick cosmetic coverups. They’re not catching previous damage unless it jumps out and bites them. They’re moving too fast and checking boxes so the lane keeps flowing. So managers think they’re protected… …but the car still lands with issues the PSI never caught. That’s why so many people feel blindsided. 💡 The better alternative: DealShield (by a mile) If you really want post-sale protection, DealShield is the play — not a rushed PSI. Here’s why: DealShield makes the auction stand behind the car. Not the seller. Not the buyer. The auction. So when hidden damage shows up and you return the vehicle: You get your money back The auction is left holding the bag And the seller doesn’t get that car back This changes their behavior fast. Why? Because when auctions eat enough bad returns, they start putting pressure upstream on the sellers to disclose damage honestly or stop selling outright. It’s one of the only systems in wholesale that actually creates accountability. And unlike a PSI — where a tech is racing through cars in 3 minutes — DealShield gives you real protection, not a “hope they caught something” checklist. ⚠️ A Word of Caution (Important) DealShield isn’t a backup plan for sloppy buying. If you rely on it too heavily: Your DS costs will skyrocket You’ll get flagged as a high-return buyer And yes… You can get cut off Buy smart first, use DealShield second. It’s protection — not a strategy. Always read the CR carefully, check announcements, study seller history, and lean on your data before you even think about hitting “Buy.” 📊 The Real Formula That Actually Works Data + Trustworthy Sellers + Smart Protection What’s the biggest CR surprise you’ve been hit with this year — and did you fight it, eat it, or DealShield it? I’m curious what everyone else is seeing in different markets.

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If there is a starring supporting role in Mazda North America’s drive to improve service retention rates, it may go to a $4 pointer stick with a tiny hand on the end. At least Chris Reeves thinks so. The director of area operations and a partner in the five-dealership Lee Johnson Auto Family’s two Mazda stores in metro Seattle, Reeves sees the inexpensive telescoping teachers’ aides as an invaluable tool that improves his technicians’ inspection videos. The videos — along with the transparency and trust they’ve generated between the dealerships and service customers — have helped his stores rank among the brand’s top service retention performers nationally. “It’s a trust-building opportunity,” said Reeves, who explained how his technicians use the pointer sticks to show customers exactly what they’re seeing in inspection videos. “The customer gets to see everything about their vehicle. If the two- or three-minute video has been properly recorded and executed and explained, that’s a real win for the customer.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gTW--W3K #Mazda #serviceretention #automotive #autoindustry #autoretail

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Collision repair is a diverse industry that offers a multitude of career opportunities, including tons of options OUTSIDE the shop. Learn more about some of these roles on page 28 of New England Automotive Report. https://lnkd.in/ezAm-NfJ #beyondtheshop #collisioncareers Michael Johnson Micki Woods Guy Glodis Sean Preston Brandon Eckenrode Chasidy Rae Sisk

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Effort is one of those things that doesn’t show up on a P&L… but it shows up everywhere else. In the collision industry, effort is the difference between: • “That’s not my job” and “I’ll take care of it.” • A customer feeling processed vs. truly cared for. • A shop surviving vs. a shop becoming elite. Effort is staying late to make sure a car is right. It’s making the extra phone call instead of assuming someone else will. It’s coaching instead of complaining. It’s choosing pride in your work even when no one is watching. Talent is great. Experience matters. But effort? Effort is controllable. Every single day. I’ve seen average teams become high-performing teams simply because they decided to give more than the minimum. More focus. More ownership. More pride. More heart. You don’t need perfect conditions to give great effort. You just need the decision to show up and bring it. Because in this industry, effort isn’t optional if you want to be great. It’s the standard. #Effort #CollisionIndustry #Leadership #ShopLife #BodyShopCulture #NoExcuses #PrideInWork #TeamFirst #Consistency #HighPerformance

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Carvana’s expansion into new car sales is raising questions. Core elements like warranties and customer support add layers of complexity far different from used retail. Matt Bowers, Owner of Matt Bowers Automotive Group, explains why dealers see this as a test of execution. "If it was just who had the most money or the most scale, we would all be out of business. Automation would've put us outta business a long, long time ago." "The simplest part of the car business is selling used cars, quite frankly. You sell 'em in one piece, you get paid in one piece." "I'm gonna take what they do good and I'm gonna try to rip it off and implement it, and then I'm gonna take what they don't do well, and what they can't do well, and I'm gonna live right there." - Thank you to our partner Dealer Pay! Check them out by visiting https://dealer-pay.com/

