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Alex Snyder · Apr 28, 2026

And since your next 15 years will have nothing to do with me, GFY, John! :rofl:

This post is quite the homage. I feel honored and scared all at the same time. Just don't go too far away because you're the first person I'm calling to bail me out of jail.

It is worth calling out a few others who have been there. @Jeff Kershner gets the first credit for making the original connections - over "Green Teas" at Bangkok Bistro. Then there is that Rick Gibbs dude who allowed it all to happen... and funded it. MaryBeth, Flip, Janice, Jack. Posthumously Houmis. Your wife, Michelle, for going along with it all. And of course, a purple tie + some jorts to kick it all off.

john.quinn · Apr 28, 2026

It was 2011. Jeff and I worked together at MileOne. Alex had (the year before, I believe) left Checkered Flag for the shores of Lake Champlain and DDC. I didn't know Alex, other than knocking him down a peg or two when he posted stupid stuff on DR.

Alex had been leading the effort, in secret, to add a CRM sku to DDC's impressive and growing product lineup. At some point, they wanted dealer feedback, and assembled a dealer council. Alex invited Jeff, and as I understand it, Jeff recommended to Alex that I be invited as well. After a couple of meetings in Burlington (including a visit featuring a nice pair of denim shorts), Alex presented an offer I couldn't refuse, and a few months later my family and I moved to Burlington to start a 2nd career after 15 years in retail.

The DDTrox history is well established -- I left in Jan '19. Between then and 4 weeks ago, both companies for whom I worked found me because of Alex; people seeking help or advice from Alex, and he simply said, "Talk to John Quinn."

April of 2026 marks my 30th year in automotive; I started selling Honda's in 1996. It occurs to me that the last 15 years -- the 2nd 15 -- over a span of 3 employers, have been the direct result of a guy name Alex Snyder. Think about it... man that's a mouthful. It's ALL this moth$%$#er's fault!!!!!!

BAHAHAHAHA. Just kidding.

How do you say "thank you" to someone that has had such an oversized influence in someone's life? I'll start with,

"Thanks Alex. And GFY." (he gets it, trust me

Monday I start my 3rd career; the next 15. Not in retail, not in SaaS. And not from Alex. A completely new chapter. And while I couldn't be more excited, there's something... some nostalgic energy requiring reflection as I exit chapter two.

Thanks Alex.

joe.pistell · Apr 27, 2026

A Kappler said:
If anyone could point me in the direction of a knowledgeable developer in this field that would be great. Thanks

The winds of change is in the air...

@A Kappler You need an AI wiz kid, not a dev.

Alex Snyder · Apr 27, 2026

We took all the data we had on individual customers and asked Claude to distill it into a simple-to-digest paragraph for each customer. It was so compelling, I asked it to write a video script of what that person might sound like. Then I created an image of what someone might look like, animated it into an AI avatar, and applied a voice I thought that person might sound like. Here's two results:

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We made a bunch of these. They humanize the data so much! Has completely changed the way I look at our database.

CarlAutofusion · Apr 27, 2026

We have built 3 such tools for dealer clients over the last 15 or so years but all of them were eventually replaced by something else.
2 of them integrated with a data provider (like NADA/JD Power or KBB) and 1 had no data integration.
The one with no data integration ran the longest - 5 or 6 years.
Its' expensive upfront and monthly costs depend on the data provider. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

john.quinn · Apr 26, 2026

Jeff Kershner said:
You know... there's a convincing CONSPIRACY around Cash for Clunkers and WHY it was TRULY introduced.
It's an angle I had never considered.

joe.pistell · Apr 26, 2026

I never knew I had an ADHD mind until I got AI. AI's strengths addressed my core weaknesses so well it shocked me.

If you have a friend or family member that has stunning potential but struggles with focus and execution, share this video with them. AI has been a life changer for me & this video explains it well.
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Apr 24, 2026

datepast said:
Hey everyone! Glad to be here, been lurking for a bit and this place is genuinely great, tons of real hands-on experience in the discussions.

To introduce myself, I'm software developer and I building a tool for small/mid auto dealers to help with photo processing (the boring repetitive stuff that just takes way too much time).

So, to get to the point, I've been build something that, I hope, could help dealers (or really anyone moving a decent volume of cars a month) save some time on the photo editing. The idea is to get your photos ready for listings on sales platforms (fb marketplace, cargurus, or your own site) and make it more consistent and professional look. Ideally it should be as painless as possible: upload your photos and just forget about it, then download ready images to post.

The app works with photos you already have. Right now it does four things: replaces the background with a clean studio look, hides license plates, generates a vehicle ad description, and makes it easy to add your dealership logo. But one more thing worth to mentioning, it uses AI, but it doesn't touch the car itself. So car stays as in original photos and no misleading potential buyer.

