Weekly Circles Briefing · Dec 12–19, 2025
Based on 1,000+ dealer-only conversations across franchise and independent rooftops in CDG Circles.
Big picture: December is a grind on the sales side, but fixed ops remain strong. Many markets are seeing uneven new and used volume tied to inventory and price sensitivity. Section 179 is helping move trucks and SUVs, and most dealers expect a hard push in the final 10 days of the month.
1) DMS & CRM: Momentum with Tradeoffs
Tekion:
Adoption is accelerating as groups move off Reynolds and CDK. Dealers like the modern UI, real-time data, and upcoming Analytics 2.0.
Caveat: implementations are widely described as painful, with ticket-based offshore support.
DriveCentric:
Still viewed as a top-tier CRM. Strong AI and onboarding.
Cost: ~$3K–$6K per rooftop, generally seen as worth it.
Legacy systems:
Reynolds is described as dated and hard to integrate.
CDK’s Service Scheduler is flagged as unreliable and frustrating for customers.
2) Fixed Ops & Service Drive Profit
Top tools dealers recommend:
eAdvisor: Instant vehicle scans on arrival. Surfaces high-dollar repairs, helps prevent warranty claims, integrates with DealerLogix.
AutoHub: AI service-drive appraisal tool. ~15+ vehicles/month. ~$1K/month.
UVeye: Expensive (~$6.3K/month) but strong ROI on tires, alignments, and trade appraisals.
Counterpoint: Some independents avoid service-drive prospecting, arguing older vehicles are more profitable to service than convert to trades.
Staffing & training:
RockED for quick, low-cost service advisor refreshers
Shift scheduling away from advisors to dedicated coordinators to improve shop flow
Products: BG / TORQ (Smart VMA, fixed-fee supply) continues to perform well.
3) Marketing, AI & Data
AI engagement:
Dealers are embedding AI agents on websites.
Spyne AI: photo backgrounds + voice/text engagement
Matador AI: solid chat tool (DriveCentric has similar native AI)
Lead gen:
Facebook Marketplace is producing real volume:
Used: ~15–20 units/month
New: ~5–7 units/month
Tools like Shiftly ($899/month) automate rep-level posting for reach.
Data & BI:
Qore: emerging as a strong BI layer for cleaning and unifying customer data
AutoCheck: preferred low-cost Carfax alternative (~$200/month unlimited). No reported customer pushback.
4) Financial Strategy: Credit Card Surcharges
What’s working:
2–3.5% surcharges across departments are generating meaningful savings
($5K–$8K per rooftop; $40K–$100K/month for larger groups).
Customer pushback has been minimal when clearly communicated.
Alternative: Clerq (1% fee via direct bank connection).
Counterpoint: Some dealers see surcharges as customer-unfriendly and a potential long-term brand risk.
Top Actions for Next Week
Evaluate eAdvisor for immediate fixed-ops ROI
Analyze credit card fees and model a surcharge rollout
Pressure-test DriveCentric and Tekion if planning a systems overhaul
Switch from Carfax to AutoCheck to cut costs fast
Build a repeatable Facebook Marketplace playbook (consider Shiftly)
— CDG