Issuu

Sharing Ideas for a Better Future in the Automotive Industry

September - October 2026 Also In This Issue From the Desk of MMG President Cody Eckhardt ......................................2-3 Mopar Masters 34th Annual Meeting Tentative Itinerary ...............................4-5 MMG Vendor Committee Meets with OEConnection and Snap-On Business Solutions................................6-8 The Parts Department is The Future of Fixed Ops ............................................ 9-10 Stellantis Dealerships Attract More Buyer Interest as Retailers Bet on Brands’ Turnaround ........................ 11-12 Ram tops Jeep to become biggest Stellantis brand in Q3........................... 13 The View From My Office with Kat Monteiro .................................... 14-17 MMG Supporting Vendors ............ 18-19 QB Business Solutions.................... 20-24 CDK Global ............................................ 25 Endeavor Business Media FenderBender ......................................... 26 CDK Global ............................................ 27 Elite EXTRA an Epicor Solution....... 28 Activator DS ........................................... 29 OEConnection .................................. 30-31 Reynolds & Reynolds AutoVision ...... 32 Endeavor Business Media Ratchet+Wrench ................................... 33 Dealermine Corporation ................ 34-35 Petra Automotive Products ................. 36 Reynolds & ReynoldsMeet Relo ......... 37 AutoNetTV ....................................... 38-39 AER Sales................................................ 40 Principle Distribution .................... 41-42 Why Dealership Service Departments Are Leaving Millions in Revenue on the Table...................................... 43-45 Training programs producing 55 skilled workers for every 100 needed ....... 46-48 Survey says U.S. drivers not ready to give up vehicle control to autonomy ......... 48-49 2026 MMG Executive Officers & Vendor Committees .............................. 50

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

The Power of Sharing: Stronger Dealers, Stronger MMG As we look ahead to our 34th Annual Mopar Masters Guild Mee ng in Las Vegas, I’m excited about the opportuni es we have to connect, share ideas, and con nue strengthening the rela onships that make MMG such a valuable organiza on. Our annual mee ng is about more than presenta ons and scheduled events. It’s about bringing together like-minded dealers who understand the challenges of running Parts and Service opera ons and crea ng an environment where we can learn from one another without the pressures of compe ng in the same market. That exchange of informa on is what makes MMG unique, and it’s up to all of us to make the most of it. We have a great agenda planned this year, including: • Vendor Presenta ons: Opportuni es to learn about new products, services, and solu ons that can help our dealerships operate more eﬀec vely. • Annual Recep on: Join us Friday evening at Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Bar for a great night of conversaon, networking, and catching up with fellow members and vendor partners. It’s a great opportunity to step away from the day-to-day grind and enjoy the company of people who understand our business. • Elec on Year: An opportunity to con nue building strong leadership and ensure MMG remains focused on serving its members. • Bylaws Update: We’ll review proposed updates to our bylaws and discuss opportuni es to keep our organiza on current and eﬀec ve. Apparently, being president means I need to do some paperwork once in a while! • Vendor Mee ng with OEC/Snap-on: Be sure to check out the ar cle in this edi on for more informaon about this discussion and the opportunity to strengthen our vendor partnership. • Vendor Dine-Around: This year, we’re changing things up! Instead of our tradi onal vendor fair, we’ll host a dine-around that gives each Tier 2 vendor dedicated me with a small group of Mopar Masters members. The format is designed to encourage more personal interac on, be er conversa ons, and a chance to get beyond the standard vendor presenta on. It’s an opportunity for our vendors to learn more about the challenges we face and for our members to explore solu ons in a more relaxed se ng. • MMG Member Discussions: Come prepared to par cipate! Bring your top two ideas for improving Parts and Service opera ons and your top two challenges that you would like help solving. The more we share, the more valuable these discussions become for everyone. • Mee ng with Mopar: We’ll be joined by Gabby Roman from the West Business Center, who will be prepared to discuss supply chain topics and represent the Detroit team. This is a valuable opportunity to Continued on Page 3

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Continued from Page 2 share dealer perspec ves, ask ques ons, and have meaningful conversa ons about the issues affec ng our opera ons. • Mee ng with NADA Officials: We’ll con nue working toward our planned 20 Group opportunity, including discussions about the structure, financial composite, and modera on needed to make it a success. I especially encourage everyone to come prepared to contribute. We all face challenges with staffing, technician produc vity, customer reten on, warranty processes, expenses, and profitability. Chances are, a fellow MMG member has already dealt with something you’re working through. Sharing those experiences is one of the greatest benefits of belonging to this group. I also want to recognize our vendor partners. Their support, par cipa on, and willingness to work alongside our members help make MMG possible. These rela onships are most valuable when they go beyond a presenta on and lead to honest conversa ons, be er solu ons, and meaningful improvements for our dealerships. A huge thank-you to Jillian Vance of Apogee Event Agency for helping coordinate our mee ng rooms and arrange the welcome recep on. These events don’t come together on their own, and we appreciate all the work that goes on behind the scenes to make everything run smoothly. I also want to give a special thank-you to Don Cushing for keeping all of us on track and handling the MMG magazine and website. Keeping this group organized, communica ng with our members, and making sure our informa on gets out to everyone is no small task. Don puts in a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes, and we appreciate everything he does to keep MMG moving in the right direc on. And, of course, a special thanks to ChatGPT for helping me put this message together. I guess even a president needs a li le help with his wri ng from me to me! As we head into another annual mee ng, I encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportuni es in front of us. Ask ques ons, share what’s working, be honest about what isn’t, and make me to connect with someone you haven’t had a chance to know well. Thank you for your con nued support of MMG and for the me and effort you invest in making this organiza on successful. I look forward to seeing everyone in Las Vegas and con nuing the work of making MMG a valuable resource for all of us. The exchange of informa on by like-size dealers in a non-compe ve environment. That’s what the MoparMasters Guild is all about, and I look forward to seeing that exchange con nue. See you in Las Vegas!

Cody Cody Eckhardt - President – Mopar Masters Guild Service Director – Ken Garﬀ West Valley CDJR - codye@KenGarﬀ.com

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026 Mopar Masters 34th Annual Mee ng Tenta ve I nerary - Las Vegas 2026 Aria Resort 3730 S Las Vegas Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89158 (866) 359-7757 Hotel Reserva on Link (Click Here) Registra on* Link to A end our MMG Mee ng (Click Here) *You MUST be a qualified Stellan s Dealer with a PAID MMG Membership to a end

Wednesday November 4th, 2026

A endee Arrival - We will gather in a designated area to catch up on the past year. TBD Direc ons to our mee ng room: From the casino/hotel, follow signs for the Conven on Center. Con nue toward the West Conven on Center and take the elevators/escalators to Level 3. Follow signs for the Starvine Mee ng Rooms - Mee ng will be in Starvine 11 Meals right next door in the meals room, Starvine 10

Thursday November 5th, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am 8:00am - 9:00am

Breakfast - Starvine 10 MMG Discussions Begin Opening Comments - MMG President Cody Eckhardt Introduc on of Reports - VP Jim Jaeger Secretary’s Presenta on of Minutes - John Russo Treasurers’ Report - Chris Hojnacki Commi ee Reports Guild Business Old/New 9:00am - 9:15am Break 9:15am - 10:15am MMG Discussions Con nue 10:15am - 10:30pm Break 10:15am - 12:00pm MMG Discussions Con nue 12:00pm - 1:00pm Lunch - Starvine 10 1:00pm - 1:30pm MMG Discussions Con nue 1:30pm - 2:05pm Vendor Presenta on - Snap-On Business Solu ons

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

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Continued from Page 4 2:05pm - 2:15pm 2:15pm - 2:25pm 2:30pm - 3:05pm 3:05pm - 3:15pm 3:15pm - 3:25pm 3:30pm - 4:05pm 4:05pm - 4:15pm 4:15pm - 5:00pm 5:00pm

Q&A with Snap-On Break Vendor Presenta on - Helm Q&A with Helm Break Vendor Presena on - AER Sales Q&A with AER Sales MMG Discussions Con nue Adjourn Day 1 Mee ng

Friday November 6th, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am 8:00am - 8:50am 8:50am - 9:00am 9:00am - 9:35am 9:35am - 9:45am 9:45am - 9:55am 10:00am - 10:35am 10:35am - 10:50am 10:50am - 11:00am 11:00am - 11:30am 11:30am - 1:30pm 1:30pm - 2:45pm 2:45pm - 3:00pm 3:00pm - 3:35pm 3:35pm - 3:45pm 3:45pm - 3:55pm 3:55pm - 5:00pm 5:00pm

Breakfast - Starvine 10 MMG Discussions Con nue Break Vendor Presenta on - OEConnec on Q&A with OEConnec on Break Vendor Presenta on - CDK Global Q&A with CDK Global Break Tier 2 Vendor Introduc ons Dine Around Lunch with Tier 2 Vendor Table Presenta ons MMG Recap Break Vendor Presenta on - Elite Extra - Epicor Q&A with Elite Extra - Epicor Break MMG Discussions Con nue Adjourn Day 2 Mee ng

Friday Evening - Annual MMG Recep on 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Jason Aldeans Kitchen + Bar - Leave ARIA toward The Shops at Crystals and Las Vegas Boulevard. Jason Aldean’s is on the second floor of 63 CityCenter, between Crystals and The Cosmopolitan. The recep on will be on their second-floor Terrace of Jason Aldean’s, where we will oﬀer food drinks, and incredible views!

