DealerEdge HQ — Thursday 6/5

Five-minute intel you can deploy before the first up hits the floor.

Author

Kamil Grzych
June 05, 2025

📊 Market Pulse — Fresh Numbers

  • SAAR 15.6 M 📉 – down almost 10 % from the March tariff-panic peak; expect softer June traffic. marketwatch.com

  • Ford momentum 🛻 – May U.S. sales +16 % YoY, F-Series up 15 %; pickup demand is still real. reuters.com

  • Inventory winners / losers – Toyota, Honda, Subaru <35 days; Buick lots >95 days and climbing. caredge.comgmauthority.com

  • Wholesale used-price pulse – Manheim mid-month index −1.1 % MoM but +4.3 % YoY; retail can hold firm for now. site.manheim.com

💲 Pricing Moves for 7-13 June

Lot Position

Vehicle Examples

Move

Why

<40 days

RAV4, CR-V, F-150

MSRP + small value add (spray-in bedliner / PPM)

Shallow supply; add-on preserves margin w/out pure ADM.

40-90 days

Explorer, Altima

Price lock + bundle EV credit for hybrids/PHEVs

Push instant federal credit at point of sale; dealer must be registered. kiplinger.com

>90 days

Buick Encore GX, Jeep Cherokee

Markdown ladder −0.75 % per week until <75 days

Floor-plan drag >$18/unit/day on these nameplates.

🧠 Quick-Win Sales Play – “Instant EV Credit Close”

  1. Confirm your store is IRS-registered for point-of-sale EV tax transfer.

  2. Show shopper the price after the $7.5 k (new) or $4 k (used) credit upfront.

  3. Use the delta as down-payment; finance approval odds rise ~8 %.

Early adopters report a 12 % bump in EV close rates last month. kiplinger.com

🛠 Tech That Matters – AI Service Retention Suite

Tool: Stella Automotive “Predictive Service” module
Verdict: ★★★★☆ Deploy

  • Flags upcoming maintenance 30 days out; SMS cadence lifted show-ups 9 %.

  • Plugs straight into CDK / Reynolds; 2-week onboarding.

  • Cost: ~$1.2 k/mo per rooftop; ROI pencils at ≥400 ROs/mo. stellaautomotive.com

👥 Talent Byte

Run a 7-minute micro-huddle at 8:45 AM: each rep states (1) first appointment time, (2) trade they’re targeting, (3) upsell goal. Quick alignment, zero desk meeting bloat.

🏛 OEM & Policy Watch

  • House bill would phase out the $7.5 k EV credit after 2025; use urgency in messaging. npr.org

  • Ford signals no immediate price hikes despite tariffs—use as talking point against rivals planning increases.

✅ One-Sentence Actions

  • Principal: Model tariff scenarios vs. floor-plan cost; adjust June cash-flow forecast today.

  • GM: Verify EV-credit registration status; post confirmation in showroom.

  • GSM: Script the instant-credit close; role-play in this morning’s huddle.

  • Sales Rep: Lead every EV/PHEV demo with “price after credit” visual.

Five minutes. All edge. See you Tuesday at 7.