Are Car Dealerships Doomed?

by Tim Healey

Published: July 3rd, 2025

It's podcast time again! A day early, because of the holiday. This week we discuss glass cleaner, NASCAR at Atlanta, and whether car dealerships are doomed.

Our guest is Greg Migliore from VerticalScope, and he’ll discuss the future of online car-buying with us. TTAC contributor Matthew Guy and I discuss the best glass cleaners, and what went down in the NASCAR race outside Atlanta. We also preview the Chicago Street Race.

One note -- we've talked about the future of the Chicago Street Race being undecided. One thing I've forgotten to mention is that if the street race doesn't return, it's not necessarily the end for NASCAR in Chicago -- Chicagoland Speedway sits an hour away from the city, and Road America is just over the border and up the road in Wisconsin.

You can find us wherever you get your podcasts or by clicking here. If you like what you hear, please leave a review!

We thank Matthew Guy and Greg Migliore for their time and Matt Posky for editing. Most of all, we thank you for listening!

We’ll see you next time!

[Image: Acura/TTAC.com/VerticalScope]

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Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

More by Tim Healey

Comments

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5 of 9 comments

Tane94 on Jul 04, 2025

No, dealerships will survive because of state franchise laws and state laws against direct sales from manufacturers to consumers. Why do you think mega-dealers are huge donors in state politics?

3 Reply
- See 2 previous
- Forward Observer on Jul 04, 2025
  
  About 15 states have light vehicle assembly plants.
  About 50 states have automotive dealerships.
  
  Like
- Jeff S on Jul 05, 2025
  
  Agree as long as there are franchise laws they will survive but they are changing with more independent dealers bought out or going out of business and big corporate owners owning most of the dealers. There will be less inventory available at dealers because the cost of floor plans has gone up significantly with higher interest rates and increased days of inventory.
  
  Like
- Lloyd Bonified on Jul 05, 2025
  
  "IF DEALERSHIPS GO AWAY WHERE WILL I GET FREE COFFEE AND WATCH SPRINGER RERUNS!!!" -Geoff
  
  1
- Jeff on Jul 05, 2025
  
  Tane94--Agree I don't see dealerships going away. Less independent dealers and more mega-dealers.
  
  1
- Jeff SS on Jul 07, 2025
  
  ich bin ein JEFF
  
  1
Forward Observer on Jul 06, 2025

Some outrageous and frankly shocking statements made in this podcast, along with 3 solid business tips. Anyone who considers themselves to be an automotive enthusiast should definitely invest the time to listen, or you could stay ignorant. (I listened, Putin did not, whose example would you rather follow.)

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Recent Comments

Forward Observer The last time I had a door off my truck I hung it from my Little Giant ladder. But I was only replacing the hinge pins.I'm sorry if this sounds smarmy or smug, I am working on my people skills. (My therapist says I have a long way to go to catch up with some of you.) Would smarmy and smug come in handy if I worked for an automotive dealership? (I wonder.)
Arthur Dailey Auto 'journalists' should stop referencing the average new car purchase price and instead report on the mean price. We all understand that the glue of luxury vehicles and full size pickups inflate the average price.For me, 'affordable' hovers around the $35k mark.Under current N.A. standards, hatchbacks, stations wagons and non-luxury coupes are basically a lost cause.Personally I would like to see Canada convert to accepting vehicles that have passed the European standards, rather than adhering only to N.A. standards. That would allow for the importation of vehicles such as Dacias, Skodas, and yes more Fiats. Also some models for Japanese and Korean manufacturers that currently are not sold in North America. It may even help Mitsubishi in the Canadian market and allow for the return of Suzuki. Having more small, affordable vehicles available is not a bad thing.
The original ToolGuy™ Doubt we will see any new vehicle in the low 20s unless it is an EV and Chinese but wouldn't count on that happening. Not against more affordable vehicles but don't foresee that happening in the immediate future.Jeffs do you do any research before making ignorant comments? We have brand new vehicles sold today in the low 20s including the Hyundai Venue that starts at $20,550.
KwikShiftPro4X That ship has sailed. The new overvalued cheap/base car will be $30G.
The original ToolGuy™ We have inexpensive cars already