Saturday November 7th, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am 8:00am - 8:50am 8:50am - 9:00am 9:00am 11:00am

Breakfast MMG Discussions Con nue Break Discussions With Mopar Execu ves Adjourn – End of Mopar Masters Guild’s 34th Annual Mee ng

Safe Travels Home!

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

Mopar Masters Guild Vendor Committee Meets with OEConnection and Snap-On Business Solutions Hey everyone! Taylor Sisson here from sunny, cool northeast Ohio. At least now it is. Cody had decided to bring the rain with him the whole trip. Albeit a very soggy few days it felt like a fairly produc ve and informa ve me. Cody Eckhardt, Steve Anderson and Dan Hu on had all travelled east to my hometown of Cuyahoga Falls, staying at the Marrio that overlooks the Falls. They said it was pleasant so I will take their word on it. Our first day began with OEConnec on. I arrived first, scoping out the building which was fairly small so did not take me too long. Their entry door, large glass doors with a super clean, dare I say ghost town. Other than the three gentlemen we were there to meet of which I only remember Chip and Robert’s names, (don’t kill me please) there were two other employees deciding to be in oﬃce. I envied the quiet a bit. They had provided a deligh ul lunch for the 4 of us with exchanging pleasantries before ge ng into the ni y gri y. They went over PSXlink report build op ons, especially ones tailored to your Outside Sales Rep to help keep tabs on the trends of your customers. They also touched on their procurement of PartsTech along with the changes that will be coming in the new year. Of course, business dictates an added 1.5% fee to future RepairLink orders when the merge of PartsTech and RepairLink finalizes. The max you will be charged is $20 per invoice with a greater reach of poten al new customers to help us all grow more into the mechanical world.The theme of the business aspects of this trip referenced by everyone OEConnec on, Snap-On Business Solu ons and the MMG on both days was, “It’s a race to the bo om”. As the presenta ons ended the discussion of dinner was under way and a er Robert explained “wherever you would like to go”, Flemings Steak house was men oned of which Dan Hu on had so politely declined that as an op on. Following some chuckles we decided on Burntwood Tavern on the Cuyahoga River by the hotel that Cody, Steve and Dan were staying at in Cuyahoga Falls. (Also, conveniently by my house!) Fancy Tater tots, Dan’s smoked alcoholic drink, chicken wings, and wine permeated the air. Light conversa on of families and personal lives taking over as the day turned to night. Other than the rain made for a lovely end to day one. Even if we forgot to take a photo! On Day 2, we met up at the hotel for us all to get breakfast at Molly Browns and ride together to Snap-On’s fortress. Molly Brown’s is a quaint li le diner that’s very fairly priced, although the fly that wouldn’t leave us alone was a bit embarrassing. Upon leaving breakfast, we went through the scenic backroads of the Cuyahoga valley. Observing the old houses with possible bodies in their basements. The money burned a hole in Steve’s wallet as he seemed to yearn for the old architecture. The parks surround you. Oaks, Maples, Dogwood and a sparse amount of Pine, some leaves already changing. Peak autumn other than the rain. Continued on Page 7

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts Continued from Page 6

Upon our arrival we were greeted by Maryam Fakhran. Apparently, she brought the rain too, but once Cody le it cleared up on that Wednesday. I s ll blame him. Especially since Maryam had come out to my shop to demo the validate feature for my wholesale manager so she was s ll here. As we entered their fortress, our visitor tags a ached, we headed for the large conference room for quite the long haul of a day. Lots of just banter, introduc ons, for the first hour or so. Continued on Page 8

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

Continued from Page 7 Plenty of in-depth presenta ons sprinkled through the day, and the one that stood out to me the most was the ‘Natural language search’ being added to the Snap-On Pro Package. Being able to use terminology older than me, or Spanish, or French or any other language as a means to search for a part was certainly a parlor trick that just makes sense. Even with Stellan s not having any base numbers or iden fying features like a Ford part number, it seemed to have a lot of upside. Even if the AI buzz word was thrown around, I am personally not a fan of AI, but the human training they put into it made it slightly more palatable. Along with the improved speed and making language borders easier to cross it again made sense. The rest of the day was broken up with banter, lunch, a few more presenta ons from WiAdvisor/Dealer FX changes and Dealer Tools and storage from the Mopar website. As the daylight started to fade, it was me for us all to go back to our lodgings to get ready to meet up at Lager and Vine. This me a few photos were remembered to be taken. Lager and Vine is a gastropub located in Hudson, Ohio. As I told the crew I don’t go to Hudson too much because they can smell the poor on me. (Growing up here it’s a funny joke, I am not sure if it landed.) The drinks were flowing, a baby crying in the distance, the loud hum of life and frivolity of a restaurant surrounded us. Finally, some proper Gluten free food for Steve so he could enjoy himself a li le more. Connec ons were made; laughs were had. Cody finally had his Rum and Coke instead of Rum and Pepsi from the night prior. The evening had come to an end; we meandered out of the hot restaurant into the cool air. Work for me the next day. A lot of travel planned ahead for Dan, Cody, and Steve. Obscenely early to be fair. As we all traded goodbyes we said the same thing. See you in Vegas! Submi ed by Taylor Sisson Parts Director Ganley CDJR Bedford, Ohio

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

The Parts Department is the Future of Fixed Ops How Can Dealerships Unlock the Full Poten al of Parts? Parts departments play a cri cal role in dealership profitability, yet they have historically received less a en on than service opera ons. During the Fixed Ops Roundtable, Kaylee Felio of PartsEdge and Mike Weldon of the Center for Performance Improvement discussed how dealerships can be er support parts managers, improve inventory performance, and prepare for the future of fixed opera ons. From inventory visibility to ar ficial intelligence, the panel explored opportuni es for dealerships to strengthen their parts departments and make be er use of the resources they already have. Why Are Dealerships Losing Money to Idle Inventory? One of the biggest challenges facing parts managers is understanding the true health of their inventory. Kaylee explained that dealerships o en focus on official obsolescence figures without recognizing how much capital is ed up in aging inventory that isn’t genera ng revenue. By iden fying these parts and shi ing investment toward components with stronger demand, dealerships can unlock addi onal profit opportuni es. Kaylee shared a case study in which a dealership iden fied $30,000 to $40,000 in addi onal gross profit opportunity by moving some of its aging inventory toward more produc ve stock. The key is looking beyond obsolescence reports and understanding which parts are actually contribu ng to the business. How Can Parts and Service Work Be er Together? Effec ve parts management requires strong communica on between departments. Mike emphasized that parts and service must collaborate to ensure technicians order the correct components and parts managers maintain inventory that supports the shop’s needs. Kaylee also highlighted the importance of streamlining special-order processes and communica ng consistently with service teams. Manufacturer protec on programs can provide addi onal flexibility when stocking parts with limited demand. Rather than automa cally avoiding slow-moving components, managers can evaluate whether stocking a part makes sense based on customer needs, availability, and the protec on offered by the manufacturer. Continued on Page 10

