An Open Letter to Ford CEO Jim Farley, U.S. 2nd Quarter Auto Sales Report, Plus 2024 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid, 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV and 2024 Mazda CX-30 Test Drives

July 12, 2024

I hope you had a wonderful July 4^th and were able to get some rest and spend time with friends and family. It always feels funny not to do the Car Pro Show even for those couple of times a year we take a little breather. We’ll be with you again tomorrow, and we are back today with a full newsletter.

General Motors CEO Mary Barra drew my ire in May when Chevy killed off the Malibu so they can build more electric cars. This week, Ford CEO Jim Farley has angered and sadly, disappointed me. Farley issued a warning to the American people that they need to give up their addiction to gasoline engines and large vehicles, and instead, fall in love with smaller vehicles. I have some advice to him below in An Open Letter To Ford CEO Jim Farley.

I have the 2^nd quarter 2024 sales numbers for all automakers, and I included the numbers from the all-electric automakers, too. GM is going to have to write a check to the EPA for 145 million dollars for discrepancies in emissions. Rivian and VW are going to collaborate on making vehicles by forming a joint venture.

Also below, have you ever wondered what causes traffic jams? We have some ideas for you below. The NHTSA says traffic deaths are down this year, new vehicle inventories continue to grow to almost 3 million vehicles in stock, and the 2025 Kia Soul is coming out at a base price of just $20,290.

Don’t miss Kim Komando’s very useful Tips of the Week. She had a lot of really great ones this week, and as always, I encourage you to subscribe to her terrific and very useful newsletter that you’ll get seven days a week.

In advice today, I explain that car sales are final, so NEVER skip the test drive. Sadly, people do so all the time and end up with buyer's remorse. A test drive is a critically important part of the car buying process that should be treated as such.

In reviews, I have the wonderful 2024 Chevy Blazer RS all-electric SUV, and the 2024 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle plug-in hybrid minivan. Our Amy Plemons gives you a full review of the 2024 Mazda CX-30 Turbo Premium Plus compact SUV.

We have another True Story from a Former Car Dealer below. This is a series of 40 stories written by me. Today, #27 is titled: Auto Collections. This is the story of how I got on the Ford National Dealer Council, how I came to be the first two-term Chairman of it, and the struggles between Ford and the Ford Dealers of America when the then-CEO decided to compete with the Ford Dealers. I started on a grueling three year journey of being at odds with the very company I represented.

Plus, lots of other information you will enjoy, including our videos of the week we talk about on the air all the time! If you have never been to our FAQ page, take a minute and peruse the categories, something there will interest you for sure:

You’ll find the following stories and more info as you scroll down the newsletter:

We so appreciate all of you who take this newsletter and listen to the show every week. We know that without you, there is no Car Pro Radio Show. So always let us know when we can help you. If you have not been there lately, take a look at our website, www.carpro.com, it changes all the time!

Have a terrific week. See you on the radio!

Dear Mr. Farley,

We’ve met but let me re-introduce myself. I am a nationally syndicated automotive talk show host, but more importantly I am a former Ford Dealer and was the first two-term Chairman of the esteemed Ford National Dealer Council. I was also the largest volume Ford dealer in Texas for ten straight years, and the #1 seller of Ford pickups in America for over a decade. I always said that if I were to cut myself, I would bleed blue. I would add that as an automotive journalist for almost 24 years, I have followed your career at Toyota, and later with Ford.

This is the reason I was dismayed and disappointed in recent comments you made. We have a saying in Texas: “Dance with the one who brung you”, and while not grammatically correct, the sentiment is. You don’t walk away from what made you successful. Behind the Blue Oval is 47 years as the best-selling truck maker in America. I understand you are not walking away from trucks, but the focus at Ford (and General Motors, by the way) seems to be on nothing but electric vehicles.

