Franchised Dealers Podcasts

Today I'm joined by Marcello Sciarrino, Co-Owner at Island Auto Group. Marcello runs 20 stores across New York and New Jersey — the 37th largest business in New York State, ahead of the Yankees and the Giants — and he watched peers go from 3 stores to 12 overnight while he and his partners sat on their hands. He breaks down the math trap killing over-leveraged dealers, why brokers in the New York market are secretly extracting thousands per deal at the consumer's expense, and why his next big ...

Today I'm joined by Corina Straub Diehl, CEO and President at Diehl Automotive Group. After the sudden loss of her husband in 2007, Corina ignored advice to sell the business and instead scaled it into a 24-store powerhouse generating over a billion dollars in revenue. This conversation breaks down her "rebel" leadership style, her aggressive 5-year ROI acquisition strategy, and why she views collision centers as the ultimate customer retention tool. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Ope...

Today I'm joined by Erikka Tiffani, General Manager at Walser Hyundai Brooklyn Park. In an industry defined by grind and tradition, Erikka breaks down how Walzer has successfully implemented a 4-day work week and a non-commissioned sales model. We discuss the transition from traditional F&I "boxes" to a one-point-of-contact system that actually maintains high PVR. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Podium - the AI platform trusted by one in three dealerships. Podium helps dealers consolida...

Welcome to Dealer War Room from Car Dealership Guy — a new series where host Yossi Levi sits down with top operators to break down the biggest challenges in auto retail. Today I’m joined by Matt Bowers, Owner of Matt Bowers Automotive Group, Todd Blue, CEO of LAPIS, and Andy Wright, Managing Partner of VINart Dealerships. In this episode, we get into the growing tension between dealers and OEMs — from affordability and negative equity to mandated tech. We also break down the split in the buy-s...

Today I'm joined by Rob Cochran, 2026 Chairman of NADA and CEO of #1 Cochran. We dive into the high-stakes world of dealer advocacy, exploring how NADA defeated the onerous CARS rule and why the FTC still has the industry in its crosshairs. Rob breaks down the "alignment gap" between OEMs and dealers, the looming threat of Chinese EVs, and why the franchise system must overhaul the customer experience to survive. This episode is brought to you by: 1. EasyCare - Pulseprotectsusa.com is provid...

Today I'm joined by Fred Timbrook, CEO at Timbrook Automotive. We dive into Fred's unique diversification into Power Sports, the intense efficiency required to run a high-volume collision center, and the personal philosophy of a dealer who also serves as a senior pastor. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Experian - By combining precise audience targeting with deep automotive insights, you can identify high-intent buyers, re-engage existing customers, drive service retention, and grow both...

Today I'm joined by Brian Dorsett, President of Dorsett Automotive. Brian breaks down why he is moving away from OEM-mandated digital spend, his "Big Stick" radio branding tactics, and the strict inventory rules required to survive in today's margin-compressed market. We also discuss the "catcher's view" of leadership and the reality of managing sub-prime and prime brands under one campus. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Lotlinx - Meet LotGPT, your AI Inventory Strategist built exclusiv...

Today, Sam D'Arc is joined by Joey Logano, NASCAR Driver and Co-Owner of Huntersville Ford. Joey breaks down his transition from the NASCAR track to the dealership floor, revealing how he applies a "Sunday report card" mentality to retail operations. We explore the complexity of managing inventory, the "brutal" nature of automotive competition, and why Joey is focused on building a generational legacy beyond racing. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Openlane - The world’s best online dea...

Today I'm joined by Michael Joe Cannon, Owner of Cannon Motors of Mississippi. After stepping away from a coaching career at Ole Miss to take over his father’s 12x12 used car lot, Michael has scaled his group to 37 rooftops by treating business like a team sport. He breaks down his "Circle of Life" philosophy, explaining why employee stability is the ultimate defensive play against market volatility and direct sales threats. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Podium - The AI platform trus...

Today I'm joined by John Hiester, Dealer Principal at John Hiester Automotive Group. In this conversation, we discuss how video and AI are transforming sales and F&I coaching, why Hiester moved toward salaried “product specialists,” and how diversification—from parts distribution to real estate—creates new stability beyond vehicle sales. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Lotlinx - Meet LotGPT, your AI Inventory Strategist built exclusively for car dealers. Fluent in your market, your deal...

Today I'm joined by David Wyler, CEO of Jeff Wyler Automotive Family. We dig into why Wyler abandoned traditional corporate management in favor of a “coach” model, how a strict 100-mile acquisition rule protects execution, and why culture—not capital—is the only defensible edge left in consolidation. David also unpacks his massive acquisition of the Midwest Auto Group, the lessons of stagnation during COVID, and what it really takes to scale a family business without losing its soul. This epi...

Today I'm joined by Michael Maroone, Chairman and CEO of Maroone USA. Michael breaks down why new cars are becoming commodities, where profit has actually migrated, and why culture, curiosity, and operational freedom matter more than pay plans. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Podium - 78% of customers buy from the first business that responds, yet most businesses reply an hour or more late. Jerry 2.0 is the only fully customizable AI Employee. Jerry learns your playbooks, understands y...