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

Continued from Page 9 Be er collabora on and smarter stocking decisions can help dealerships reduce unnecessary costs while improving service eﬃciency. How Can Dealerships Be er Support Parts Managers? As experienced parts managers re re, dealerships face the challenge of preparing a new genera on of leaders. Kaylee explained that incoming managers o en inherit processes established decades ago and may need addi onal training and support to succeed. Mike stressed the importance of helping parts managers develop their departments instead of simply managing daily transac ons. Dealership leadership must recognize the value parts brings to the business and give managers the tools, resources, and confidence to improve performance. When parts managers are empowered to work on the business, they can iden fy opportuni es for growth rather than spending all their me responding to daily demands. What Role Will AI Play in the Future of Parts? Ar ficial intelligence could help dealerships improve parts iden fica on, communica on, and inventory planning. Mike described how AI can recommend components for specific vehicle repairs and iden fy popular accessories within a dealership’s local market. These insights can help managers make more informed stocking decisions. Kaylee also sees poten al for AI to improve communica on between technicians and parts personnel, helping both teams iden fy the correct components more eﬃciently. However, the panel cau oned against relying too heavily on automa on in customer interac ons. While technology can improve convenience, dealerships s ll need personal connec ons that build customer trust and loyalty. AI should strengthen dealership opera ons and support employees, not replace the human rela onships that drive customer reten on. Why Will Parts Become More Important to Dealership Profitability? The panelists agreed that fixed opera ons will con nue gaining a en on as dealerships look for new ways to grow their businesses. Kaylee expects dealers to recognize the significant role fixed opera ons plays in overall profitability. Mike highlighted the opportunity to win back customers and capture more of the available service market. Ted Ings predicted that parts departments will increasingly move to the forefront of dealership opera ons, with facili es and resources evolving to accommodate their growing importance. Ul mately, dealerships that priori ze inventory visibility, collabora on, employee development, and though ul technology adop on will be be er posi oned to succeed. Parts departments are more than a support func on. They’re a cri cal driver of fixed opera ons performance and deserve the investment and a en on needed to reach their full poten al. Watch the full conversa on here: h ps://youtu.be/XC Y9usA4g

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Stellantis Dealerships Attract More Buyer Interest as Retailers Bet on Brands’ Turnaround Years of sales declines have turned some dealership buyers off the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram brands. Yet Andy Welborn sees an opportunity. Welborn Auto Group is in the Southeastern U.S., where pickups and SUVs — Stellan s’ bread and bu er — are popular. Long term, Welborn said he is also banking on a Stellan s turnaround: The automaker plans to revitalize the Chrysler brand with affordable op ons at a me when vehicle prices and auto loan payments are rising. His outlook for the brand was one reason Welborn in June bought a Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram dealership, his group’s fi h store. The Cartersville, Ga., dealership also is in a growing market outside Atlanta. Stellan s is “bringing the prices down and pu ng affordability back out there,” Welborn said. “That’s what is bringing them the business.” Welborn’s purchase was among roughly two dozen transac ons involving Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram stores in the second quarter, according to preliminary data from the Automo ve News Research & Data Center. Secondquarter transac ons involving the brands rose about 30 percent, while franchises that changed hands climbed about 50 percent compared with year-ago levels. Dealership buy-sell experts say the company’s sales challenges and lower dealership values — combined with emerging op mism for the automaker’s future — have spurred interest from both buyers and sellers. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram among top franchises in Q2 buy-sell ac vity Stellan s brands topped the list of franchises that were part of buy-sell deals in the 2nd quarter, with 29 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep franchises as well as 28 Ram franchises. Those brands, plus Ford, Chevrolet, Hyundai and Honda, were the top 5 franchises involved in the deals by share.\ Under former CEO Carlos Tavares, who resigned in late 2024, Stellan s cut the Jeep Cherokee crossover, launched more expensive Jeep SUVs and axed the Hemi V-8 engine popular with Ram 1500 pickup buyers. Stellan s is hoping to break a seven-year U.S. sales slump. To reverse the slide, Tavares’ successor, Antonio Filosa, has devised an ambi ous product plan that includes 11 new nameplates in North America by 2030. Among the returning models: the Hemi V-8 engine-equipped Ram 1500 and a hybrid version of the Cherokee. The automaker’s poten al is drawing dealership buyers, according to some retailers. What transac on data says about CDJR stores Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep stores each made up 11.8 percent of dealership transac ons in the second quarter, with 29 franchises of each brand changing hands. Twenty-eight Ram franchises also were part of second-quarter transac ons. Continued on Page 12

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

Continued from Page 11 That’s up from 18 Dodge and Ram franchises, 19 Chrysler franchises and 20 Jeep franchises involved in secondquarter 2025 deals. S ll, the appe te isn’t universal. Auto retailers with mul ple Stellan s dealerships might shy away from buying another to avoid overexposing their company to risk, said Nancy Phillips, president of Nancy Phillips Associates, a dealership brokerage firm in Exeter, N.H. Meanwhile, dealership groups looking to grow might find Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram stores a rac ve because there are good deals, said Dave Can n, CEO of auto retail consul ng firm Dave Can n Group in New York. If “they’re op mis c about the future, they’re going to create a frenzy around acquisi ons,” Can n said. “And we’re star ng to see that today.” Stellan s’ turnaround plan Dahl Automo ve, of La Crosse, Wis., bought a Minnesota Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram store in June as a longterm bet on future profitability, dealer Andrew Dahl said. “There’s cycles with the brands,” Dahl said. “They get hot, they have a few oﬀ years, but they come back.” Dahl Automo ve acquired two Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram stores in 2023. Since then, Stellan s has revamped its field team and bolstered support for dealers, Dahl said. And it is refreshing its lineup. Ram plans to add compact and midsize pickups along with the three-row Ramcharger SUV. Stellan s is also reviving the product-starved Chrysler brand with three crossovers aimed at the $25,000-to-$35,000 market. “A lot of the future product is going to take a li le bit of me to get to us,” Dahl said. Even so, the automaker is “commi ed to this turnaround plan that they have, and they’re engaged in the dealer body, and they’re accessible.” Stellan s’ U.S. sales rose 5.7 percent in the second quarter, its fourth consecu ve quarterly gain. Overall sales were up 5 percent through June. Its U.S. market share jumped about half a percentage point from a year ago, driven by the Ram 1500, Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Chrysler Pacifica. Those improvements have lessened dealers’ fear of buying Stellan s-brand stores now compared with two years ago, Phillips said. “A lot of the volume is coming from dealers who see a big poten al for upside gain once Stellan s has fully executed its own turnaround strategy,” Stellan s Na onal Dealer Council Chairman Sean Hogan said. Welborn said he would consider buying another Stellan s dealership, but it would depend on the market and loca on. “I can realize the payback in a very short me frame, and so at the end of the day, that makes perfect sense for us,” he said. “We’re long-term players.” Gail Kachadourian Howe and Vince Bond Jr. contributed to this report. Source: www.AutoNews.com - Ar cle by Paige Hodder

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Ram tops Jeep to become biggest Stellantis brand in Q3; streak of U.S. sales gains ends Ram outsold Jeep in a quarter for the first me since the truck brand got carved out of Dodge in 2009. Sales of the 1500 pickup surged 73 percent in the third quarter, leading Ram to a 29 percent gain. Meanwhile, Jeep sales dropped 20 percent to 128,542, versus 134,072 for Ram. The Jeep Compass, Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer all posted declines of at least 30 percent for the quarter. The Wagoneer was discon nued a er the 2025 model year but was included in the Grand Wagoneer results. The electric Wagoneer S plunged 96 percent from the same quarter a year earlier, just before the Trump administra on ended the federal tax credit on plug-in vehicles. Jeep skipped the 2026 model year for the Wagoneer S, but plans to bring it back as a 2027 model. Jeep’s falloﬀ contributed to a 0.2 percent decline for Stellan s overall, ending the company’s yearlong streak of gains. Its volume is up 3.3 percent year to date, keeping it on pace for the first annual gain since 2018. Chrysler rose 6 percent in the quarter, while Dodge climbed 2 percent. The Dodge Durango, with a 14 percent gain, had its best third-quarter performance since 2005, Stellan s said. The low-volume Alfa Romeo and Fiat brands were down 65 percent and 83 percent, respec vely. The ny Fiat Topolino, which is categorized as a quadricycle, arrived at select U.S. dealerships in the third quarter. It is Stellan s’ first entry into the micromobility segment in the U.S. A er three quarters, Ram is up 20 percent and Chrysler is up 12 percent, while Dodge is down 3 percent and Jeep is down 8 percent. On the year, Jeep remains more than 44,000 vehicles ahead of Ram, but Stellan s has made clear it expects Ram to become the bigger of its two most prominent North American brands by the end of the decade. It plans to expand the Ram lineup with two smaller pickups and its first-ever SUV in the years ahead. Stellan s hired Ma VanDyke, a former Ford marke ng execu ve, to run the Ram brand in July. Ram incen ves rose more than 10 percent in September from a year earlier, to an average of $7,941 per vehicle, according to MotorIntelligence. “Against a highly compe ve industry backdrop, we delivered a disciplined third quarter, supported by our movated dealer network, which con nued to drive our retail business,” Michael Orange, the automaker’s head of U.S. retail sales and network performance, said in a statement. Source: www.AutoNews.com - Ar cle by Vince Bond Jr.