So if anyone's up for giving it a try, it'd be great if you could test it against your actual inventory. Run it through your real workflow of posting a car and see how it fits in. App have a built in paywall with 3 free images after registration, but I'll add everyone free access, so no blockers here.

What I'm really hoping to get out of this:

Honest feedback on how the tool actually performs on real inventory photos

A better understanding of the day-to-day problems dealers run into that I might not even be aware of

Ideas on what else could make this more useful for your workflow

A sense of whether the output quality is actually good enough to use in real listings

Any deal breakers - things that would stop you from using something like this even if it worked perfectly

If someone interested, just left adress here carflowai.com. Currently it's available as a desktop web app and on iOS.

ps. left here your mail or dm me, so I can add more credits for free access

pss. I'll reply to every comment, welcome to the discussion!

psss. I Attach couple examples of the app output

I’ve seen something similar with tools like Spyne… the whole “background + logo + description in one flow” idea definitely clicks, especially for busy inventory days.

What stood out to me though wasn’t just the feature set, it was speed. If processing takes too long, it just gets pushed for later. But once it’s quick enough to fit into the daily routine, dealers actually stick with it. Curious what your turnaround time looks like right now?
Also, how are you handling consistency? That’s usually where things get tricky… cars shot in different lighting, weather, random lot spots, and suddenly the listings feel all over the place. It’s easy to make a few cars look good, but scaling that across a full lot is a different story.

Alex Snyder · Apr 23, 2026

Just hearing the employees are being notified now.

Congrats to the FullPath team. Especially Cola.

john.quinn · Apr 22, 2026

Bring back Cash for Clunkers!!

(it's amazing how cyclical is this all...)

ChrisCT · Apr 21, 2026

john.quinn said:
No -- not a thing. Ever.

The reality is that bugs get introduced when making changes/improvements/upgrades. Those usually get fixed quickly.

Software is alive... it gets injuries, ages, fixed-up, killed-off, reborn. Sometimes it gets stronger, sometimes it gets weaker. If you're not directly, have your manager stay actively engaged with Support.

Thanks for the reply. Good to know,

john.quinn · Apr 21, 2026

ChrisCT said:
Makes me wonder if CRM vendors experiment with lower cost methods to store info and host their platforms on which ends up serving the CRM to me in this not-snappy manner.

No -- not a thing. Ever.

The reality is that bugs get introduced when making changes/improvements/upgrades. Those usually get fixed quickly.

Software is alive... it gets injuries, ages, fixed-up, killed-off, reborn. Sometimes it gets stronger, sometimes it gets weaker. If you're not directly, have your manager stay actively engaged with Support.

joe.pistell · Apr 21, 2026

Alex Snyder said:
I can see that angle. But what happened with Google? Google should have been serving the direct retailer on queries instead of an aggregator. Might AIs do the same?

"should have been" is the line in the sand that only AI can cross.

Dr Clay Christensen's Jobs To Be Done theory (JTBD) explain's why AI is the tool that car shoppers have always wanted. Meaning, Google (or Amazon) could never become the car shoppers hard working and trusted aide until AI (circa 2026, 2027, etc) was born.

joe.pistell · Apr 19, 2026

AI: The great revenge of the student who studied for hours and still got C’s.
-i wrote this, not AI lol

joe.pistell · Apr 19, 2026

joe.pistell said:
Personal Car Shopping Report

Lexus ES 350 • Shopping Guide for Bill
requirements: 2022–2024 • Under $35,000 • Under 40,000 miles • Premium Audio

It shocks me that the pioneers in our biz are not having a holy shit moment with this. Its a new path to your store. Soon, it'll be a 6 lane highway.

ChrisCT · Apr 18, 2026

Hi DR community. VInS user since 2018. Long time fan. While the look and design was never cutting edge to me, the platform was fast, reliable and Support was (is) unmatched, They always answer my calls immediatelyand team sounds US based. After the first 2 yeas I rarely needed Support.

Lately I find using VinS is not fun due to the interface load and refresh times. My PC at work is new, 64GB of memory. We recently upgraded our internet connection. Ping time to VinS servers is 6-9ms. Yet clicking, dialog opens and saves is sluggish.

Processing a lead in VInS requires around 42 clicks... stop the clock, customer dashboard (proper case name, click zip to load city, move phone to cell field, opt in to text), set sales rep and bdc rep, set process, send text, send email, open call log, etc ...I want a CRM with an interface that screams. VinS did not get in my way in the past. Lately I am bummed out waiting for the screens to churn. It's tiring to watch this and not lose focus. Why am I waiting on a machine?

Makes me wonder if CRM vendors experiment with lower cost methods to store info and host their platforms on which ends up serving the CRM to me in this not-snappy manner.

Alex Snyder · Apr 16, 2026

"Be the Best at the Basics" - Ryan Farina
We all know, the best way to grow our business is to stay on top of the basics.

