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AI = Awesome Intelligence

joe.pistell
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
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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.
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VinSolutions issues

C
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.
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REVIEW Data Driverz sponsored demo

Alex Snyder
"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.
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Reactions: Jeff Kershner, joe.pistell, AlexCaradonna and 1 other person

REVIEW Tom Kline's Better Vantage Point sponsored demo

Alex Snyder
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.
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Reactions: joe.pistell

REVIEW iPacket reviewed by dealer/client

Alex Snyder
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.
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Reactions: Landing Pages Garage, joe.pistell and Jeff Kershner

Acquisition campaigns

Brad Burlingham
Jeff Kershner said:
Hey @Brad Burlingham - be sure to poke your head into the "OG is back" thread. I called you out a few mins ago.

As for this one... mind clarifying "vendor they like for acquiring vehicles with no obligation to buy?" are you referring to a monthly service or a service that will place a bid/quote on a customer vehicle and will also purchase the vehicle if you pass on it?
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i looked and didnt see anything tagged with me in it.
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AI = Awesome Intelligence

joe.pistell
Looks like Claude uses Edmunds:

Personal Car Shopping Report

Lexus ES 350 • Shopping Guide for Bill​

requirements: 2022–2024 • Under $35,000 • Under 40,000 miles • Premium Audio

AI starts with an overview:
1776095123691.png

Shop local:
1776095378543.png

Shop Nationwide:
1776095426419.png

Place higher rank to low miles and CPO:
1776095565628.png
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Reactions: Jeff Kershner

AI = Awesome Intelligence

joe.pistell
IMO, 'Gurus, Cars, 'Trader, etc are all in big trouble. I'm going parts shopping, WATCH AI PROTECT ME:

I write: i have a 40hp outboard yamaha stroke motor model # F40LA. I need an engine starter... <snip> AI and me chatter about what I need <snip>

WATCH how AI Replies in my best interest:
The best OEM listing I found is PWCParts at $199. That is the cleanest match to the exact part number you gave: 6BG-81800-00-00.

I would skip the Wholesale Marine, PartsVu, and Defender listings unless you confirm a superseded part number with Yamaha first. Those prices are far above the others.

If your goal is lowest cost, there are aftermarket replacements around $111 to $145, but they are not OEM. That matters on a starter because fitment, corrosion resistance, and longevity can vary.

Best path:
  • Buy PWCParts if you want exact OEM.
  • Buy FridayParts or Rareelectrical/Walmart only if you are comfortable with aftermarket.
Before checkout, match these on the listing:
  • Part number: 6BG-81800-00-00
  • Engine: Yamaha F40LA
  • Year: 2013
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Has ELeads been hit with a cyber attack?

ryan.leslie
Rick Buffkin said:
@Evianexxy
Personally, since the cyber attack, I only conduct my highly advanced network stress tests using a carefully curated team of farm animals around the dealership. Chickens handle packet inspection, ducks manage bandwidth distribution, and the donkeys are responsible for brute-force emotional support and occasional firewall enforcement. If the rooster crows three times outside of the showroom on the used car lot, that’s our alert that latency has spiked somewhere between Nashville and the astral plane.


We did have one minor issue where improper duck-to-router alignment caused regional side effects. Cats within a 12-mile radius of our southeastern location became unusually judgmental (more than usual), and several dogs temporarily stopped barking at customers and instead stared directly into the void. The IT team is still investigating. The goats, however, maintained 99.9% uptime and refused to elaborate.


For more advanced scenarios, we escalate to our alpaca-based cybersecurity division. They specialize in DDoS mitigation and chewing through suspicious traffic patterns. Last deployment resulted in two geese going offline, a tractor achieving sentience, and a tabby in western Kentucky launching what appeared to be a coordinated attack against cloud infrastructure.


We’re also piloting a crypto-based payment system where the chickens peck the blockchain directly. It’s fast, secure, and only mildly cursed.
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Phew, glad you have the internal resource to manage this @Rick Buffkin, it would be expensive to farm that work out.

(I'll see myself out.)
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Reactions: Zhendrix, Christina Bee and Rick Buffkin

What have you replaced with AI?

Alex Snyder
Mine is from a vendor/technologist perspective. Would love to hear how dealers are replacing things, or if they are yet.

We initially started with AI as a quality control test writer. It is excellent at that and has significantly reduced the priority of building a team there. I can't say it has outright replaced the need for a dedicated quality control person forever.

The second thing has been UI/UX development. We could be unique in that I could make a pixel-perfect design for engineers to implement before AI came around. For the redesign of our product from FRIKINtech to VehicleLyfe, I designed all the screens and worked directly with a backend developer to bring them to life. With AI, that backend developer can build a front-end product easily. As he is figuring it all out, he wants to turn me into a full-blown "developer" using prompts. I'm super excited to start spreading my wings. I can say that we absolutely have no need for a UI developer these days. Something I never thought we'd live without!
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Reactions: Jeff Kershner, john.quinn and GrossOrGhost

AI (Artificial Intelligence) - Anyone Benefitting from it?

Alex Snyder
joe.pistell said:
My gurus are telling me the next release wants simpler prompts with goals and guardrails and to give the LLM freedom to guide itself to the goal you stated.
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That intel is gold and makes tons of sense! Sounds like the natural evolution of AI.

I look forward to a vocal shift in the flow. If you use Claude Code today, you should be familiar with the Plan to Code flow. What would be super useful for people like you and me, Joe, would be to ideate via voice with an AI. Just talk to it. That would be the "plan" phase. Then a design phase where it outputs something like a mock or storyboard to approve. And finally, a build phase where it does the actual work.

With a flow like that, I can see multiple concurrent projects happening. Way beyond what some of us are doing today.

"Yesterday, AI made me efficient. Today, I'm busier than ever."
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AI (Artificial Intelligence) - Anyone Benefitting from it?

joe.pistell
AI power users know this, the code base of some of Anthropic's next release was leaked. AI insiders I follow are calling this a 'step up' in the AI slope of intelligence.

My biz has 150+ unique prompts, ALL of them have unique instructions to 'work around' the LLMs weaknesses. My gurus are telling me the next release wants simpler prompts with goals and guardrails and to give the LLM freedom to guide itself to the goal you stated.

I am preparing for the upgrade now.
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AI = Awesome Intelligence

joe.pistell
An AI moment from Main Street. April 2026.
Got a complex project stuck? Too many experts talking past each other?
I just built an AI communication translator. I call it "The Bridge."

I'm a merchandising guy. 30 years in automotive retail. I spot opportunity the way a mechanic hears an engine knock — pattern recognition from repetition, failure, and instinct. My son James is the developer. He reads product architecture the way I read the market. In structures and flows I genuinely can't follow.
Same project. Same goal. Two completely different mental models.

There's always been a translation tax. Ideas lost in the gap between what I meant and what he heard. Between what he built and what I saw.

The Bridge kills that tax.

Each of us stays in our lane. We speak our own language. The Bridge makes it readable on the other side. No dumbing down. No over-explaining.

That's not Artificial Intelligence.
That's Awesome Intelligence.

AI isn't replacing expertise. It's letting expertise finally talk to itself.
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