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

The View From My Oﬃce With Kat Monteiro Happy Fall Y’all! Even though it does not feel much like Fall here in Southern California, as of late we have had some of the hottest heat waves of the year with temps reaching 107 at our house! At the me of wri ng this it is in the mid-90s with the warm Santa Ana Winds blowing strong. I am sure many of you have seen the fires that this wind s rred up on the news. We had a couple trees that lost some branches but luckily, they didn’t hit anything on their way down. Last week we had our li le tropical storm make her way through which brought high surf along the beaches and an inch and a half of rain at our house. We were not home so we missed all the ac on. But I do love Fall (once it gets here). I have a YouTube channel that I play on the TV with good vibes music and videos of all the eastern states in all their Fall glory. The colors are so amazing! I would consider ren ng a house in Maine or Vermont for the months of October and November just so I could immerse myself in all the colors on a daily basis. I think I just gave myself an idea for next year!! September was a fun month for us. Rick found out that Southwest Airlines flies to Anchorage, Alaska. He had been cha ng with some friends that he wanted to play a round of golf in Alaska so he could knock it oﬀ his list of states played. So, when he saw that Southwest flies there, he said to me - We should go to Alaska so I can play a round of golf - and of course I said OK, let’s go! So, we did!

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Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Continued from Page 14 I had never been to Alaska, so I was excited. We booked a hotel not too far from the main street in Anchorage. They call this area the Mushing District - it is the star ng point for the Iditarod Dog Sled race that is held every year in March. The Iditarod is a 1,000-mile race from Anchorage to Nome. The annual race started in 1973 to preserve sled dog culture, Alaskan Huskies, and the historic Iditarod Trail. In 1925 mushers relayed lifesaving medicine to the icebound town of Nome. They were having a Diphtheria outbreak and had no way to get help. So, the mushers organized a Diphtheria Serum Run - the Great Race of Mercy. Now they call it the Last Great Race on Earth. Each team consists of 1 musher and 12-16 Alaskan Huskies. Rules require teams to take one 24-hour stop and two 8 hour stops at designated checkpoints along the trail. Teams typically finish in Nome within 8-10 days. There are usually around 50 mushers compe ng in the race each year. In 1985 - Libby Riddles, who was considered a long shot, became the first woman to win the race. This news gathered a lot of coverage and brought more a en on and fans to the race and made it more popular. People watch and follow the race live online. If you are interested, you can check out the link Iditarod Live h ps://iditarod.com/iditarodlive/ - the oﬃcial Iditarod website. Ok so there you go a li le history lesson you probably didn’t know you needed! But now, a er being there I know I will be watching! We had such a good me. Anchorage - Alaska in general - is just so beau ful. It will take your breath away. The history, the stories of communi es, the landscape, it is all fascina ng.

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The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

Continued from Page 14 Rick got his round of golf in, checking off his 22nd state. I rode along with him which was fun. It was a beau ful course called Moose Run. There was a bulle n on the Pro shop door warning people that a mother bear and her 2 cubs had been spo ed on the course that morning so be careful and on the lookout. I was excited at the thought of seeing a bear! I mean, one of the highlights of Alaska is all the wildlife you will see! Well, we never saw her, I was so bummed. Rick saw an eagle fly over, but I missed that too. By the me I jumped out of the golf cart he had gone over the trees where I could not see him. The next day we took the Alaskan Railroad to Whi er, located at the head of Passage Canal in Prince William Sound. This town is known as “Town Under One Roof” famous for having nearly its en re year-round populaon of roughly 200 residents live under one roof in a single 14-story building called Begich Towers. This building also houses essen al services, including the Post Office, a police sta on, a health clinic, and a church. It has an underground tunnel that connects the building directly to the local school. During the summer months the town is taken over by tourists who come in off the cruise ships, or by ferries, or day trips for glacier jet-skiing, wildlife cruises, fishing charters, and hiking. We had a 6-hour layover here but we did not do any of the tours. We just walked around, had lunch, sat by the water and just enjoyed the day. We stopped in at the Inn at Whi er and had some appe zers and drinks in the bar which overlooked the beau ful water. I would love to go back to this li le town for some hiking and a glacier tour. Oh, and that housing building I was telling you about the top floor has rooms for rent! The train ride was amazing. The countryside we went though was mesmerizing. And we had a good group of conductors telling us what we were seeing and a bit of history. On another day we did the 2 hour trolley tour which was fun. Our guide was so good. And it got us out and around town and outside of town to hit some of the highlights of the area. We were able to get out at different sights and walk around which was nice. Having a hotel close to town enabled us to be able to walk to everything. We ate at some amazing restaurants and did some shopping. And if you are ever in Anchorage you have to check out their museum! Continued on Page 17

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Continued from Page 16 It is one of the best ones we have seen. They have a large collec on of ar facts that used to be in the Smithsonian, and it lays out the history of Alaska and its people. And it is laid out and displayed so beau fully. And if you bring the kids they oﬀer so many interac ve displays to touch and feel and experiment with. I had men oned Alaska as the place to go to see all the wildlife. I read all the ar cles and brochures promising that it’s the ulmate place to see wildlife. They make it sound like you have a 99% chance of spotng a moose, a bear, and an eagle. Well, guess what I saw? A swan. That’s it! I guess all the moose moved out of town that week, and even though we saw lots of bear scat in Whi er around the trash bins, they stayed out of view while we were there. Not that I wanted to see a bear that close or in that se ng, but it would have been nice to see one in the fields or on the mountainside. But not even seeing a single moose? That was so crazy and disappoin ng! I told Rick he oﬃcially has to take me back. I am truly looking forward to seeing many of you in just a couple weeks at our Mopar Masters Guild’s 34th Annual Mee ng in Las Vegas! Can you believe it? 34 consecu ve years! Who could have imagined?

I want to shout a big thank you to every one of you who takes the me to read about our adventures! I sure enjoy sharing them with you.

Kat The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

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Our Supporting Vendors: Support those who support you.

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Our Supporting Vendors: Support those who support you The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

What Fifty Years Taught Me Five decades in Fixed Operations taught me that some of the biggest opportunities are already inside the dealership—you just have to know where to look. By Lumena Litts, Founder of QB Business Solutions

I entered the automotive industry in 1976. Nearly fifty years later, I have watched almost every part of Fixed Operations change. Technology has transformed how dealerships operate, manufacturer requirements have evolved, customer expectations have increased, and the financial opportunities within Parts and Service have become far more complex. I have served as a Fixed Operations Director, worked closely with both Parts and Service departments, participated in manufacturer pilot programs, consulted with dealerships, and spent years studying the financial side of Fixed Operations. Through all of those experiences, one lesson has remained remarkably consistent: you don't know what you don't know. Some of the greatest opportunities I have seen dealerships uncover did not come from completely changing their businesses. They came from looking more closely at the business they were already doing. WHEN REIMBURSEMENT CHANGED Warranty reimbursement is a perfect example. For much of my early career, dealerships operated within the warranty reimbursement structures established by their manufacturers. As laws began changing and dealers gained avenues to request warranty parts and labor reimbursement based on their retail business, the landscape changed. I was fortunate to be involved in dealer-association discussions surrounding retail warranty compensation while working in Fixed Operations. Because I already understood dealership operations and manufacturer warranty processes, I began helping dealers understand how those changes could apply to their businesses. What surprised me then—and still surprises me today—is how many dealerships had never actually calculated the financial difference.

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Consider a simple example. If your retail labor rate is $225 per hour but your warranty labor rate is $175, that is a $50 difference for every warranty hour. At 10,000 warranty hours annually, the difference is $500,000. The specific numbers will be different for every dealership, but the lesson is the same: know your numbers. Until you measure the opportunity, you cannot decide what deserves your attention.

