Off Topic & Everything Else

A dealer shares his CarGurus Top Rated Dealer 2018 award with a mocking photo placement, expressing frustration that the platform undermines dealer pricing by telling customers unrealistic discount expectations (20% below MSRP or $2000 below invoice). Other dealers agree that CarGurus' messaging about what constitutes a "good deal" disrespects dealerships and their sales strategies. The thread reflects dealer frustration with third-party rating platforms that influence customer expectations in ways dealers view as unfair.

# Summary Zack H. seeks advice on cold-contacting B2B customers for his new used tire sales program, where he earns commission only on new accounts. The thread consensus recommends leveraging Facebook advertising (starting at $5/day minimum) to target decision-makers over 35 during work hours, supplemented by creative outreach like direct mail, rather than traditional cold calling or email campaigns.

# Summary April Andresen, a BDC/Digital Manager for a 14-location dealership group, seeks recommendations for quality lead sources after cutting Cars.com and not using AutoTrader, asking the community which platforms deliver the best conversion rates. Alexander Lau responds that there is no universal "best" lead source—effectiveness varies significantly by geographic market and demographics—and recommends using multi-touch attribution tools to measure which vendors actually produce quality leads and sales rather than relying on guesswork or vendor claims.

Ryan Leslie requests a high-level technical contact at VinSolutions to address a feed-related issue affecting a mutual client. ChrisR responds positively by offering to reach out to a contact at the company. The thread appears to be a networking request seeking insider referrals to expedite technical support.

# Summary The thread discusses a shift in how dealership internet managers are compensated, with top performers moving away from pay-based on internet lead conversions toward salary-plus-traffic or sales-based models. Alex Snyder argues that many dealerships and vendors still rely on outdated lead-based compensation despite its poor results, while BillH raises practical questions about whether low conversion rates stem from poor website design, clickbait-sourced leads, or visitors finding answers without needing to convert.

# Summary Michael Markette shared a downloadable PDF resource titled "Fix the Phones Volume 5" that accompanied a recent RefreshFriday video discussion between Michael, Jeff Kershner, and Alex Snyder about improving phone practices in automotive dealerships. The thread is primarily a brief announcement and appreciation post, with replies thanking the participants and referencing "strong knowledge bombs" from the episode without detailing specific takeaways. No substantive conclusions or debate emerged—this is a promotional post for the video content rather than a discussion-driven thread.

# Summary Alex Snyder shares frustration with switching from Mac to Windows 10 after a decade, citing setup complexity and bloatware issues, which sparks a broader debate among dealership professionals about the merits of each platform. Participants discuss their mixed experiences with both systems, with some praising Microsoft's recent innovations (Surface line, Windows quality improvements) while others defend Mac's stability and ecosystem, though many note that automotive software limitations often force Windows adoption regardless of preference. The consensus suggests Microsoft is gaining ground on Apple, particularly in hardware design, though the choice ultimately depends on individual workflow needs and dealership software requirements.

Rick Buffkin initiates a discussion about retirement planning strategies for automotive industry professionals, sharing that his dealership recently hosted retirement program advisors who recommended considering Roth IRA contributions. Respondents emphasize the importance of maximizing employer 401(k) matches and tax-advantaged accounts early, with one commenter highlighting how following an accountant's advice on tax-exempt benefits paid off over time, while also diversifying into alternative investments like real estate and money market accounts once employer plans aren't available.

# Summary Dealers frustrate over vendors refusing to post pricing online, instead requiring pitch calls to get quotes. Participants identify multiple reasons: lead generation, price negotiation flexibility, product complexity, competitive intelligence, and outdated sales tactics—though some argue transparent pricing (like SaaS models) could modernize the industry. The thread concludes that while vendor secrecy mirrors old-school car sales practices, dealers themselves often lack clarity on what questions to ask vendors, perpetuating the cycle.

# Summary Automotive industry professionals share their favorite motivational content, podcasts, and blogs that they use for professional development and personal growth. Contributors recommend resources ranging from broad business and economics content (Seth Godin, Freakonomics, Sam Harris) to automotive-industry-specific leadership podcasts. The thread reflects a community value of continuous learning and suggests that consuming quality content from thought leaders is a common practice among successful dealers and managers.

ProMax Unlimited was sold after 23 years under founder John Palmer, with a private equity company acquiring the company while keeping the existing management team and two key executives (Shane Born and Darian Miller) as minority partners. The acquisition appears designed to provide capital and resources for growth rather than a shutdown scenario. The specific identity of the private equity buyer was not disclosed in the thread.

