Dealers say mechanical inspections are only completed 59% of the time at auction or trade-in. It's a slippery slope as tariff tensions rise and parts prices can escalate.
Posts published in “Columnists”
Can an EV wear whatever tire is on sale? The simple answer can be yes, but just because you can, doesn't always mean you should.
Starting in 2029, and getting even tighter in 2033, any new replacement tire sold for normal California passenger cars and SUVs must clear strict eco-efficiency rules.
When Tier 1 suppliers underinvest in aftermarket, the impact shows up downstream for OEMs, distributors, dealers, and shops.
"Our industry needs to have a voice in legislation that might be onerous to our industry or positive to automotive aftermarket companies," says Jeff Groves of O’Reilly Auto Parts.
Old dynamics are breaking down as a wave of new state laws is putting teeth into consumer protection and shop rights, but federally protected data access is the Holy Grail.
"As I often tell our team, it's not the big that eat the small, it's the fast that eat the slow ... the companies that thrive are those that can react quickly," says Highline Warren CEO.