“You cannot manage an opportunity you have never measured.” THE DEALERS ASKED FOR MORE Something interesting happened as I began helping dealerships better understand reimbursement. They started asking other questions. Questions about warranty claims. Documentation. Technician stories. Operations that were not being captured. Manufacturer requirements. Why certain claims were not paying as expected. Warranty claims processing was not originally where I expected this journey to lead. The need came directly from dealers. We piloted claims processing with one dealership, and that experience reinforced something I have seen many times over my career: solving one well-defined problem often reveals another opportunity nearby. For me, there is an important Fixed Operations lesson in that evolution: listen to the questions being asked inside your dealership. Repeated questions often are not isolated problems. They can be symptoms of a larger process that deserves attention. THE RATE IS ONLY THE START Over the years, I came to describe the relationship very simply: Reimbursement sets the rate. Claims processing collects it. A dealership can establish an appropriate warranty labor rate, but that does not automatically mean it is capturing everything associated with the work being performed. Imagine a technician replacing a water pump. Before determining the water pump has failed, the technician performs a pressure test on the cooling system. If that diagnostic

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September - October 2026

operation was legitimately performed but is not properly documented and captured when the warranty claim is prepared, increasing the dealership's labor rate does not recover that lost opportunity. That is why warranty profitability is not the responsibility of one person. Technicians, advisors, Parts, warranty administrators, and management all affect the final result. What happens when the repair begins can ultimately determine what the dealership collects when the claim is submitted. The strongest operations understand those connections. PROTECT WHAT YOU EARN There is another lesson experience has taught me: getting paid is not necessarily the finish line. Warranty work exists within manufacturer requirements, documentation standards, and audit guidelines. Those requirements evolve, which makes continued education critical. A technician's narrative matters. Punch times matter. Supporting documentation matters. Properly identifying and documenting the work performed matters. I have never believed that maximizing warranty revenue should come at the expense of compliance. A dollar collected today that cannot withstand an audit tomorrow is not sustainable revenue. The objective should be to create processes that allow the dealership to capture the compensation it legitimately earns while maintaining documentation that supports it. That requires more than a good warranty administrator. It requires participation throughout Fixed Operations. FIXED OPS NEVER STOPS When I think back to where this career started in 1976, the Fixed Operations department I knew then looks very different from the one we operate in today. And I expect it will look different again ten years from now. That may be the greatest lesson these years have taught me: Fixed Ops never stands still. Regulations change. Manufacturer programs change. Technology changes. Customers change. Data gives us visibility into things we could not easily measure before. And

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opportunities that were not part of the conversation earlier in my career can become significant financial considerations today. For Fixed Operations leaders, that means experience is valuable—but curiosity is just as important. Know what you are charging. Know what you are being reimbursed. Understand what work is being performed, what is being documented, and what is ultimately being collected. Look at the data. Ask questions when the numbers do not make sense. And never become so comfortable with a process that you stop asking whether there is a better way. After nearly fifty years in this industry, I still believe one of the most valuable questions a Fixed Operations leader can ask is one of the simplest: What don't I know? Because sometimes the biggest opportunity in your dealership is already there. You just haven't found it yet.

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ARE YOUR SERVICE

BAYS

RUNNING

ON EMPTY? The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

READ WHY TOP DEALERS ADVERTISE IN FENDERBENDER ADVERTISING IN FENDERBENDER IS EASY, EFFECTIVE, & AFFORDABLE

40,000+ 144,000+ T O TA L C I R C U L AT I O N * *

7 2 7$ / & , 5 & 8 / $7 , 2 1 : , 7 + 3$ 6 6 ǫ $ / 2 1 *

Average subscriber passes along to 2.6 additional readers*

FenderBender isn't just a magazine, it's a blog, email newsletter, social media and so much more. As a smaller independent repair facility, sometimes we can feel like we are going it alone. With FenderBender we feel connected to a larger auto collision repair industry where we can relate to the articles of other businesses going through the same things we are. It gives us insight and ideas on how to improve our facility. JOE MCBETH PARTS DIRECTOR & JOHN RUSSO JR. PARTS MANAGER Clay Cooley Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram / Formerly Dallas Dodge

LEARN MORE

GROWPARTS.FENDERBENDER.COM

*2026 FenderBender Readership Study **Publisher’s Circulation Data

Exclusive Media Partner of the Mopar Masters Guild

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WIN BY Fuel your marketing funnel. Fill your service bays. CDK Service Marketing for Fixed Operations uses AI to target the right customers, automate campaigns and sharpen messaging. Smarter outreach. More appointments. Busier bays.

FUELING DEMAND CDK.COM/FIXEDOPS

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V z ʑ

Your DMS, your CRM and your website each know part of the same person — and none of them knows it's the same person. Activator resolves every record into one customer, then picks the contact most likely to actually reach them.

Danielle Ortiz · dortiz74@gmail.com · (507) 421-8836

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Buyer Danielle Ortiz

Est. mileage 14,000

Term / rate 84 mo. @ 9.14%

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Deal type New / Retail

Last service 06/27/2026

increase in reachable customers across 37 dealers

existing customers re-matched to their own DMS record

of one store's records were the same people, twice

Customer profile shown is an illustration of the Activator Customer Profile Page; the person, records, spend and vehicle details are fictitious. Reachability and match figures measured across a 37-dealer group, August 6, 2026; results vary by dealer with DMS history, CRM completeness and pixel coverage. Duplicate figure is one store's live DMS data, July 2026.

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H OW TO I N C R E A S E C O L L I S I O N PA R T S SA L E S :

5 Moves for Dealership Parts Departments Between rising total loss frequency and fewer repairable claims, the pool of collision work is shrinking. Additionally, your competition has gotten very good at selling online, and shops are comfortable ordering that way. Factor in staffing issues, and your parts team is competing with savvy competitors over a smaller piece of the pie with fewer people on hand to help than in years prior.

Below are five moves dealership parts departments are making to win back part sales:

1. Meet shops where they’re buying parts: online Shops expect to research parts, view a catalog, place an order, and pay – all without picking up a phone. If your department isn’t reachable through the online channels shops use to order parts, you aren’t losing on price. You’re not even in position to lose on price – you’re losing on availability. Make sure buyers can order from you online by providing accurate pricing, inventory, and availability during the hours shops are writing estimates.

2. See the complete estimate (not just the order) Most parts platforms only show the parts a shop chose to buy from you. You never see what they sourced elsewhere. By the time the order lands, the decision’s already made. What changes the outcome is seeing every line, including ones written for your competitors. Visibility turns a passive order queue into a list of named conversion opportunities. When you can see the full estimate, you can respond with an OEM price the shop can defend and win the line before the order is placed.

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3. Stay in front of shops between orders Most parts dealers market to shops twice: when they open the account and when order volume drops. Your customers get pitched by suppliers all the time. Staying visible between orders with marketing campaigns that come from your dealership, not a vendor, helps you keep the business. The practical version of this move is running consistent, low-lift outreach that targets the shops most likely to order.

4. Use the data already sitting in your DMS Your DMS knows which shops slowed last quarter, which parts categories are growing, which accounts order once and disappear, and more. Getting that data out of the DMS and into a view your team can act on can change your operations. Instead of reacting to calls, your team works a prioritized list: these shops are down, this category is up, this shop hasn’t ordered in 45 days. None of this requires new data – it’s in your system, waiting to be pulled into an actionable format.

5. Treat parts selling as a skill worth coaching Wholesale parts is a sales job, but it’s rarely staffed, trained, or managed like one. Ongoing coaching beats one-time training for a simple reason: It works in small increments, with someone outside the store helping your team on process, outreach, and conversion. Think of it like this: a full process overhaul is hard for parts teams to absorb when the phones are ringing, but one new habit a month (learned from ongoing coaching) is more manageable.

Where to Start

You don’t need to act on all five at once. If you only act on one item, make it #2: visibility into the full estimate. This makes every other move more actionable. You can get started on #2 with CollisionLink and TraxCollision and give your parts team the entire estimate, not just the order, so they can convert lines to Mopar parts. From there, when your team is ready, you can consider adding the training and tools that drive results.

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“

With AutoVision, we have seen a 25% increase in gross proﬁt. Kyle Krug | General Sales Manager

After more than a decade with the same inventory management process, Bob Allen Ford knew it was time for a change. They needed a partner that could help drive inventory performance to the next level.

Hear why making the switch was crucial to their success.

