Straight Talk and Honest Answers

CarPro Advice:
Electric Or Hybrid? Which Is Best For You?

The answer isn’t as simple as it was a couple of years ago.

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   U.S. Auto Market

Q1 Auto Sales: Most Automakers Reporting  

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Dealership Group Fined $3 Million But Final Tally Could Be $75 Million!

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New EPA Guidance On Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF)

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State Farm Settles Suit Over Under-Valuing Total-Loss Cars

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  Safety Investigation

NTSB Cites Driver Inattention in Ford BlueCruise Fatal Crashes

The investigation centered around two deadly crashes that involved 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles operating with BlueCruise engaged.  

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  AAA Study On Headlight Glare

Last month, I wrote a new advice column on the subject of headlight glare and it was the top-clicked article in that week's newsletter. If you missed it, you can read it here →

Now comes a new survey from AAA that sheds light on just how much of an issue headlight glare is for drivers. It found that 6 in 10 drivers struggle with headlight glare and the problem is worse for drivers who wear prescription glasses than those who do not.

Read more →

  Quick Shifts

Each week I bring you the top stories in the auto industry along with my commentary or sometimes amusing thoughts about the craziness that goes on in the world of cars.

Stories you’ll find today:

• Backseat Houdini Makes a Break for It
• Illinois Wants to Be Your Car’s Governor
• Not Every Truck Accessory Is a Good Idea
• Diesel Drama Gets Criminal Charges

Read more→

  Weekly Recalls

•  
• • Chevrolet **CRASH RISK**→
  • Chrysler →
  • Ford/Lincoln **CRASH RISK**→
  • Graco Car Seats→
  • Lexus→
  • Mercedes-Benz (2) **CRASH RISK**→
  • Toyota →
  • Volkswagen **CRASH RISK**→
    
• Takata Air Bags→
 

  Incentives Guide

Here you'll find our incentives and rebate guide which includes a link to every major manufacturer’s incentive page. Just enter your zip code to find the current incentives offered in your area. 

Current incentives By Automaker  

  Sell Or Consign Your Car For Top Dollar!

I hear from a lot of people who end up with an extra car for some reason. Sometimes it is due to a death in the family, or someone gets transferred overseas. I’ve seen many occasions where this happens. Well now, we have two ways to dispose of a vehicle.

ThisCar has been with us for quite some time. They are terrific buyers and make the transactions very easy. They have helped many of our listeners and I’ve had terrific feedback. They are great, too, if you need a good idea what your car is truly worth and as I always say, a car is only worth what someone is willing to write a check for it. ThisCar writes checks, and lots of them.

Now, if you have more time, RetailMyRide.com is now an official partner of the Car Pro Show and they take cars on consignment. You’ve heard me recommend them in the past most likely, and they have helped many of our listeners. They market the car at all the right places, they get top dollar for it, take a little off the top, and you get the rest. It’s that simple. No people coming to your house, calling or texting, no worrying about how to complete the paperwork, they do all that for you.

So, the question is: Do you want quick cash or the most cash? We’ve got you covered either way with CarPro AppraisalPro OR CarPro ConsignPro.

It all starts at CarPro.com, click SELL A CAR at the top, or click here →

  Kim Komando Quiz and Interesting Info  

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.

💡Kim’s Quiz: 

Here’s a fun one to distract you from whatever spreadsheet or work chat convo you’ve been pretending to focus on: How well do you know your QWERTY keyboard without looking?

🇺🇸 Turns out, only one U.S. state name can be typed using only one row of the keyboard. Talk about home row advantage. Can you guess without peeking down at your laptop? Is it: A) Texas, B) Alaska, C) Ohio or D) Minnesota? Tap the virtual keys in your mind, and choose wisely.

*Answer below my closing message at the very bottom of this newsletter

💡Kim’s Tips: 

Each week, I comb Kim's newsletters and curate a list of her tips and advice that I think you'll find relevant and interesting. Here's what I have for you this week! →

   Check Out Our Newsletter Archive Page!

Go to the Newsletter Archive →

  Classic Car Contest: Win An AutoHeatShield!

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  Miss the Show? Catch Our Podcast!

  Searching For A New Or Used Vehicle? 