Today I'm joined by Matt Stuckey, President of Stuckey Automotive. Matt explains how real estate mandates, throughput targets, and workforce pipelines intersect, and why productivity—not volume—is the real competitive edge in today’s market. This episode is brought to you by: 1. iPacket - iPacket also offers iPacket Recon, iPacket OnTargeting and iPacket Value - the newest product to the iPacket line-up. iPacket partners with thousands of dealer partners and is headquartered in Williamstown, ...

In this episode of the Industry Spotlight, we dive into why used car success in 2026 is no longer just about the purchase price, but about the high-stakes ability to acquire and articulate a vehicle's complete story. Joining host Sam D’Arc is Doug Horner of General Sales Manager at Mercedes-Benz of North Olmsted and Tyler Astorg, Vice President Sales at iPacket to discuss how precision data—specifically knowing the exact options and trim levels—serves as a dealer's ultimate superpower. The...

Today I’m joined by Donald Kemp, General Sales Manager at Stowasser Buick GMC. We dig into why human-first social content is outperforming inventory posts, how moving F&I earlier drives higher penetration, and where dealers are quietly leaking money through junk fees. The conversation is tactical, practical, and immediately applicable for stores feeling margin pressure. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Experian Automotive - Like most Car Dealership Guy Listeners, you’re constant...

Today, Sam sits down with Steve Hoggle, General Manager at Honda of Lake City and Sarah Copp, Director of Major Accounts at Lotlinx to pull back the curtain on the "Moneyball" strategy of modern automotive retail. While many dealers are still relying on gut instinct and "emotional buying" at auction, the nation’s top-performing groups—including the $11 billion Morgan Auto Group—have shifted to a predictive, VIN-specific model. We explore how Honda of Lake City achieved a staggering 4:1 used-to-n...

Today I’m joined by Andrew Habberstad, CEO at Habberstad Auto Group. We unpack how a single relationship led to a $7,000 BMW franchise. Andrew breaks down generational continuity, smart expansion, and why listening to peers can quietly reshape a dealer’s entire future. Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: For dealers: CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/ Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com Dealership recruiting ➤ http://www.cdgrecruiting.com Fix your dealership’s social m...

In part 5 of our Pre NADA AI Spotlight series, Sam sits down with Luke Sontag, Marketing, & IT Manager at Kissee Ford and Ari Polakof, CEO & Co-founder of Flai. We explore how one family-owned dealership used voice AI to capture after-hours and rollover calls without losing its local, human feel. Ari explains why most “bolt-on” AI fails, how deep DMS integration changes outcomes, and what it really takes to get service advisors to trust automation. The result is real appointments, immediate RO...

In part 3 of our Pre NADA AI Spotlight series we break down why call handling is still broken, and how a new generation of agentic AI is changing the equation. Today, Sam sits down with Chris Murphy, General Manager of Volkswagen of Oakland and Monik Pamecha, CEO of Toma. We explore how forward-thinking dealers are reallocating human talent away from low-value phone work and back into high-impact, in-store customer interactions. The conversation also tackles a harder truth: as AI becomes a tru...

Today I’m joined by Andrew Spitzer, COO of Spitzer Autoworld. Spitzer breaks down how his fourth-generation family business doubled its footprint to 26 rooftops while maintaining radical showroom etiquette. He reveals why he bans AirPods on the floor, how a chance encounter with Henry Ford shaped the group’s legacy, and the specific ways they use AI to scale high-touch customer service. We also explore the group’s "Elite 8" meritocracy and why service retention is now the primary driver of...

This year, auto retail crossed a real inflection point with AI — not just experimentation, but actual adoption inside dealerships. With that shift came a flood of questions from operators trying to separate signal from noise. AI is everywhere right now. Claims are loud. Results are uneven. And it’s not always clear what’s actually working. So we’re launching an seven-part series, Pre-NADA AI Spotlight — conversations with the most forward-leaning AI companies in auto retail, focused on what they...

Today I’m joined by Nathan Shaver, Managing Partner, Shaver Auto Group. We dig into why fixed operations have become the most reliable growth engine for dealerships, what it actually took to triple service gross in 18 months, and where dealers are still leaving money on the table. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Lotlinx - What if ChatGPT actually spoke dealer? Meet LotGPT — the first AI chatbot built just for car dealers. Fluent in your market, your dealership, and your inventory, LotGP...

Today I’m joined by Jared Priestner, CEO of Go Auto. Jared breaks down why Go Auto is expanding aggressively into the U.S., how concentration risk in Western Canada shaped that move, and what it takes to scale culture across borders. We talk financial discipline, acquisition integration, and why used cars remain one of the biggest profit unlocks for dealers willing to operate differently. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Ikon Technologies - Ikon Technologies delivers a connected vehicle...

Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with Dorian Jimenez, Owner-Dealer Operator of Classic Chevrolet OKC, and Chuck Stilwill, EVP of Ikon Technologies. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by Ikon Technologies: 1. Ikon Technologies - Ikon Technologies delivers a connected vehicle progra...