4x'ing Used Car Sales: This Franchise Dealers Ultimate Pre-Owned Playbook | JR Toothman, Dealer Principal at Toothman Ford
Today I’m joined by JR Toothman, Dealer Principal at Toothman Ford. We break down how he’s quietly 4x’ing used car sales—his secret acquisition playbook, the hailstorm that led to his biggest sales day ever, and the behind-the-scenes strategy powering his used car empire.
This episode is brought to you by:
1. OPENLANE - The world’s best online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. Learn more @ https://www.openlane.com/
2. CDG Recruiting - The Go-To Talent Partner for Dealers. Hire pre-vetted GMs, sales, F&I, fixed ops, C-suite, and back-office talent—ready to perform. Faster hires, better results. Book a call → http://www.CDGRecruiting.com
3. CarGurus - maximize your performance on the #1 most visited car shopping site in the U.S. With data-driven intelligence on what to buy, how to improve the visibility of your listings, and how to optimize pricing, CarGurus will help drive revenue at every stage. Learn more @ http://insights.cargurus.com/cdg.
Similarweb, Traffic Report (Cars.com, Autotrader, TrueCar, CARFAX Listings (defined as CARFAX Total visits minus Vehicle History Reports traffic), Q4'24, USA.
CarGurus analysis of US dealers that changed a vehicle price based on NBDR recommendations compared to vehicles without an NBDR- informed price change from Nov 2023 through Dec 2024, finding that dealers that made NBDR-price informed change see a 42% median increase in VDP views per day.
Market Probe International, blinded survey of 600 dealers, Aug 2024. Based on 313 dealers who pay for at least two listings sites.
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Topics:
00:54 – How can dealerships embrace technology and data?
01:54 – How have dealerships evolved over time?
05:16 – What is your personal background and career journey?
08:09 – How does your family impact the business?
10:59 – What marketing strategies do you use, and how is your store set up?
19:49 – Why focus on the used car market?
22:09 – What are your strategies for buying cars?
26:29 – How do you optimize inventory and acquire vehicles?
39:23 – What do you see in the future of the used car market?
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This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
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43:07
Industry Spotlight: Why Most Dealers Fail at Lead Follow-Up—And How Tech Closes the Gap
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 Yuriy Demidko, Chief Information Officer at DPFox; and Matthew Muilenburg, Chief Product Officer at Impel.
This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by Impel.
Impel AI - Impel AI helps you drive loyalty with proactive, personalized service outreach that scales seamlessly. From service milestones to recall alerts and tailored incentives, Impel makes service outreach feel more like a concierge service than marketing. With AI-powered service scheduling via text and email, your team can stop managing calendars and focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences. Future-proof your service drive today @ https://carguymedia.com/41G1unN
Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
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Topics:
00:30 Biggest challenges with internet leads?
01:09 How does AI impact engagement?
07:24 What is generative AI?
10:06 How to implement AI dealerships?
21:19 AI's financial impact on dealers?
23:38 Why is data crucial for AI?
26:01 Why clean customer data matters?
27:21 How AI personalizes customer interactions?
35:41 AI's operational impact on dealers?
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This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
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45:23
"GMs Don’t Get Finance": How This Operator Uses F&I to Outrun the Market | Chase Channell, General Manager of Victory Honda Jackson
Today I’m joined by Chase Channell, General Manager of Victory Honda Jackson.
We get into how he went from college dropout to GM by 25, why mastering finance separates good GMs from great ones, and why he still personally desks every single deal at his store.
This episode is brought to you by:
1. DLRdmv – Dealers, are you still stuck using outdated interstate titling methods? DLR50 from DLRdmv modernizes out‑of‑state titling by providing 24/7 sales tax, title, and registration fees, pre‑populated state-specific forms, through an online platform that directly integrates with your DMS. CDG listeners get 30 days of free full-service access to DLR50 on unlimited out-of-state deals. Head over to @ https://www.DLRdmv.com/CDG , use code POD30 to claim your free month today.
2. Copart – Are you looking to expand your dealership’s wholesale inventory? Finding front-line ready vehicles from finance, fleet, and rental consignors is now easier than ever. Copart Select gives you transparency that drives profitability and the assurance you need. Register as a Member to Get Started @ https://carguymedia.com/44x0XYn
3. CDG Recruiting - The Go-To Talent Partner for Dealers. Hire pre-vetted GMs, sales, F&I, fixed ops, C-suite, and back-office talent—ready to perform. Faster hires, better results. Book a call → http://www.CDGRecruiting.com
Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com
Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu
Topics:
02:10 What's Chase's early career background?
02:50 Why transition to car sales?
05:00 First car sales experiences like?
12:36 Why is F&I knowledge important?
20:23 How to build customer relationships?
24:58 What defines Victory's company culture?
26:39 How to empower service concierges?
31:49 How to optimize used car sales?
47:53 Why invest in young talent?
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This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
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52:25
Industry Spotlight: Why Tariffs Could Fuel a Used Car Squeeze– And How Dealers Are Pivoting
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 Doug Obenhaus, President Texas Auto Sales, and David Kang, Chief Marketing & Analytics Officer, Copart.
This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by Copart:
Copart – Are you looking to expand your dealership’s wholesale inventory? Finding front-line ready vehicles from finance, fleet, and rental consignors is now easier than ever. Copart Select gives you transparency that drives profitability and the assurance you need. Register as a Member to Get Started at https://carguymedia.com/44x0XYn
Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com
Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu
Topics:
01:59 Biggest challenges in the car business?
05:00 Advice for independent dealers?
06:16 Where to find used car deals?
07:24 What is Copart’s benefit?
11:40 Best strategies for today’s market?
12:40 How does Copart handle arbitration?
20:23 How is AI changing autos?
31:08 International vehicle trade opportunities?
33:22 Is Copart’s marketplace fair?
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This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
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34:43
Industry Spotlight: Who Killed The Loaner Car– And Why Service Customers Don’t Miss It
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 Cody Hansen, Fixed Operations Director Ferman Automotive, and Matt Gonzalez, Sr. Account Executive, Automotive at Uber.
This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by Uber For Business:
Uber For Business - With Uber for Business, dealerships create a seamless experience for their customers, while helping them get employees and parts where they need to go. Thousands of dealerships have implemented Uber for Business to bolster current offerings, with the goal to increase efficiency, optimize costs and create a superior customer experience. Learn more about how Uber can support your dealership's goals @ t.uber.com/CDGauto
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Topics:
00:24 – What are today’s biggest fixed ops challenges?
01:28 – How does service-sales collaboration drive retention?
03:05 – What makes your technician training unique?
05:27 – Why choose ride-sharing for dealership logistics?
10:16 – How does Uber optimize parts delivery?
12:38 – What liabilities do dealer trades introduce?
14:58 – Can Uber Eats enhance dealership operations?
16:36 – What measurable savings has Uber delivered?
19:48 – How will AI shape automotive logistics?
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This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
The Car Dealership Guy Podcast, hosted by Yossi Levi, delivers authentic conversations with industry leaders, top dealers, and innovators, revealing the insights shaping the future of automotive retail.
Plus—Don't miss Industry Spotlight, hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlights standout dealerships, innovative companies, and the trends driving success in today’s automotive market.
Tune in to new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday. Follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for the best moments from the show.