Why most successful independent dealers carry both a retail license and an
The Two-Pillar Business: Why Smart Independent Dealers Build Dual Revenue Streams from Day One Your retail lot moves 15 cars a month. Yo...
★ Today's Pick
Friday, June 12 · 4 min read
The "shell dealer" problem: how some states are cracking down on license-holders who never actually open a real lot.
What Exactly Is a Shell Dealer? A shell dealer holds a license to sell cars but never builds out a legitimate operation. No physical lot, no floor plan in place, no real skin in the game. They are often running thin...
Read this first →
87 articles
Oregon's 8-hour pre-licensing course requirement and the franchised-new-dealer
The Oregon Pre-Licensing Loophole That Could Cost You Everything Last month, I watched a used-car dealer in Bend, Oregon write a $12,500...
Lost or stolen dealer plates
Lost or Stolen Dealer Plates: Here's What Every Independent Dealer Needs to Know Right Now You're in the middle of a busy Saturday morni...
How tribal-land workarounds (Mohegan land in Connecticut) are reshaping dealer
The Mohegan Loophole: How Tribal Sovereignty Is Changing the Game for EV Dealers Nationwide Last Tuesday morning, a customer rolled into...
The dealer-data privacy frontier
The Dealer Data Privacy Frontier: What's Coming After GM/OnStar The FTC just dropped a $100M settlement with GM over OnStar geolocation ...
The "lease too short" mistake
Why Your Six-Month Lot Lease Just Cost You a Dealer License I've watched Earl sign lease papers at least a thousand times over thirty-fi...
Bond claims 101
By Vince Romano — Recon manager, 250-car superstore, NJ Bond Claims 101: Why Your Recon Department Is Hemorrhaging Money Listen, I've be...
Bookout-sheet accuracy and lender-fraud avoidance
Auction Bookout Sheets: Your Legal Shield Against Lender Fraud Every car that rolls across my lane in Memphis gets a bid sheet. That she...
The OL 12 application and the live-scan fingerprint requirement for every
California's OL 12: The Fingerprint Requirement That'll Slow Your Deal Flow If you're running a used-car lot in California—or worse, you...
Memorial Day Sale Prep — The 4-Week Lead-Up
Memorial Day Sale Prep — The 4-Week Lead-Up Independent Dealer Playbook — by carlotsupplies.com. Memorial Day weekend is the second-b...
Building a 5-Day Recon SLA at an Independent Lot
Building a 5-Day Recon SLA at an Independent Lot Independent Dealer Playbook -- by carlotsupplies.com. Look, I'm gonna be straight wi...
The Daily Lot Walk Checklist Most Dealers Skip
The Daily Lot Walk Checklist Most Dealers Skip Independent Dealer Playbook -- by carlotsupplies.com. I'll tell you what — I walk my l...
The FTC Used Car Rule, Updated for 2026: What Every Independent Lot Needs
The FTC Used Car Rule, Updated for 2026: What Every Independent Lot Needs Independent Dealer Playbook — by carlotsupplies.com. The FT...
Lost MCO: The Recovery Playbook for Independent Dealers
Lost MCO: The Recovery Playbook for Independent Dealers Independent Dealer Playbook — by carlotsupplies.com. You're standing in your ...
ReconThe Frontline Photo Checklist: 12 Shots Every Used Car Needs
The Frontline Photo Checklist: 12 Shots Every Used Car Needs Pop the panel — I mean it. The photo set is the product page. Customers buy...
ComplianceWhen You Must Provide a Spanish Buyers Guide (and the $40K Penalty for Skipping It)
When You Must Provide a Spanish Buyers Guide (and the $40K Penalty for Skipping It) Specifically — 16 CFR 455.5 of the FTC Used Car Rule...
Lead Response Time: The 5-Minute Rule and Why You're Probably Failing It
Lead Response Time: The 5-Minute Rule and Why You're Probably Failing It Hustle every day, every day. Customer fills out a form on your ...
MarketingGoogle Business Profile for Used-Car Dealers: The Setup That Doubled Calls
Google Business Profile for Used-Car Dealers: The Setup That Doubled Calls Lead-cost calculation: a paid Google Ads click for "used cars...
What to Do With Aged Inventory: A 90-Day Playbook
What to Do With Aged Inventory: A 90-Day Playbook Skin in the game — every car aged past 60 days is bleeding you. Floor plan interest, l...
MarketingMemorial Day Sale Prep — The 4-Week Lead-Up
Memorial Day Sale Prep — The 4-Week Lead-Up Foot traffic data from a sample of 38 independent lots: Memorial Day weekend is the biggest ...
ComplianceThe Daily Lot Walk Checklist Most Dealers Skip
The Daily Lot Walk Checklist Most Dealers Skip You betcha, this is the cheapest, highest-leverage thing you'll do all day, and most owne...
5 Lien Perfection Mistakes That Lose You Money
5 Lien Perfection Mistakes That Lose You Money Meanwhile in California, the lien you thought you perfected is actually unperfected becau...
ComplianceThe FTC Used Car Rule, Updated for 2026: What Every Independent Lot Needs
The FTC Used Car Rule, Updated for 2026: What Every Independent Lot Needs Specifically — the FTC's Used Car Rule, codified at 16 CFR Par...
ReconBuilding a 5-Day Recon SLA at an Independent Lot
Building a 5-Day Recon SLA at an Independent Lot Bing-bang-boom — let me cut to it. You don't need a 250-car superstore's tools to run a...
MarketingLot Merchandising 101: 7 Cheap Things That Triple Walk-Ups
Lot Merchandising 101: 7 Cheap Things That Triple Walk-Ups The lot itself is the best ad. That sounds like a marketing-textbook line but...
Out-of-State Title Delays — Why They Happen and How to Cut the Wait
Out-of-State Title Delays — Why They Happen and How to Cut the Wait And don't even get me started on Texas. Or Pennsylvania. Or that who...
ComplianceWhy You Should Pre-Tape Buyers Guides (and How to Do It Right)
Why You Should Pre-Tape Buyers Guides (and How to Do It Right) Specifically — the FTC Used Car Rule (16 CFR Part 455) requires every use...
Recon5 Recon Bottlenecks That Quietly Cost You $300/Day Per Car
5 Recon Bottlenecks That Quietly Cost You $300/Day Per Car Time is money, every car sitting is a loss. Standardize everything. That's be...
MarketingTax Refund Season Prep: The 6-Week Marketing Calendar That Beats Every Lot in Your Zip Code
Tax Refund Season Prep: The 6-Week Marketing Calendar That Beats Every Lot in Your Zip Code Bing-bang-boom — let me lay this out fast. T...
Mastering the Auction: A New Dealer’s Playbook for Smart Bids
Stepping into the auction lane for the first time can be intimidating — but with the right preparation and strategy, you can avoid costly...
No articles match your search yet. Try a different keyword or clear filters.
