vAuto Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Under the Microscope: How Bush Auto Place Fared in a Northwood University Study Jun 23, 2021

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In this vAuto podcast episode, dealer Mark Bush of Bush Auto Place, Wilmington, OH, discusses results of a recent Northwood University student project that examined his store’s processes for preparing and promoting used vehicles online. Joined by Northwood University instructor Jennifer Patten and vAuto’s senior director of business development, Patrick Janes, Bush outlines how he’s adopted study recommendations to improve online reviews and visibility of inventory listings. He also shares how a sales coordinator position helps his team meet a five-day goal for getting vehicles front- and online-ready.

vAuto Podcast: "Invest right now…so we can pay it forward for ourselves in the future" Jun 08, 2021

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Join a discussion between host Brian Finkelmeyer, Sr. Director of New Car Solutions at vAuto, and Michael Brown, Owner/Operator of Empire Auto Group, about how his business weathered the past year within the COVID-19 epicenter. Michael shares what his group has done to sustain itself during COVID-19 and the inventory shortfalls, how it has thrived during the recovery, and what they’re doing to prepare for the future of automotive retailing.

A Peek at a Northwood University Inventory Experiment Jun 04, 2021

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In this vAuto podcast episode, Patrick Janes, director of business development for Stockwave, joins Northwood University instructor Jennifer Patton, dealer Mark Bush of Bush Auto Place, Wilmington, OH, and three students to discuss an experiential learning project that assessed the health and strength of Bush’s inventory marketing and merchandising. The students share how they approached the project and outline early learnings that will shape final recommendations for Bush to consider in his inventory marketing and merchandising efforts.

Dealer Voices: “We funnel customer inventory to our front line” May 20, 2021

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In this episode of the vAuto Podcast Retail Revival series, host Randy Kobat and Mike O’Toole of Mohawk Honda, Scotia, NY, discuss how O’Toole and his team have overcome used vehicle inventory acquisition challenges by focusing on purchasing cars from customers. O’Toole details how the store uses in-person and virtual appraisals that rely on third-party validated offers and a human touch to provide a more personal and satisfying experience for customers. O’Toole also shares how his team uses consumer insights data to engage customers and know whether they’re looking to sell a car for cash or sell the car and purchase another.

Signs of Change in the Used Vehicle Market May 04, 2021

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In this vAuto podcast episode, vAuto founder Dale Pollak shares perspective on recent shifts in the wholesale and retail markets, and how dealers should consider stocking and pricing vehicles in a transitioning market. Dale outlines how the appreciation of wholesale values and retail demand have peaked. Moving forward, Dale recommends moderation in both stocking and pricing used vehicles to ensure optimal investment outcomes for each vehicle in the weeks ahead.

Sourcing in a Low-Supply Wholesale Market Apr 23, 2021

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In this vAuto podcast episode, Patrick Janes, director of business development for Stockwave, shares strategies to help dealers acquire inventory in a wholesale market where values are high and supplies are relatively low. Patrick offers a perspective on how dealers can use market data to know the higher-cost wholesale vehicles they acquire are right for their inventories and local markets. Patrick also shares how dealers can more efficiently mine vehicle acquisition opportunities from private sellers to ensure they have sufficient inventory to meet retail demand.

3 Top Priorities to Drive Scale and Speed in Used Vehicle Reconditioning Feb 23, 2021

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In this episode of the vAuto Podcast, Mike Boyd, director of business development for iRecon, shares the three top priorities dealers and managers should address as they look to improve reconditioning efficiency to help them increase used vehicle sales throughput and volume. From defining goals to mapping who does what, and by when, Boyd details a best practice plan to help dealers eliminate pinch points in their reconditioning process and ensure every stakeholder—in sales and service—has a holistic view of work that’s in process and coming soon from your inventory acquisition pipeline.

How ProfitTime 2.0 and Strong Retail Demand Will Benefit Dealers Feb 03, 2021

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In this vAuto podcast episode, vAuto founder Dale Pollak provides a detailed look at the all-new ProfitTime 2.0, and shares why he believes this system will become a new standard for pricing and managing used vehicles. Dale details how ProfitTime 2.0’s pricing recommendations help dealers price their used vehicles to deliver more investment return while reducing the time required to make pricing decisions. Dale also outlines factors, such as increased federal stimulus and infrastructure spending, will yield strong retail demand for used vehicles in the front-half of 2021.

Dealer Voices: “We Know Exactly What We're Doing” Dec 10, 2020

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In this episode of the vAuto Podcast Retail Revival series, host Randy Kobat and Scott Oller of Suntrup Automotive Group, St. Louis, discuss how a centralized acquisition, pricing and reconditioning operation works for the six-store group. Oller details how his team adjusted its acquisition strategy as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, and the ways he ensures store managers trust his decisions about the cars they’ll sell and the retail prices they ask for them. Oller also shares how he uses technology to keep current on retail demand and understand the vehicles that work best for individual stores.

Finding Opportunity in a High-Cost Wholesale Market Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

In this vAuto podcast episode, Patrick Janes, director of business development for vAuto’s Stockwave, highlights how dealers can find advantage in a wholesale market despite the higher cost of auction-purchased inventory. Patrick shares how dealers can mine market data to identify wholesale vehicles that offer a profit-positive retail opportunity, and spot emerging opportunities less data-minded buyers might miss. Patrick also outlines reasons why he believes the retail market will remain robust in early 2021, even as dealers may face ongoing volatility in the wholesale market.

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