  You Have 5 Hours To Call The Show! 

  Where to Find Us 

  Jerry's Must-Watch Video of the Week! 

  Todd's Video of the Week! 

  True Stories From A Former Car Dealer

This is #8 in a series of 40 stories written by me about occurrences from my days in the car business. Each story had a lasting impression on me for some reason or another. Some because they were funny, some because they were sad, and some were just strange. But whatever the case, over the next 34 weeks, we’ll feature one of them, in order for you to enjoy.

I was at my desk early one morning at my dealership when I found out I had a bunch of people calling to tell me they wouldn’t be buying cars from me again. Wait, what? What did I do? Why were all these people mad at me? This triggered a chain of events I sure didn’t see coming and it was all generated from Tupelo, Mississippi of all places.

You can read #8 here: The AFA →

Our apologies, the link to #6: Cannabis was not working in a prior newsletter edition. You can find it here: #6: Cannabis→

Click here for the True Stories Library →

  Closing Message From Jerry

When The Road Gets Rough

There are certain quarters in this business that you never forget—and not because of record sales or banner months. You remember them because everything seemed to be working against you at the same time. If you’ve been around the auto industry long enough, you’ve lived through a few of them. I know I have. Q1 2026 was one of those.

Back when I was owning dealerships here in Texas and Oklahoma, there were stretches where it felt like every morning brought a new headwind. Interest rates would spike, fuel prices would jump overnight, inventory would tighten up, and customers would walk in already frustrated before you ever said hello. Sound familiar?

That’s a lot like where we find ourselves right now.

You’ve got a war in Iran pushing oil prices higher, and it doesn’t take long for that to show up at the pump. Suddenly, people who were perfectly happy with their trucks and SUVs a month ago are second-guessing everything. At the same time, vehicle prices are still elevated, interest rates haven’t given us much relief, and affordability has become the number one concern I hear from listeners every single week.

And here’s the thing—none of those pressures exist in a vacuum. They stack. Higher gas prices affect driving habits. Higher interest rates affect monthly payments. Higher vehicle prices affect what people think they can even consider. Before long, good, rational buyers start feeling like the whole system is working against them.

I’ve seen that look before. It’s the look of someone who feels like they have to make a decision right now…even when they really don’t.

But here’s what experience teaches you: tough quarters don’t last, but bad decisions made during them can.

In the dealership world, the difference between surviving a stretch like this and getting buried by it always came down to people. Not buildings. Not incentives. Not even inventory. People. The sales professionals who slowed things down instead of speeding them up. The managers who focused on helping instead of closing. The dealerships that understood that taking care of customers during the hard times was the only way to still have customers when things turned around.

Because they always do.

Maybe not next month. Maybe not even next quarter. But markets stabilize, fuel prices settle, and interest rates eventually find their way back to something more reasonable. The auto industry has been through oil embargoes, recessions, inventory shortages, Covid, and just about everything else you can throw at it. And every single time, it comes back.

The customers who come out ahead are the ones who keep their heads when things get noisy. They don’t panic trade because gas jumped a dollar. They don’t rush into a deal just because they’re worried prices might go higher. They take a breath, look at the full picture, and make decisions based on what actually makes sense for their situation—not what the headlines are screaming that day.

And on the dealer side, the ones who win are the ones who remember that this is when trust is built. Anybody can sell cars when inventory is flowing and incentives are strong. Times like this? This is where reputations are made.

I’ve always believed this business, at its core, is still about taking care of people. That doesn’t change when things get tough—in fact, that’s when it matters the most.

So, if this first quarter felt a little heavier than most, you’re not alone. I’ve seen it before, and I can promise you this: the road may be a little rough right now, but it’s not a dead end.

Just keep your hands on the wheel and your foot off the panic pedal.

Straight Talk and Honest Answers — always.

 💡Kim Komando Answer:

The answer: B) Alaska. All the letters in “Alaska” live happily on the middle row of your keyboard (QWERTY supremacy!). No pinkie stretching or mid-sentence finger yoga required.

Bonus brain snack: The QWERTY layout was originally designed in the 1870s to slow typists down, so typewriter keys didn’t jam. Yup, we’re all still typing slower, on purpose, thanks to 19th century hardware drama.