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New car days supply widens by OEM based on Cox Automotive chart. A 4x gap from Toyota 29 days to Audi 120. The brand matters. The Hyundai number is interesting. Has increased from 96 in April to 112 in May? Used car inventory remains tight as supply continues to work through challenges with off lease volume and equity challenges. MAY DAYS’ SUPPLY OF INVENTORY BY BRAND

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After-hours is when dealerships are most exposed. Open lots. Dozens or hundreds of vehicles. Limited visibility once the lights go down. From catalytic converter theft and wheel removal to break-ins and vandalism, most incidents don’t happen during business hours. Instead, they happen when no one is watching. Why do automotive dealerships continue to struggle with overnight surveillance? And what separates systems that simply record from those that actively prevent loss? Read the full article to understand the real risks, and what smarter after-hours security should look like.

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Most dealerships don’t lose money on the lot. They lose it in recon. Not because recon is bad, recon is necessary. Customers deserve safe, clean, retail ready cars. The real issue is this: By the time a car finally makes it through recon, waiting on parts, approvals, vendor delays, “one more thing,” and re checking the same work twice, the car is technically ready… …but the opportunity could be gone. The market moves. The car aged without ever being for sale. Cash stayed tied up. Floorplan pressure built. And then stores are forced into bad choices: raise the price to “make the recon back” hold it longer hoping for the “right buyer” discount it later after it sits even more None of that helps the dealer… and it definitely doesn’t help the consumer. Here’s the truth: Recon time IS aging time. The goal isn’t cutting corners. The goal is cutting cycle time while keeping standards high. ✅ safety first ✅ consistent quality ✅ clear recon rules ✅ fast turnaround ✅ retail ready, not “perfect someday” In used cars, speed without standards is dangerous. But standards without speed is expensive. #UsedCars #Reconditioning #InventoryManagement #Dealership #AutoRetail #Operations #automotive

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Parts and services needs to 'pay for the dealership' "Fixed ops" in a successful car dealership should pay for the entire operation, leaving sales as the profit machine, says Ken Scheder, Director of Automotive Business Intelligence at EyeQ Monitoring. "Service is so important, and the rest is icing on the cake," Scheder tells Best In Showroom. "That's correct. I agree one hundred percent," adds victor silva, Used Car Operations Service Manager of Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia/ Scheder, Silva and host David Snow share their insights in the Best In Showroom episode, "The Manager of Atlanta's Biggest Mercedes Dealership Started in the Car Wash." Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead is part of the Group 1 automotive retail group. Best In Showroom is presented by EyeQ Monitoring, a premier provider of remote video surveillance and business intelligence solutions, serving commercial properties across North America. EyeQ offers a comprehensive, end-to-end security solution—from site design and equipment installation to ongoing monitoring, threat prevention, and maintenance. Leveraging advanced analytics and proprietary systems, EyeQ processes vast data in real time to identify and address security threats with precision. Its customer base spans a wide range of industries, including automotive, logistics, retail, and multi-family real estate. EyeQ Monitoring Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead #cars #dealership #security

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Most automotive dealers are left in the dark. With no idea which vendors are accessing their data or where it’s going. This lack of visibility isn't just frustrating; it’s a huge liability. The truth is: Your DMS doesn't own your data. You do. Introducing NADA Vault by Authenticom, a solution designed to give dealerships full control and visibility. Unlike traditional data syndication, NADA Vault allows you to manage compliance and security with precision. Key features of NADA Vault discussed in this video: True Ownership: Break free from DMS restrictions and see exactly where your data goes. Instant Kill-Switch: Start, stop, or deactivate a data feed immediately to cut off access. Customizable Feeds: Choose exactly which data fields vendors receive (e.g., omit customer phone numbers for campaigns that don't need them). Compliance Ready: Manage opt-outs and reduce liability regarding state and federal data regulations. NADA Vault is a win for dealers who want control, and a win for vendors who want accurate, clean data. 🔗 Take back your power at: https://lnkd.in/gy59JYeQ

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In the fast-paced world of automotive sales, hesitation is often the enemy of profit. Quick, data-driven decisions are exactly what separate successful dealerships from the rest of the pack, especially when it comes to inventory turnover. Here is why speed matters: * **Faster Inventory Turns:** Rapid decisions on flipped cars keep cash moving. * **Data Integrity:** Reliable automotive history provides the confidence to act fast. * **Profit Maximization:** The right car at the right time is a goldmine waiting to happen. When you have the right data, acting immediately isn't risky—it's strategic. How do you balance the need for speed with the necessity of thorough research in your own business? #AutomotiveIndustry #DealershipSuccess #DataDriven #BusinessStrategy #SalesTips #InventoryManagement

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