# Summary A new used car dealer seeks guidance on obtaining floor plan financing and subprime lending sources to expand their business. Experienced dealers recommend specific subprime lenders (Westlake, Western Funding, Gold Acceptance, Lobel Financial, etc.) and flooring companies (NextGear), while noting that subprime financing is straightforward once you understand it as a numbers game, and suggesting dealer management software to facilitate deals. The key insight is that subprime lending is more accessible and manageable than many new dealers assume, particularly when working with established lenders and using proper software infrastructure.

# Summary Dealers and industry professionals debate whether Cox Automotive's partnership with Shift (a digital car retailer) to provide physical infrastructure, reconditioning, storage, and imaging services represents a smart business pivot or a potential threat to traditional dealers. While Cox leadership has publicly stated they believe fleet transactions will dominate future automotive retail, participants like Cullen C and Steve Stauning express concern that the partnership gives Shift competitive advantages while questioning whether Cox's forecasts about the industry's direction are overly optimistic or influenced by internal echo chambers.

# Summary The thread discusses Paul Potratz's argument that "bad leads aren't actually bad leads," referencing a video that was featured on a RefreshFriday show. While some commenters initially push back with practical concerns about lead pricing and quality, Steve Stauning argues that truly bad leads are returnable and that successful salespeople should focus on working the good leads rather than complaining—suggesting the real issue isn't the leads themselves but the dealer's approach to them.

Forum members Jeff Kershner and Rick Buffkin posted birthday wishes for Jon Berna, with Kershner using the nickname "Mr. Truth" and celebratory language. The brief thread contains only two replies and serves as a simple birthday greeting rather than a substantive discussion.

# Summary Ben Koller observes that major tech companies like Google, Facebook, and AWS notably lack exhibition booths at the NADA Show, prompting discussion about why industry giants don't directly engage with dealers at this venue. Respondents largely attribute their absence to these companies' market dominance and lack of incentive to solicit dealers directly, though some note they do maintain presences at more technology-focused events like Digital Dealer. The thread concludes with recognition that NADA is missing an opportunity to position itself as a leader in setting technology standards and facilitating dealer relationships with major tech platforms, unlike the more tech-centric Digital Dealer conference.

# Summary A new car salesman asks whether he needs to memorize all vehicle specifications and how to prioritize his study efforts. Experienced respondents advise against trying to memorize every detail—particularly for used cars with infinite variations—and instead recommend starting with makes and models before moving to trims and options, while one contributor suggests focusing on understanding the engineering principles behind cars rather than memorizing specifications to establish broader expertise.

# Sales Process and Preferential Treatment A sales manager asks whether to give exclusive access to high-value sales opportunities (phone leads, service appointments, etc.) to top performers or distribute opportunities equally across the team including new hires. The responses suggest that rather than favoring veterans, managers should classify and assign opportunities based on individual skill sets—matching agents to leads that suit their strengths (e.g., phone skills vs. email writing) for optimal results.

# Summary Alexander Lau shares news that Walmart has partnered with CarSaver and entrepreneur Sean Wolfington to sell cars through its stores, signaling a shift in how consumers purchase vehicles outside traditional dealership models. The post includes links to an Adweek article and relevant company websites, noting Lau's prior conversation with Wolfington about this disruptive concept at a Digital Dealer conference. The thread highlights an emerging threat to traditional dealer relationships as alternative retail channels enter the automotive sales space.

# Summary Dealers discuss Cliff Banks' argument that the dealership franchise model won't become obsolete, citing evidence that dealers can adopt the same technologies as disruptors like Carvana and Vroom. The thread highlights that despite negative stereotypes, the 45 million annual transactions and positive consumer experiences demonstrate the dealership model isn't fundamentally broken, with participants noting the industry has already evolved significantly in recent years.

Rick Buffkin alerts dealers to a critical issue: Symantec SSL certificates issued before June 1, 2016 will stop working in Chrome 66 (April 2018), potentially breaking website access for users. The discussion that follows focuses on affordable alternatives, with respondents debating the adoption rate of free solutions like Let's Encrypt, cPanel's autoSSL, and Cloudflare, ultimately concluding that while free SSL options exist, not all web hosts have made them readily available to customers.

# Summary Cox Automotive announced it would distribute $1,000-$2,000 bonuses to its 60,000+ employees as a result of tax savings, which one poster praised as a generous gesture. The thread briefly discusses the bonus distribution before devolving into political commentary and off-topic image posts, with one dealer making a lighthearted comment about hoping for discounts on Autotrader services.