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READ WHY TOP DEALERS ADVERTISE IN RATCHET+WRENCH ADVERTISING IN RATCHET+WRENCH IS EASY, EFFECTIVE, & AFFORDABLE

TOTAL CIRCULATION**

91,000+ TOTAL CIRCULATION WITH PASS ALONG*

273,000+ (Average subscriber passes along to 2+ additional readers)

I advertise with Ratchet+Wrench because they help me reach all the IRFs in my immediate market and beyond, which aids me in growing my mechanical parts ïÝèáï Öäáõ Ýîá ãîáÝð ðë óëîç óåðä éÝçá åð áÝïõ âëî éá äÝòá ÝĞëîàÝÞèá ëìðåëêï Ýîá ßîáÝðåòá Ýêà Ýîá áĞáßðåòá åê ïñììëîðåêã éõ Þñïåêáïï ROBERT CHATWIN PARTS MANAGER LARRY H. MILLER CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE SANDY

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*2025 Ratchet+Wrench Readership Study

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**Publisher’s circulation data

Exclusive Media Partner of the Mopar Masters Guild

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September - October 2026

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Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

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September - October 2026

POSSIBILITIES

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DISCOVER THE PETRA ADVANTAGE.

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Relo delivers parts directly to technicians so they can stay focused on what they do best. Meet your new parts-running robot at reyrey.com/relo.

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Car Care Web ENGAGING AUTOMOTIVE VIDEOS TO BOOST ONLINE ATTENTION

Interactive Car Care Library

Complete Customer Learning Center on Your Website Give your visitors an eye-catching gallery of videos and articles, organized by vehicle system and category, with a clickable 3D vehicle navigator. A complete learning center that’s customizable and easy to insert on any web page.

Auto Service Blog

Fresh Content on Your Website, Automatically Delivered The Internet craves fresh, new content. Feed the need with weekly automatic articles pushed directly to your blog or website. Share everywhere, like your customer newsletters or social media. Edit each or keep on auto pilot.

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Embedded Service Video

The Right Explainer Video, Right Where You Need It ;ERX E WTIGMƼG WIVZMGI ZMHIS MR ER I\EGX TEKI SV WIGXMSR# Easy – just embed our simple code snippet and your visitor KIXW XLI VMKLX I\TPEREXMSR EX XLI I\EGX QSQIRX XLI] RIIH MX Any video from the library. What you want, where you want it.

Service Video Share Link Short Video Links to Send & Share

Every AutoNetTV video includes a short link for you, or your ZMWMXSVW XS WIRH WLEVI F] IQEMP XI\X SV WSGMEP QIHME QIWWEKMRK (MVIGX GYWXSQIVW XS E WTIGMƼG WIVZMGI ZMHIS based on their needs.

YOUR WEBSITE IS OPEN 24/7. MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU.

“

I absolutely LOVE the new Car Care Web on my website. It gives every visitor

clear, helpful information about any part of their vehicle they’re curious about. - LMKLP] VIGSQQIRH MX =SY GER TSMRX GYWXSQIVW XS E WTIGMƼG WIVZMGI SV VITEMV ERH KMZI XLIQ XLI ORS[PIHKI ERH GSRƼHIRGI XS QEOI E GLSMGI Rick Garrigan | Owner, Garrigan’s Auto Repair Shop

Discover How Car Care Web Works https://autonettv.com/products/website-and-social-media-awareness/

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Principle Distribution:A Legacy of Logistics Excellence What We Do Principle Distribu on serves as a key component between contract owner operators and the automo ve supply chain, seamlessly connec ng skilled professionals with leading OEM and a ermarket auto parts distributors and wholesalers. As a broker, it streamlines placements, op mizes delivery schedules, and reduces opera onal disrup ons, helping businesses meet market demands while providing drivers with valuable opportuni es. Its industry exper se helps businesses increase market share by iden fyingopportuni eswithinitsnetworkofstrategicpartnerships.PrincipleDistribu on iscommi edto maintainingahigherstandard ofserviceto mee hedemandsofanever- evolvingmarket. FoundingandGrowthPrincipleDistribu onwasfoundedin2003withasingularvision:to set a new standard in high-quality delivery services. The company emerged in response to the growing demand for efficient, reliable transporta on solu ons, par cularly in the automo ve OEM and a ermarket parts industry. By benchmarking compe tors and refining opera onal models, Principle Distribu on quickly established itself as a leader in the OEM and a ermarket auto parts industry. Over the years, the company expanded its footprint across Texas, Arizona, and beyond acquiring key logis cs companies to strengthen its capabili es. Notable acquisi ons include First Place Logis cs (2007), North Couriers (2014), Dealer Staffing (2019), and OPS Overnight Delivery (2024), posi oning PrincipleDistribu onastheleaderinTexasinlocalandregionalnetworkcoverageforauto parts. Services and Strategic PartnershipsPrinciple Distribu on has built a comprehensive logis cs ecosystem, leveraging strategic partnerships to provide specialized services tailored to the automo ve industry. These partnerships include:  MaximDirect:TheAus n-basedregional deliverynetworkspecializesinsame-day andnextday deliveryforOEMand a ermarket autoparts. Its next-day delivery network encompasses over 475 ci es. Maxim Direct ensures rapid fulfillment across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, op mizing inventory management and minimizing down me for dealerships.  MaximSelect:Anovernightwhite-glovedeliveryservicecustomizedspecificallyfor OEM and a ermarket auto parts distributors that supply parts to major collision centers. The Texas hubs are strategically located in Aus n, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Maxim Select offers advanced tracking, digital pictures, and proof of deliveryviatheEliteExtraApp.Thereistremendouspoten alforexpandingthis service into other strategic markets.  PrincipleExpress:Aregionaldeliverynetworkspecializinginsame-dayandnext-day deliveryforOEManda ermarketautoparts.FromitsDallashub,thedelivery networkreachesover600ci esfornextdaydelivery.Companiescanexpandtheir salesfootprintandmarketsharewithPrincipleExpress,takingadvant ageofnext- daydeliverythroughoutTexasandintoOklahoma,Arkansas,andLouisiana. Continued on Page 42

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Continued from Page 41  Principle Distribu on AZ: The Arizona division of Principle Distribu on, specializing in carrier management and dedicated fleet outsourcing. This branch supports local and regional logiscs opera ons, ensuring seamless distribu on across the Southwest and beyond.  Axiom Professional Solu ons: Specializes in recruitment, placement, and staﬃng services for the automo ve industry and light industrial sectors. Its niche is finding the best warehouse personnel, dispatchers, and automo ve technicians in the market. Axiom handles HR administraon, payroll processing, employee benefits, and risk compliance, helping businesses streamline opera ons and reduce liability exposure. Industry Leadership and Future OutlookIn 2025, Principle Distribu on has solidified its reputa onas apremier logis cs provider inthe automo ve parts industry, knownforits commitmen oeﬃciency,reliabili ty,andinnova on.Thecompanycon nuestoinves n great people who drive excellence for clients. Principle Distribu on’s commitment to technology reflects its vision and understanding that good data is necessary for making informed business decisions. Lookingahead,PrincipleDistribu onaimstoexpanditsstrategicpartnerships,integrate AI-driven logis cs solu ons, and further streamline supply chain opera ons in the automo ve parts industry. With a customer-centric approach and a dedica on to excellence, the company is poised to remain a key player in automo ve parts logis cs industry for years to come.

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Why Dealership Service Departments Are Leaving Millions in Revenue on the Table

Service departments and F&I oﬃces are both cri cal parts of a dealership’s ability to retain customers and generate revenue throughout the ownership lifecycle. Yet while F&I has spent recent years refining how it trains, incen vizes, and measures its customer teams, service departments have largely stayed the same. Service advisors are rarely trained or compensated to iden fy addi onal revenue opportuni es the way sales and F&I staﬀ are, and that lost opportunity is becoming bigger every year. The result is a disconnect between where customers increasingly spend money on their vehicles and where dealerships are posi oned to capture that business. As vehicles remain on the road longer, the service rela onship has become an important part of the overall customer rela onship. Cars Are Staying on the Road Longer Than Ever The root cause is straigh orward economics. New vehicle prices have climbed to levels that push many buyers toward longer loan terms and longer ownership periods, and the vehicles reflect it. The average age of a car or light truck on American roads climbed to 12.8 years in 2025, a figure that has now risen for eight consecu ve years as new vehicle sales struggle to keep pace with the aging vehicles already on the road. Continued on Page 44