With all due respect, you cannot force a market that is not there. It’s been tried many times, and most recently on your watch. Reports from the first quarter of 2024, that seemed to be backed up by financial disclosures, say that Ford lost in excess of $100,000 for every electric vehicle manufactured. I’m not as smart as you are, but it seems to me, building fewer-not more of them, is a better business decision.

In your recent remarks, you said:

“We have to start to get back in love with smaller vehicles. It’s super important for our society and for EV adoption.”

I’m quite sure you cannot force love just because you say the words and you wish it to be true. The EVs that have been sold so far have benefitted from a push by the U.S. Government, billions of dollars in government-funded rebates, and big tariffs put on Chinese products to level the playing field. Generally speaking, when a business relies on government money, it is rarely successful, and history shows that over and over.

Americans will push back if you try to force them to do anything, but if you try to come between the people and their love affair with cars, you’ll become their adversary. I don’t think any car company wants that, or any seller of goods for that matter. I agree that there is a less than 10% factor of people who want electric cars and their lifestyles suit that. Some people want an electric for environmental purposes, and that is commendable. The electric car lovers should be catered to and pleased, but not at the expense of those who want a gas or hybrid vehicle. For as long as history has been recorded, the majority rules. They rule in business, too.

I was the Dealer Council Chairman when Jac Nasser held your position. He was dead set on “diversifying” Ford, he went so far as to say that vehicles would be a small part of Ford. He began investing millions of dollars in tech companies, body shops, wrecking yards, even Ford dealerships in competition with Ford Dealers. I pleaded with Ford execs at the time, including Nasser, to stick to what made them successful: building quality vehicles that people want to buy, key words are the last three. That emphasis has not changed, and I don’t want to see history repeat itself. The Nasser era was one of the worst in Ford history and cost the company literally billions of dollars.

One other of your comments that alarmed me:

“The first thing we have to do is really put all of our capital toward smaller, more affordable EVs.”

Capital is the synonym for cash, something precious and necessary to run a business. Are you 100% sure you want to put all Ford’s cash toward smaller, more affordable EVs as you stated? Is there evidence people will buy these small electrics? We have overwhelming facts to show that Americans will buy gas-powered and hybrid trucks and SUVs, and they are even willing to buy a good number of gasoline sedans, which Ford does not produce. Remember the Camry when you were at Toyota?

You didn’t ask me, but I do have some free advice for you: Separate your personal feelings about electric vehicles from your duties as the CEO of Ford Motor Company. You pocketed $26.5 million dollars in 2023, not because of electric vehicles, but in spite of electric vehicles. Your #1 priority has to be to the stockholders of Ford, the Ford family, and the customers who helped you earn that kind of money by purchasing Ford products.

If you take anything away from this today, let it be that you cannot force electric cars on the public. The market will decide when it is time to make the transition: not you, not Ford, not the government.

So, dance with the one that brung you and when there is more proof America is ready, then go full speed ahead. Your former colleagues at Toyota seem to grasp the concept very well.

All The Best,

Jerry Reynolds

President, Car Pro Radio Network

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Besides the Car Pro Show and our weekly newsletter, my other favorite radio show and newsletter is Kim Komando’s. We are on many of the same radio stations across America. She does for her listeners and newsletter subscribers exactly what I endeavor to do: Give you useful information to keep you up to date on the latest in cars, only she does it with technology and there is nobody who does it better. Not sure how she puts out a top-notch newsletter seven days a week, but she does

Here are some various tips & information I picked up from Kim’s newsletter this week I hope you find as useful as I did:

Heads-up, iPhone users: There’s a malicious text going around trying to steal your Apple ID info. It reads, “Apple important request iCloud: Visit signin[.]authen-connexion … to continue using your services.” The URL is fake, and I left part out so you don’t accidentally click it!
Everything’s bigger in Texas: A San Antonio man listed a Stealth Bomber aircraft on Facebook Marketplace for $2.9 million. The description includes, “Don’t ask me how I got it” and “You couldn’t imagine the hoops I had to jump through to get this.” The Air Force confirmed the post is, of course, bogus.
Quick reminder, now that it’s hot: In the car, keep your phone in the shade. When you have it plugged in for directions, it can overheat in minutes if it’s directly in the sun. If your computer’s running hot, check out my guide for fixing that issue.
Spend less: The free Upside app gives you cash back on gas, groceries and dining out. I got $10 back on groceries and $0.55 back on every gallon of gas. Download Upside* and use promo code Kim to get an extra $0.25 back for every gallon on your first tank of gas.
Mirror, mirror on the road: A Cybertruck owner turned his EV into a literal disco ball on wheels by polishing it to a mirror-like shine. It's up for sale for $149,999. Hard pass, given this thing could blend right into its surroundings!

A few years ago, I started writing a series of True Stories From A Former Car Dealer. Over 40 weeks, I wrote about experiences I had from my days as a dealership owner. Some will make you laugh, others will make you cry. The reaction was beyond my wildest expectations.

For our new subscribers, and for those of you who may have missed one or perhaps simply forgot the details, we’ll bring these to you in the order they were written.

In this episode, I tell you about how I got on the Ford National Dealer Council, how I came to be the first two-term Chairman of it, and the struggles between Ford and the Ford Dealers of America when the then-CEO decided to compete against the Ford Dealers. I started on a grueling three-year journey of being at odds with the very company I represented.

Read True Stories #27 →

If you are searching for a particular new or used vehicle, we can help you! The best news is, if you use CarPro to search, when you find the car of your dreams it will be at a CarPro approved dealership.

Best of all, it’s simple to use. Choose new, used, or certified. You can select the make and model, or find a price range you are looking at. Choose the number of miles you are willing to travel and enter your zip code.

From there, you can look through all your matches, knowing you are shopping at a dealership I have handpicked that adheres to the high standards I require.

Start your search on the front page of CarPro.com. If you don't find the car of your dreams, check back regularly.

It’s 2AM in Wyoming when police get a report of a drunk driver going the wrong way on U.S. 131 at 80 miles per hour. Two officers enter the freeway and position their car to take out the drunk driver, putting themselves in grave danger. In this two-minute video, you see the drunk coming at them from the dashcam in the officer’s car, then the impact. It is also narrated by one of the officers who was involved. Lives were very likely saved by these two heroes.

One of the most popular “reality” tv shows of the 70s was “The Dating Game”. This episode is a hoot! It features Farah Fawcett, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Suzanne Somers & Michael Jackson: all before they were famous.

You have 5 hours to call the show! From 9AM- 2PM Central, 7AM-Noon Pacific, and 10 AM to 3 PM Eastern, the phone numbers are:

DFW Show: 9 AM to 11 AM Central, 1 (800) 288-9227
National Show: 11 AM to 2 PM Central, 1 (800) 926-7777

Add the numbers to your cell phone; you never know when you are going to need straight talk and honest answers about everything automotive.

So, what is the CarPro Radio Show?

Confused about the car buying process? Worried you won’t get a fair deal? Wondering about which vehicle is best for you? Then tune in to the Car Pro Radio Show every week where Jerry Reynolds and Kevin McCarthy will guide you through the car-buying process with confidence.

No matter where you listen to the show or which station you listen to, you have five hours to call in and ask your questions. We take calls every Saturday from 9 AM-2 PM Central time, 7 AM to Noon Pacific. The phone number is different the first two hours, then changes, so keep that in mind.

We would love to help you in any way possible! Keep in mind, we don’t take mechanical questions, but everything else is great!