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Data Driverz (datadriverz.io) is an AI-powered operational data platform for automotive dealerships that unifies disconnected store data (DMS, CRM, inventory, marketing, financials) into a single, real-time view so teams know what to do next rather than just reading reports.

What Data Driverz does

Connects existing dealership systems (DMS, CRM, inventory feeds, marketing and performance tools) without replacing them, then aggregates the data into one operational view.
Focuses on variable operations (sales/BDC/internet/marketing) and uses AI and machine learning to turn raw data into recommendations and daily direction by role, not just dashboards.
Positions itself as the “Operational Data Platform” for dealers, aiming to end spreadsheet stitching and delayed reporting by providing real-time performance, accountability, and alerts on what needs attention now.

Who it’s for

Retail auto dealers, GMs, GSMs, and operators who want connected data and daily marching orders without swapping out their current CRM or DMS.
Stores struggling with fragmented data across vendors and systems and looking for a layer that sits on top to drive consistent execution and profitability.

Notable details

Founded by dealer-operator Ryan Farina, built explicitly “by dealers for dealers” out of frustration with disconnected data and lack of operational clarity.
Launched formally as the “auto industry’s first Operational Data Platform” at the 2026 NADA Show in Las Vegas; recently added industry veteran Doug Hadden as CRO to scale go-to-market.

Alex Snyder · Apr 16, 2026

Timely: the FTC is knocking on the door and Better Vantage Point can help you prepare
Always a value: Tom Kline is an amazing resource for exploring business insurance. He helped me at my technology company with it.

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Tom Kline is the Founder and Lead Consultant of Better Vantage Point, a specialty consulting firm that focuses on dealership risk mitigation, regulatory compliance, and protecting dealer profits and assets.

Who Tom Kline Is

Third-generation car dealership professional and former dealer/owner with over 30 years of in-store experience.
Runs Better Vantage Point, which “gets you out of trouble… and keeps you out of trouble” through compliance, risk transfer, and dispute resolution work for auto and RV dealers nationwide.
Frequently serves as an expert witness defending dealers in litigation and is endorsed by groups like Dealer Marketing Magazine, RVDA, and state associations.

What Better Vantage Point Does

Audits trade practices and advertising, F&I processes, and general compliance to head off FTC/CFPB and state AG issues.
Helps dealers respond to regulatory notices, resolve consumer/business disputes, and tighten HR practices (handbooks, process guides, etc.).
Offers the “Safeguard Your Dealership” program, focusing on proactive compliance and risk management so dealers avoid fines, chargebacks, and reputational damage.

Content and Book

Publishes regular compliance and risk articles on the Better Vantage Point site for dealers.
Author of “Tuck The Octopus: A Better Vantage Point for Dealership Risk and Compliance,” which is used as a textbook at Northwood University and frames his approach to managing many “tentacles” of dealership risk.

Alex Snyder · Apr 16, 2026

Our first dealer/client review! @Jeff Kershner has been a longtime iPacket client, and his team uses it every day.

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Primary reason for using it: having something to send to leads that gives a bit more information on the car.
Something else that's cool: there is a breakdown of the reconditioning work that was done to used cars.

iPacket is an automotive SaaS platform that builds digital “info packets” for each vehicle so dealers can present full documentation and history to shoppers online and in-store.

What iPacket Does

Digital vehicle sales presentation

Aggregates existing vehicle data (OEM window stickers, build sheets, history reports, service records, photos, brochures) into a single digital packet without manual scanning or uploading.
Embeds those packets into dealer websites, CRM, and communications so sales staff can share a link or presentation instead of piecemeal PDFs and screenshots.
Provides tools like the SalesHub Chrome extension to detect VINs on pages and pull original window stickers directly from iPacket.

Why Dealers Use It

Increases perceived transparency by giving shoppers everything (history, factory equipment, pricing, documentation) in one place, which can reduce friction and negotiation time.
Standardizes presentation across BDC, internet, and floor teams, so every rep has the same story and supporting documents when justifying price or equipment differences.
Integrates with CRMs to automate packet creation from existing inventory feeds, minimizing additional workflow burden.

joe.pistell · Apr 16, 2026

RIP: "I WANT MORE LEADS" :rip:

Dealers I chat with are talking about less friction, more transparency, more engagement. Funny how lead closing rates go up when you nail these topics.

joe.pistell · Apr 16, 2026

Alex Snyder said:
When you gate everything, leads climb.

remove all photos, leads climb.
remove prices, leads climb.

DISC? No.

Brad Burlingham · Apr 14, 2026

Rick Buffkin said:
@Brad Burlingham, Have you tried the VAN platform?? Vehicle Acquisition Network: Private Party Vehicle Acquisition

no. i'll reach out to them. thanks!

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Who Tom Kline Is​

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Lexus ES 350 • Shopping Guide for Bill

What Data Driverz does

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