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September - October 2026

Continued from Page 43 That trend should be good news for dealership service departments. More vehicles are aging out of their factory warranty and into the years when maintenance and repair needs mul ply. Instead, many dealerships are watching much of that business walk out the door. Why the Service Drive Keeps Losing Ground The warranty period func ons as an invisible leash. While it is ac ve, customers return to the dealership because repairs are mostly covered, and risk feels low. Once it expires, that psychology flips, and price sensi vity spikes at the same moment compe tors sharpen their pitch. Recent industry research shows how sharply reten on falls once that leash disappears, with dealership service reten on among owners of newer vehicles falling from 72% in 2023 to just 54% in 2025, and dealerships now handling 12% fewer service visits overall than they did in 2018. Independent shops are not necessarily winning this fight on price. Dealership repair costs remain broadly compe ve with independent shops on average, but customers s ll perceive dealerships as more expensive, less transparent, and more likely to spring surprise costs on them. Dealerships are also simply outnumbered, with independent repair shops now outnumbering franchise dealership service departments by more than 10 to 1 na onally, giving customers no shortage of alterna ves once loyalty cracks. The cost of that migra on extends well past lost labor hours. It can cost up to 10 mes more to acquire a new customer than to retain an exis ng one, and the connec on between service and future vehicle sales is direct. Customers who con nue servicing their vehicle at the dealership where they bought it are significantly more likely to return there for their next purchase, which means every lost service customer is also a quietly lost future sale. Rethinking What Happens in the Service Bay The service department’s underperformance is not primarily a marke ng problem, but in fact a structural one for the business. Tradi onal service departments were built to move vehicles through bays quickly, not to build long-term financial rela onships with customers the way F&I oﬃces are trained to do. Closing that gap does not necessarily require turning service advisors into salespeople. It requires designing the service experience so reten on happens automa cally, without an uncomfortable sales conversa on at the counter. That does not mean asking service advisors to become salespeople. It means recognizing that the service department has a role in the larger customer rela onship and giving its teams the tools, informa on, and processes to support that rela onship. In prac ce, that starts with proac ve communica on well before a warranty expires rather than a er, since the 90-day window on either side of expira on is when most customers quietly decide whether to stay or leave. It can also mean building protec ons directly into the ownership experience, such as extended coverage on completed repairs, so customers have less reason to price shop or walk away when something goes wrong. Furthermore, since service already contributes close to half of a dealership’s total gross profit in many stores, even modest improvements in reten on translate into outsized returns. Continued on Page 45

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Continued from Page 44 A modern approach also means trea ng every service visit as a data point rather than a transac on. A customer bringing in a vehicle for a costly repair is o en a customer who would consider trading it in, yet few dealerships proac vely surface that op on at the point of service, leaving an en re category of inventory acquisi on and sales opportunity untouched. This creates another opportunity: using the service rela onship to be er understand when a customer’s needs may be changing. A vehicle requiring significant repairs, for example, may prompt a customer to consider whether con nuing to own it makes sense. A dealership that can recognize those signals has an opportunity to begin a conversa on about the customer’s next vehicle before that customer starts the process somewhere else. The New Service Opportunity The dealerships that treat the service department as a true second reten on engine, rather than a cost center that occasionally sells an air filter, are posi oned to capture a growing and largely uncontested share of a ermarket revenue over the next several years. The vehicles are staying on the road longer and the need for maintenance and repair is not going away. The opportunity for dealerships is to make the service rela onship as inten onal as the sales and F&I rela onships that come before it. The dealerships that can turn service visits into stronger, longer-las ng customer rela onships will be be er posi oned to retain more of the revenue generated throughout the vehicle ownership lifecycle. The ques on is no longer simply how many vehicles a dealership can sell. It is how much of the customer’s journey it can con nue to own a er the vehicle leaves the lot. Ar cle by John Michener, Senior Vice President of Finance & Insurance, Na on Safe Drivers John Michener is Senior Vice President of Finance & Insurance at Na on Safe Drivers, and he leads the growth, product evolu on, and partner enablement strategies for the company’s F&I division. Michener’s primary objec ve is empowering dealerships and independent agent networks across North America, providing them with the robust, compliant protec on products and management pla orms required to thrive in a shi ing retail market. For more informa on, visit www.gonsd.com.

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

Training programs are producing 55 skilled trade workers for every 100 needed Training programs are producing 55 workers for every 100 needed in the skilled trades, according to a new report from the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades. “The State of America’s Skilled Trades: A Na onal Report” found the U.S. will need to fill an es mated 1.7 million skilled trade jobs by 2035, according to a press release on the report. Skilled workers contributed an es mated $3.8 trillion to the U.S. gross domes c product (GDP) in 2025, the report found. The report examines 124 skilled trades occupa ons in all 50 states to iden fy where workers are needed and whether training is keeping pace. Based on the informa on, the alliance also launched the America’s Skilled Trades Dashboard, an interac ve tool covering 124 skilled trades occupa ons in the U.S.

“The state- and trade-level detail in this dashboard can help policymakers, workforce boards, colleges, and local leaders target solu ons where they are needed, rather than relying on a single na onal figure,” the release states. Continued on Page 47

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Continued from Page 46 An automo ve body and related repairers page on the dashboard shows 149,000 workers in the trade, and a 3.6% increase between 2019 and 2025. Twenty-nine percent of the automo ve body repairer workforce is 55 years old or older, and 11% are under 25. The five-year reten on rate is 65%, and 9.8% of the industry is partme. The report found the industry’s median pay is $54,000. It adds that the 10th percen le earns $37,000, while the 90th percen le earns $86,000. The employment growth per year is 0.6% between 2019 and 2025, the report found. Employers of auto body and other repairers are looking for skills that include automated cost es ma ng integrated tools, auto glass installa on and repair, work orders, workplace safety, and mechanical tools. Employers pay a premium for skills that include power tool opera on, manual and mechanical repair, vehicle inspec on, aluminum, and work orders. Auto body and other related repairers rank 118 out of 525 other occupa ons facing na onal shortage pressure, the report states. Maine has the highest shortage pressure for automo ve body and related repairers. Other states with high pressure include New Hampshire, Kansas, Nevada, and North Carolina. West Virginia has the lowest shortage pressure, according to the report. Other states included Minnesota, Connec cut, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Data show there are nine states where the demand for overall skilled trades workers outpaces the supply: 1. Arizona 2. Colorado 3. Delaware 4. Florida 5. Georgia 6. New Jersey 7. North Carolina 8. South Carolina 9. Texas For example, by 2034 Arizona will need 29,000 electricians, Texas will need 86,000 auto mechanics, and North Carolina will need 19,000 carpenters. Eighty-six out of 124 occupa ons are expected to add jobs or hold steady through 2035, the report found. According to the release, people are interested in skilled trades, but they don’t know where to start. It adds that the first steps toward becoming an electrician are diﬀerent from becoming a plumber. “Guidance counselors also face challenges helping students navigate these paths,” the release states. “Only 1 in 4 o en recommend appren ceship, just over half o en recommend trade school, and nearly 9 in 10 o en recommend a four-year degree — the path most students already know. A clearer first step is needed to help high school students explore careers in the skilled trades.” Only 1 in 2 people finish a skilled trades program, but data show that high-quality appren ceship programs have a comple on rate of more than 90%. “Ge ng students into the trades is only half the job,” the release adds. Continued on Page 48

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

Continued from Page 47 “What prevents people from comple ng a program isn’t a lack of commitment; it’s prac cal barriers like transporta on, childcare, and the need for a paycheck. Solving those problems will help more people start and finish their careers.” The report dives deeper into automo ve service technicians and mechanics, specifically, as a skilled trade under pressure. “Automo ve repair demand is anchored in the large number of vehicles already on the road,” the report states. “What is changing more quickly is the technical content of the work” Aging vehicles mean technicians maintain and repair systems spanning mul ple genera ons of vehicle technology, the report notes. It adds that cameras, radars, sensors, and other electronic systems have added diagnosc and calibra on work to repairs that were once primarily mechanical. “Even rou ne work such as windshield replacement or wheel alignment can now require system calibra on,” the release notes. As ba ery-electric, plug-in hybrid, and conven onal hybrid vehicles become a large share of the fleet, ba ery and high-voltage service is becoming a more rou ne part of automo ve repair, the report adds. The report finds that entry into the technician occupa on is not the primary constraint. It adds that workers under 25 years old make up 15.5% of the industry, compared with 11% across the skilled trades overall. “The more significant challenge comes a er entry, as the technology technicians’ service con nues to change,” the report adds. “Cer fica on is largely voluntary, and about one in five technicians holds a cer fica on or license. Technicians in smaller shops may develop deep exper se in par cular repairs or vehicle brands without regular exposure to newer systems. Moving into areas such as EV diagnos cs or advanced driver-assistance systems requires current equipment, instruc on, and supervised prac ce that individual shops may struggle to provide on their own.” The report states that for workers to keep pace with required changes, they need connued access to equipment, instruc on, and supervised prac ce a er entry, not just strong ini al prepara on. The report is one of the first projects completed by the Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades. The alliance was founded in July by BlackRock, Carhar , Ford, and Google. Source: www.RepairerDrivenNews.com - Ar cle by Teresa Moss