The Car Pro Radio Show is heard every weekend all over the United States, and every weekend we deliver straight talk and honest answers about everything automotive. We would greatly appreciate it if you would take a moment and tell a friend about the show.

new-markets-canva-pro-jan-11

We've recently welcomed some new markets to the Car Pro Radio Network:

KTLR 890 AM/103.7 FM Oklahoma City: Sunday 4-5pm CT (replay)
The Mountain WSYY 1240 AM/ 102.5 FM Millinocket, ME:

Saturday 9AM- 12PM PT
KUFO: Portland, Oregon: Saturday 9AM- 12PM PT
Nevada Talk Network - THE Rural News Source: KELY 1230am/98.5fm, Ely; KPVM-TV 25.7, Pahrump, KAVB 98.7 FM, Hawthorne, KPKK 101.1 FM, Amargosa Valley, NV, KDJJ 94.1 FM, Fernley-Fallon all three hours live 9AM- 12PM PT
KFIR 720 AM, Sweet Home, Oregon: Sunday 4PM - 7PM PT (replay)
KBAR 1230 AM, Burley, Idaho: Saturday 6PM – 9PM MT (replay)
KACT 1360 AM, Andrews, Texas: Saturdays 7PM – 10PM CT (replay)
WDOC 1310 AM, Prestonsburg, Kentucky: Time TBD
KLXX 1270 AM, Bismarck, North Dakota: Sunday 10PM – Midnight CT (replay)

Most of our listeners tell us that they never thought they would look forward to a show about cars. You may have friends or relatives who feel the same way in the cities below, please make them aware.

Here are the DFW markets the show airs in, times, and stations, and don't forget you can now listen to WBAP on the FM dial at 93.3 FM!

Dallas, TX: WBAP 820 AM/93.3 FM/99.5 HD 2, Saturday 9am to 11am Central
Dallas, TX: KRLD 1080 AM, Saturday 2pm to 4pm Central (replay)
Granbury, TX: KPIR 1420 AM, Saturday 11am to 2pm Central

WBAP DFW Podcast Here →
FOR ALL OTHER MARKETS, CLICK HERE→

An Open Letter To Ford CEO Jim Farley

Dear Mr. Farley,

U.S. Auto Sales

2nd Quarter U.S. Auto Sales Report - All Automakers Reporting

Good News! New Vehicle Inventory Approaching 3 Million Vehicles!

EPA Fines GM $145 Million Over Emissions

Straight Talk And Honest Answers

Car Sales Are Final, Don't Shortcut The Test Drive

WIN A PORSCHE! Help Beat HOMELESSNESS!

NHTSA Issues Faulty Aftermarket Air Bags Alert!

Check Out Our Newsletter Archive Page!

On The Road: Test Drives

With its long list of cool features, Jerry says it's easy to see why MotorTrend named the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV SUV of the Year!

If you're looking for a comfortable family hauler that's incredibly fuel-efficient, add the 2024 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid to your shopping list!

The 2024 Mazda CX-30 continues to stand out in its segment with its style, best-in-class cabin, and terrific Turbo engine option.

Bumper to Bumper

Most Affordable Trucks and SUVs To Insure

The 2024 Chevrolet Colorado Tops The List of Pickups

2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Earns IIHS Big Safety Award

VW Group & Rivian Announce Joint Venture Plans

NHTSA Reports U.S. Traffic Deaths Are Down

Ever Wonder What Causes Traffic Jams?

Hyundai Santa Fe Named Best U.S.-Built SUV

2025 Kia Soul Starts at Just $20,290

Weekly Recalls

True Stories From A Former Car Dealer

Our Factory Incentive Guide

Miss the Show? Catch Our Podcast!

Sell Your Car Through GiveMeTheVin!

Exclusive Approved Products & Services

FAQ: Research Your Questions Before You Shop

Our FAQ page offers answers to questions CarPro Show host Jerry Reynolds is asked most frequently.

Searching for a New or Used Vehicle?

Classic Car Contest: Win An AutoHeatShield!

Videos of the Week

Subscribe to the Free DFW Newsletter

CarPro Guide To Online Car Buying

Buying a vehicle online has never been easier.Our step-by-step guide will help you buy a car from the comfort of your living room, starting with selecting your CarPro Friend.

On The Air

On The Air

Closing Message From Jerry Reynolds