Shoot us a Text. Today, Chris Reeves joins Paul and Kyle to share how the Jeff Wyler Auto Group gave away a car to a homeless veteran. The Jeff Wyler Automotive Family rolled out the red carpet for 34-year-old veteran Theron Bell, surprising him with a brand-new 2023 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X Edition. Bell, who served in Afghanistan from 2011–2012 and lives with PTSD, had no reliable transportation before Friday. Chosen from five candidates, Bell was stunned: “I feel like I’m in Hollywood. I fee...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1162: Tesla posts a surprise Q3 sales record, $1,000 car payments are becoming the new normal, Meta plans to use AI chats to make ad targeting more personal than ever. Show Notes with links: Tesla delivered a surprise Q3 record after a rocky first half of the year, beating Wall Street expectations with nearly half a million EVs sold. But with the federal EV tax credit now gone, the question is whether momentum can carry into Q4 and beyond.Tesla delivered 497,099 ve...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1161: Today we’re talking about the end of the EV lease credit frenzy and how dealers and OEMs are adjusting. We’ll also hit Hertz’s big push into e-commerce with Tom Brady, and OpenAI’s bold play to challenge TikTok with AI video. With the $7,500 EV lease credit gone, September’s sales rush gave way to a new normal. Dealers say volume could dip at first, but manufacturers are adjusting incentives, production, and lease programs while retailers recalibrate inventory ...
Shoot us a Text. Today is a very special day as we are launching master plan phase II for the More Than Cars movement. I hope everyone can join us by going to morethancars.com. If you happen to get there after the launch, you will see what we've been up to and what is coming down the pike. Thank you, as always, for being a part of this community. We'll be back tomorrow with news, commentary, and more enthusiasm than your Golden Retriever. Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier eve...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1159: Today we dig into how Ford and GM are stretching the $7,500 EV lease credit, why used EVs are suddenly flying off lots, and how ChatGPT just became a digital storefront. With the federal $7,500 EV lease incentive ending today, GM and Ford are using a strategic workaround to extend the benefit for customers—and keep EV momentum alive—into Q4.To skirt the deadline, both automakers’ finance arms (GM Financial and Ford Credit) are pre-acquiring qualifying EVs and...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1158: EV sales spiked before the tax credit expired, but a slowdown looms. J.D. Power names the brands best at keeping loyal customers. And Apple quietly tests a Siri revamp while leaning on Google to stay in the AI race. Show Notes with links: U.S. auto sales stayed stronger than expected this summer, but analysts now warn the industry may face a softer fourth quarter as affordability challenges and waning incentives take hold.September SAAR reached 16.2M, boost...
Shoot us a Text. On this Saturday, Chris Reeves join Paul and Kyle to talk about the upcoming launch of the next phase of the More Than Cars movement. Chris shares the story of how Greenwood Chevrolet’s team showed up. 180 employees joined Panerathon 2025, raising $3,145 for the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center. Business Manager Tracy Briden led the charge, proving that when leadership buys in, the rest of the team follows. That kind of unity can’t be manufactured—it’s lived. And ...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1156: Ford’s Jim Farley warns America about jobs and trades in the AI era. Subaru reveals its first dealership redesign in nearly two decades. And the once-hyped “vibe coding” boom may already be running out of steam. Ford CEO Jim Farley says America’s economy is at a crossroads. As AI threatens to eliminate millions of office jobs, he warns the U.S. is overlooking the “essential economy” of trades and manufacturing that keep the country running. Farley predicts up...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1155: Overfuel calls out dealership websites for failing performance tests, RunSafe says cybersecurity is now a dealbreaker for buyers, and ChatGPT becomes a top traffic driver for retailers — while Amazon charts its own AI path Show Notes with links: Overfuel’s second annual study of top 50 dealer group websites reveals a major gap in digital performance. Despite increasing online shopper behavior, nearly every site failed to meet Google’s Core Web Vitals — for ...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1154: Ford gets creative to close Q3 with a subprime rate push on F-150s. New Jersey locks in fair pay for techs doing recall work. And Chick-fil-A jumps into the specialty drink race with a fresh new concept. Show Notes with links: Ford is making a bold push to close Q3 strong by offering promotional interest rates to subprime borrowers—an unusual but calculated move that underscores growing affordability challenges in the new vehicle market.The deal, ending this...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1153: Carvana expands its dealership experiment in Dallas, Berkshire Hathaway closes the books on its massive BYD bet, and Amazon steps up its AI game with a chat assistant for advertisers. Show Notes with links: Carvana is making another big move into franchised new-car sales, and this time it’s happening in Dallas. The company has agreed to acquire Park Cities Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram-Fiat, marking its second foray into the world of traditional dealerships.This is...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1152: Today we’re talking Hyundai and GM’s detailed game plan for their collab, Stellantis’ new EV tech that sheds weight and adds power,, and why Americans are going bigger than ever on Halloween—even with higher prices haunting their budgets. Show Notes with links: Hyundai and GM’s strategic collaboration will co-develop five vehicles aimed at growing their presence in the Americas while containing costs in a tightening market.The partnership kicks off in 2028 wi...
