New Automotive Product Launch (1st of it's existence)
- Other Cool Technologies & Services
- 1 Replies
Hello everyone,
After stepping away from my previous role in the visual merchandising space after 12 years, one of the first people I connected with was Ryan Farina, a longtime operator who's run over 20 rooftops. Over the past few months, I've had the chance to get a behind-the-scenes look as he's built something impressive from the ground up.
It's called Data Driverz, and it solves a problem a lot of dealers feel daily:
Most of the tools dealers use are great at one thing — CRM, DMS, inventory, marketing, etc. But none of them talk to each other. So you spend half your day pulling data, trying to stitch together what's working, what's off, and where the problems are.
Data Driverz pulls all of that into one place, and more importantly, ties it directly to your goals. You get real-time performance across your store, AI that flags what needs attention, and a clear picture of how you're pacing before the end-of-month fire drill. It helps you make faster, more informed daily decisions and pivot when needed.
Dealers spend a ton on their CRM, DMS, inventory, and marketing tools, but are you really getting what you should out of them? This is the middleware that finally connects the dots and unlocks the full value of the systems you're already paying for.
What's most important to know is that it was built the right way, not by tech bros guessing at dealer problems, but by someone who's lived them firsthand. That's what really drew me in. I've recently decided to jump in to help with product and rollout, and figured I'd share a quick heads-up here.
Not a sales pitch, yet
, just something I think this community will appreciate as it starts to roll out.
I'm happy to answer questions or connect if anyone is curious.
After stepping away from my previous role in the visual merchandising space after 12 years, one of the first people I connected with was Ryan Farina, a longtime operator who's run over 20 rooftops. Over the past few months, I've had the chance to get a behind-the-scenes look as he's built something impressive from the ground up.
It's called Data Driverz, and it solves a problem a lot of dealers feel daily:
Most of the tools dealers use are great at one thing — CRM, DMS, inventory, marketing, etc. But none of them talk to each other. So you spend half your day pulling data, trying to stitch together what's working, what's off, and where the problems are.
Data Driverz pulls all of that into one place, and more importantly, ties it directly to your goals. You get real-time performance across your store, AI that flags what needs attention, and a clear picture of how you're pacing before the end-of-month fire drill. It helps you make faster, more informed daily decisions and pivot when needed.
Dealers spend a ton on their CRM, DMS, inventory, and marketing tools, but are you really getting what you should out of them? This is the middleware that finally connects the dots and unlocks the full value of the systems you're already paying for.
What's most important to know is that it was built the right way, not by tech bros guessing at dealer problems, but by someone who's lived them firsthand. That's what really drew me in. I've recently decided to jump in to help with product and rollout, and figured I'd share a quick heads-up here.
Not a sales pitch, yet
, just something I think this community will appreciate as it starts to roll out.I'm happy to answer questions or connect if anyone is curious.
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Sticky
"Why are third parties running Google VLA ads on MY vehicles? Shut it down!"
- By Ryan Everson
"Why are third-party platforms like Autotrader or CarGurus running Google VLA ads on MY vehicles? Shut it down!"
Sound familiar, car dealers?
Let's dissect this common concern with a sharper lens: What if allowing third-party marketplaces to run VLA ads on your inventory isn't a curse, but a veiled blessing?
Here's my take: If you've already maxed out your VLA budget, yet you're not capturing a full 100% impression share, why not be grateful that Autotrader, Cars.com, CarGurus, and CARFAX are helping fill the gap?
Because here’s the kicker: Your cars are still the ones reeling in the clicks. And guess what? You’re not footing an extra bill for it.
Pause and consider: If you tell these third-party marketplaces to hit the brakes on running VLA's for your vehicles, guess who benefits? That’s right, your competition. The same advertising budget will just veer towards showcasing their inventory instead; they certainly won't pass the savings along to you.
"But Ryan, my website converts WAY better than a third-party site."
That may be the case, but aren't some leads better than no leads? The answer is yes.
"But Ryan, third parties are inflating my cost-per-click!"
Does it, though? Real talk: VLA ad units have a carousel of 20 vehicle cards. The search keywords that trigger a VLA often have an army—sometimes hundreds or even thousands—of eligible vehicles, especially when you factor in geographic scope, the inventory availability of certain models, and nationwide VLA advertisers like Carvana.
So, pulling your cars out of the game won't really lower your CPC, unless every other dealer decides to collectively opt out.
And let's not forget: Google's recent shift to Performance Max is changing the game once again.
VLA's were originally a dynamic, VIN-specific ad format that could go toe-to-toe with Facebook’s Automotive Inventory Ads.
Now, Pmax is diluting VLAs by forcing dealers to also serve the ads on YouTube, Gmail, Discover, Display, and traditional Search.
Only time will tell how effective VLA's will remain.
So, dealers, let's not be too hasty asking third parties to stop promoting your vehicles.
Sometimes, what seems like a problem may actually be an opportunity.
What AI search engines are you using?
- By Alex Snyder
- Other Cool Technologies & Services
- 28 Replies
On 
@joe.pistell's suggestion, I have been trying Perplextity.ai on and off for a while. At first, I wasn't too keen on the results, but lately it has gotten much better! A couple of recent searches haven't just mirrored my own opinions ("what's the best pizza in Vermont" for example) that no search engine would give, but it is also taking me into new sources I wasn't aware of. The convenience of it distilling results into paragraphs of content instead of pages of crappy meta descriptions is far more convenient too.
Anyway, there's a vote for Perplexity.
I'd love to see this thread turn into a library of new search tools. What have you tried, and what do you think of it?
@joe.pistell's suggestion, I have been trying Perplextity.ai on and off for a while. At first, I wasn't too keen on the results, but lately it has gotten much better! A couple of recent searches haven't just mirrored my own opinions ("what's the best pizza in Vermont" for example) that no search engine would give, but it is also taking me into new sources I wasn't aware of. The convenience of it distilling results into paragraphs of content instead of pages of crappy meta descriptions is far more convenient too.Anyway, there's a vote for Perplexity.
I'd love to see this thread turn into a library of new search tools. What have you tried, and what do you think of it?
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