Survey says U.S. drivers not ready to give up vehicle control to autonomy Cox Automo ve says Americans are becoming more comfortable with and knowledgeable about autonomous vehicle technology, but aren’t ready to give up control of their vehicles, according to its new survey results. The company began studying AV technology 10 years ago. It says consumer familiarity with AVs has increased 18% since then, while 46% of U.S. consumers believe vehicles will become fully autonomous at some point during their life me. Five years ago, 37% believed that. “The most appealing level of autonomy con nues to be Level 4 (full autonomy capability, with the op on for a human to drive), selected by 28% of respondents, down from 30% a decade ago,” the survey report states. “Meanwhile, interest in fully driverless Level 5 vehicles declined notably from 17% in 2016 to 10% in 2026, sugges ng that consumers have become less interested in permanently giving up control of the driving experience.” Continued on Page 49

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Continued from Page 48 Since 2016, ownership of Level 2 and Level 3 vehicles increased from 12% to 34%. Fi y-seven percent of survey respondents said they would choose a Level 3 or higher vehicle for their next purchase if all autonomy levels were available. “The auto industry has always had longer adop on curves for new technologies,” said Vanessa Ton, Cox Automo ve’s market and customer research senior manager, in the report. “Even hybrid vehicles, which have been available to U.S. consumers for more than 25 years, account for only about 1 in 5 new vehicle sales today. For autonomous vehicles, safety concerns and high-profile incidents have slowed progress, but the growing acceptance of robotaxis seen in this year’s study indicates that a tudes are clearly evolving.” This year, respondents said they’re o en more willing to embrace Level 5 autonomy when they don’t have to buy the vehicle themselves, according to the report. “Awareness of robotaxis has reached 70% na onally and 89% among residents of ci es where autonomous services operate, although actual usage remains far lower at 18% na onally and 33% among AV-city residents,” the report states. “Research shows that 55% of Americans are open to using robotaxis, sugges ng adop on is more constrained by availability than by interest.” The report lists AV ci es as Atlanta, Georgia; Aus n, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, Texas; Las Vegas, Nevada; Los Angeles and San Francisco, California; Miami and Orlando, Florida; and Phoenix, Arizona. Eighty-three percent of respondents said riding in a robotaxi improved their percep on of AVs. The same percentage said they would hail a robotaxi again. However, 61% of respondents who hadn’t ridden in a robotaxi s ll cited discomfort with having no human driver as the primary reason they didn’t want to ride in one. According to the survey, proven performance, safety, and technology; financial incen ves; ease of adopon; and recommenda ons and peer influence pull buyers in when it comes to AVs. Respondents’ most-liked features include safety and accident preven on, being able to drive yourself when you want (Levels 3 and 4 autonomy), faster commutes, lower insurance, and benefits for impaired and at-risk drivers. Thirty-nine percent of ride-hail users said they’re very comfortable riding in AVs compared to riding in a vehicle driven by someone they don’t know. Forty-four percent said they’re somewhat comfortable compara vely. Cox Automo ve predicts that in two to five years, ride-hailing will be revolu onized because “the incumbents’ core asset, the human driver, is the very thing consumers are moving away from.” The report notes that Waymo, a robotaxi operator, claims to provide 2 million rides per month in the U.S. In September, Waymo launched in Denver, Colorado; San Diego, California, and Tampa, Florida, expanding its reach to 14 ci es. Its website shows it is already working to expand to 17 more ci es. The more control AVs take, the further safety confidence falls, according to Cox Automo ve. For example, 87% said they feel safe traveling in Level 1 autonomy vehicles. By Level 5 autonomy, that percentage drops to 38%. The results are nearly 50/50 on whether humans or AVs make roads safer. Forty-nine percent of respondents said roads would be safer if all vehicles were autonomous. Fi y-one percent said roads would be safer if only people operated vehicles. The survey also found that respondents believe AVs are be er suited for parking, road trips, new ci es, and traﬃc. Source: www.RepairerDrivenNews.com - Ar cle by Lurah Lowery

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

September - October 2026

2 02 026 6 Mopar M opar M ast as t er e rss G ui lld d O ffi cer s & Com Officer Committe ees es “The exchange of information by like-size dealers in a non-competitive environment”

Guild Oﬃcers

President Cody Eckhardt - Ken Garﬀ CDJRF - W. Valley City UT V. Pres - Jim Jaeger – Team CDJR – Merrillville, IN Secretary - John Russo - Clay Cooley DCJR - Dallas, TX Treasurer – Chris Hojnacki – Serra Lake CDJR – Lake Orion, MI

Execu ve Commi ee - All Oﬃcers Including: Dan Hu on - Tom O’Brien DCJR - Greenwood, IN Alan Yancey - Hayes CDJ - Alto, GA Rick Cutaia - Rick Hendrick DCJR – Charleston, SC Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN Joe McBeth - Clay Cooley DCJR - Dallas, TX David Kiser - Spartanburg CDJR - Spartanburg, SC

Guild Commi ees MMG Annual Mee ng Planning 2026 Jill Vance - Apogee Event Agency Cody Eckhardt - Ken Garﬀ CDJRF - W. Valley City UT Chris Hojnacki – Serra Lake CDJR – Lake Orion, MI

Finance Commi ee Cody Eckhardt - Ken Garﬀ CDJRF - W. Valley City UT Chris Hojnacki - Serra CDJR – Lake Orion, MI Don Cushing – MMG Magazine/Media

Newsle er/Website/Social Media Don Cushing – MMG Magazine/Media

Vendor Commi ees AER Manufacturing

Elite EXTRA - Epicor Joe McBeth - Clay Cooley DCJ - Dallas, TX Alan Yancey - Hayes CDJ - Alto, GA Chris Hojnacki – Serra Lake CDJR – Lake Orion, MI Steve Anderson - Tonkin Parts Center - Portland, OR Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN

Helm Cody Eckhardt - Ken Garﬀ CDJRF - W. Valley City UT (Chair) Joe McBeth - Clay Cooley DCJ - Dallas, TX Robert Chatwin - Larry Miller DCJR Chris Hojnacki – Serra Lake CDJR – Lake Orion, MI Chris Reynolds - Larry Miller DCJR

OEConnec on Dan Hu on - Tom O’Brien CJD – Greenwood, IN (Chair) John Russo - Clay Cooley DCJ – Dallas, TX Jim Jaeger - Team CDJR – Merrillville, IN Chris Hojnacki - Serra Lake CDJR – Lake Orion, MI *Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN

Reynolds & Reynolds Rick Cutaia - Rick Hendrick DCJR – Charleston, SC (Co-Chair) Joe Handzik - Be enhausen Auto - Tinley Park, IL Randy Rogers - Huﬃnes CJDR - Plano, TX Kent Cogswell - Jack Phelan CDJR - Countryside, IL *David Kiser - Spartanburg CDJR - Spartanburg, SC *Chris Hojnacki - Serra Lake CDJR – Lake Orion, MI

Snap On Business Solu ons

Robert Chatwin - Larry Miller DCJR - Sandy, UT (Chair) Ted Hawkins - Cerritos Dodge - Cerritos. CA Chris Hojnacki - Serra Lake CDJR – Lake Orion, MI *Joe Handzik - Be enhausen Auto - Tinley Park, IL

Cody Eckhardt - Ken Garﬀ CDJRF - W. Valley City UT (Chair) Randy Rogers - Huﬃnes CJDR - Plano, TX Taylor Sisson - Ganley CDJR, Bedford, OH *Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN

CDK Global

*Alternate

Joe McBeth - Clay Cooley DCJ – Dallas, TX (Chair) Robert Chatwin - Larry Miller DCJR - Sandy, UT Dan Hu on - Tom O’Brien DCJR - Greenwood, IN *Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN *Jim Jaeger - Team CDJR – Merrillville, IN

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Vendor Chair Cody Eckhardt - Ken Garﬀ CDJRF - W. Valley City UT David Kiser - Spartanburg CDJR - Spartanburg, SC

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine September - October 2026