Sponsored by Agile Auto
Economics:
- Inflation stabilized in July, easing concerns of renewed price acceleration.
- Yet, the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, citing a resilient labor market and still elevated inflation.
- Unemployment remained stable at historically healthy levels, reflecting continued labor market strength.
- Consumer spending remained resilient, continuing to support economic growth despite affordability pressures.
- Tariffs Continue to Reshape the Auto Industry increasing parts costs and intermittent parts availability
Fixed Ops Takeaways:
- Average age on roads is at a record high at 13 years, creating service demand
- Higher new vehicle prices and elevated interest rates encourage repairs over purchase
- Customer pay repair opportunities remain strong
- Loyalty is the key to keeping aging vehicles
- Parts’ prices remain elevated, making inventory management and sourcing key
- Hybrid growth represents a demand for tech training and specialized service capabilities.
- Connected vehicle technology and predictive maintenance are creating loyalty opportunities from:
- Smarter scheduling
- Predictive maintenance
- Technician efficiency
- Parts inventory optimization.
- Fixed operations remain one of the dealership’s most stable and profitable revenue centers, even as new vehicle sales fluctuate.
John Ellis, Founder & CEO Agile Auto
John Ellis is a nationally recognized automotive retail executive with more than 25 years of experience in dealership operations and automotive technology. Throughout his career, he has held executive positions with ADP, Gulf States Toyota, and Cox Automotive, and now serves as Founder and CEO of Agile Auto, a used vehicle operations intelligence platform.