Rohrman Auto’s Nick Ruffolo on Communication, $50 Oil Changes, Retention
At Rohrman Auto Group, the struggle isn’t getting techs to make MPI videos. It’s getting them to smash that send button. Managers need to communicate the importance of sending them, according to Nick Ruffolo, who thinks dealers are losing service customers to independents for one main reason: Failure to communicate. As fixed ops director for Rohrman, Ruffolo oversees 10 stores in Illinois and Wisconsin. And he’s working on making communications at all the rooftops more uniform. “The customer’s gonna have to service that vehicle somewhere,” Ruffolo told Daily Dealer Live host Sam D’Arc. “The ‘where’ is the important part.” Ruffolo aims for consistent and timely messaging. Rohrman runs one DMS, Tekion, for all stores. Tech videos, text messages, consumer portals, etc., all exist on one screen and one platform. Texting is their primary communication tool: “There’s no faster response and form of communication…,” Ruffolo said. They use templates to help with speed and consistency. Templated outreach is written and managed centrally by one BDC, so the communication quality doesn’t depend on any individual advisor’s judgment or bandwidth on a given day. Then, of course, they have their ever-important video outreach. Click here for the full interview.
U.S. Auto Industry Risks Global Isolation as Tariffs, Policy Shifts Favor Domestic Markets
The United States is diverging from automotive markets in Europe and Asia as federal policy shifts toward protecting domestic manufacturing with import tariffs while easing pressure on automakers to electrify. The result: an increasingly isolated U.S. auto industry facing higher costs and fewer opportunities to compete in global markets. “The U.S. auto industry is retreating to what we call a ‘Fortress America’ mindset,” said Meghan Ostertag, an economic policy analyst with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a nonpartisan think tank. “It is doing everything possible to stay competitive in the United States, but in that process, it is losing its ability to compete with China, Japan, Germany and the rest of the world.” According to Automotive News, President Donald Trump’s decision to levy tariffs on imported vehicles and parts — including on Canada and Mexico, which long benefited from North American free trade — has cost the auto industry billions of dollars since 2025. The tariffs forced companies to reevaluate their supply chains and led to higher parts and raw materials costs. At the same time, electric vehicle restructuring has cost automakers tens of billions of dollars. U.S. automakers and suppliers have pulled back on investment and production. Click here for the full story.
Why More Drivers Are Choosing Hybrids Over EVs
As automakers continue investing heavily in electrification, consumers remain hesitant to fully embrace battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). On the latest episode of CBT News’ Inside Automotive, Ed Garsten, Senior Contributor at Forbes, said rising fuel prices are driving renewed interest in EVs, but many consumers still gravitate toward hybrids for fuel savings without significant lifestyle disruption. According to Garsten, consumer interest in EVs tends to rise alongside fuel prices but often fades when buyers confront real-world ownership considerations. He highlights ongoing concerns about charging time, long-distance travel planning, and the reliability of public charging infrastructure as top considerations. As a result, he argues automakers underestimate the extent to which EV ownership requires a fundamental lifestyle shift for mainstream consumers. To close that gap, Garsten says automakers and dealers missed early opportunities to build consumer confidence through hands-on exposure to EVs. He notes that sales consultants with firsthand EV experience are better positioned to address customer concerns, adding that expanded ride-and-drive events, immersive training programs, and ownership demonstrations could help improve adoption rates by reducing shoppers’ uncertainty. Click here for the full interview.
Cox Automotive Closes Fullpath Acquisition
About six weeks after announcing the acquisition, Cox Automotive said Monday it has completed its purchase of customer data platform and marketing automation company Fullpath. It’s a move that allows Cox to help dealers drive more efficiency, deals and profitability, along with bringing an “agentic approach” to innovation at the company, Cox Automotive president of retail solutions Lori Wittman tells Auto Remarketing.“We have been focused, really always, on helping dealers be more successful, whether that’s driving efficiency or whether that’s driving more profitability on the deals they have, driving more deals, and I feel like in those three categories alone, this helps dealers immensely,” Wittman said. “My biggest focus is on our customers, and so I’m super excited about the dividends that this pays for them.“I am also, though, excited for us because this is a solution that was built specifically for automotive, but it brings new innovation, and a new agentic approach to what we’re doing at Cox Auto that I just feel like will demonstrate to the industry how committed we are to continuing to evolve our products, connect their data, and really help them be more successful in their outcomes,” she said. Click here for the full story.
Ferrari Says It Won’t Build Self-Driving Cars, And Gas Engines Aren’t Going Anywhere
The Ferrari Luce may have been described by the Prancing Horse’s designers as a glimpse into the company’s future, but that future apparently does not involve replacing everything with batteries. More importantly for traditionalists, it also doesn’t involve a Ferrari that drives itself. Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna made it clear that fully autonomous cars aren’t on the table, reports Autoblog. While other brands chase hands-free tech, Ferrari is sticking to what it knows best. “We will not make fully autonomous cars – loud and clear. We want the people to have fun, not the chips,” Vigna said. This comes as Ferrari launches the Luce, its first fully electric model. The car has started a lot of conversations about what Ferrari stands for, but Vigna says going electric doesn’t mean losing what makes a Ferrari special. Vigna is clear that driving still comes first. While other brands move toward more automation and software, Ferrari wants a real person in control. “When I talk about autonomous cars, I talk about L3+. We want to have a steering wheel and a man or a woman behind the steering wheel. Otherwise, why do you buy a Ferrari?” Vigna told Drive. Click here for the full story.
Enterprise is Here for It: Helping Dealers Keep Customers Moving
At Enterprise, “Here for it” means showing up when it matters most. And for dealerships, that moment starts the second a customer hands over their keys.
When a vehicle comes in for service or repair, the work may happen in your shop, but your customer’s life doesn’t stop.
Today, the average rental tied to dealership repair work lasts about eight days. That’s more than a week where customers still need to get to work, run errands and maintain their daily routines. A ride gets a customer from point A to point B, but a rental allows them to maintain their lifestyle. That difference matters—especially over multiple days. Rentals provide independence, consistency and control, paired with the hallmark customer service Enterprise is known for, helping customers stay on track with confidence and without added stress. Just as important is how quickly that solution comes to life. Enterprise supports dealerships with technology designed to streamline the transportation experience and reduce transaction times. With tools that enable transportation to be scheduled in advance directly from the dealership management system and allow customers to receive a rental without leaving the lot, dealerships can:
• Reduce transaction times
• Schedule transportation in advance with electronic reservations sent directly to Enterprise
• Provide an on-site rental experience without a separate rental counter
With a focus on service, safety and reliability, the right mobility approach reinforces the care your dealership is already delivering—ensuring customers feel supported from drop-off through repair. Because at the end of the day, customers don’t just remember the repair, they remember how they were taken care of. Here for it means delivering a level of service customers can count on—every step of the way. And when you do that, you’re not just repairing a customer’s car, you’re strengthening the relationship that keeps them coming back.
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