Shoot us a Text. Today, Chris Reeves joins Paul and Kyle to discuss fall vibes, plus how Shanehan Westphal and Herrin-Gear Infiniti hosted a car show and raised an incredible $29,280, all of which will go to Children’s of Mississippi. Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automo...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1150: Today we’re looking at the story that led Lithia to become the powerhouse it is today, showing a sneak peek of an upcoming interview with Alex Lawrence and talking about Meta’s latest tech. Show Notes with links: From one small Dodge store in Oregon to the largest dealership group in the U.S., the DeBoer family’s journey with Lithia Motors is a case study in vision, timing, and relentless growth. Automotive News honored Sid and Bryan DeBoer with a Centennial ...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1149: We’re live outside of EV Auto in Brentwood. Today, we look at how automakers have relatively kept car prices normal despite rising tariffs. Plus, Waymo and Lyft are teaming up to bring autonomous rides to the streets of Music City. Automakers have kept price hikes at bay despite billions in tariff-related costs from the Trump-era trade war. But the pressure is building—and price increases may be just around the corner.Automakers like GM and Ford are absorbing u...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1148: Buyers rush to lock in EV tax credits, Toyota builds an app to hack your habits, and Walmart’s HR chief taps AI for top talent. Legacy automakers saw a sharp EV registration bump in July as buyers rushed to lock in the $7,500 federal tax credit before it expires at the end of September. However, Tesla, Rivian, and VinFast didn’t share in the win.EV registrations jumped 27% for legacy brands like Chevrolet and Honda, far outpacing the overall 6% EV marke...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1147: Today we’re covering a first-of-its-kind Stellantis store acquisition backed by Ellenae Fairhurst’s trust, a new AI tool that negotiates car deals for shoppers, and the latest U.S.-China framework over TikTok The late Ellenae Fairhurst’s legacy lives on as a Stellantis store in Virginia has new owners, in a new approach to dealership ownership.Fairhurst Automotive, backed by the Ellenae Fairhurst Entrepreneurial Trust, acquired and rebranded the South Richmon...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1146: Automotive News's 100th anniversary Congress celebrated industry icons and looked towards the future, Elon Musk bets big on Tesla, shoppers get overwhelmed by too many choices (sound familiar?) Show Notes with links: At its 100th anniversary Congress, Automotive News celebrated legacy while tackling the industry’s most pressing challenges—from EV adoption to geopolitical threats.Centennial Awards went to GM’s Mary Barra and Hyundai’s Euisun Chung for transfor...
Shoot us a Text. On this Saturday, Chris joins Paul and Kyle to talk about the power of remembrance and how Carla Cosenzi and TommyCar Auto Group are connecting people in a meaninful way through the 17th Annual Tom Cosenzi Driving for the Cure Charity Golf Tournament. Founded in memory of Tom Cosenzi, the event supports Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the incredible work of Dr. Wen and his team.Golfers, sponsors, and volunteers showed up in full force to continue the mission of giving back.C...
Shoot us a Text. Episode #1144: Dealers face rising cyber threats, Chevy launches big EV incentives, and the Goodyear Blimp marks 100 years over Detroit. Show Notes with links: Proton Dealership IT’s Cybersecurity 2025 report shows auto retailers are still being hit hard by organized cyberattacks. Activity remains 150–250% higher than before mid-2024’s massive outage, with new tactics targeting dealership websites, employees, and customer data.December 2024 saw a 110% year-over-year increas...
Colleen Shirley
If you're looking for a trusted spot to fix your car issues, The Automotive Troublemake has your back! It’s great to know they can handle any trouble that comes their way. I also recommend checking out B and G Auto Sales for a smooth experience when buying or selling a car! check out: https://gobgautos.com/