In this episode of Full Throttle, host Jason Stein sits down with Tom Castriota, owner of Castriota Chevrolet, Inc., for a wide-ranging conversation on the forces reshaping the auto retail industry.

Castriota reflects on his year traveling the country — and the world — listening directly to dealers about their biggest concerns, from direct-to-consumer sales and franchise law threats to affordability, tariffs, workforce shortages, and consolidation. He explains why NADA’s role as “the voice of the dealer” has never been more critical, and what it really means to have a seat at the table with policymakers in Washington.

The conversation also dives into the shrinking middle-class buyer, $50,000 transactions, $800 monthly payments, and why the industry can’t reach 18 million annual sales without more affordable vehicles. Plus, Castriota shares personal reflections on leadership, legacy, and what’s next after passing the torch.

🎙️ Topics covered:
- Franchise laws vs. direct sales
- Dealer consolidation & rural dealer survival
- Vehicle affordability & buyer economics
- Tariffs, trade policy, and Washington influence
- Workforce challenges & future talent pipelines
- Leadership, legacy, and what comes next

📌 Subscribe for more insider conversations with the people shaping the future of the automotive industry.

⏱ Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro
3:26 – A year on the road: what dealers are really saying
5:58 – The threat of direct sales & the future of franchise laws
7:44 – “Don’t be afraid”: generational dealers and long-term stability
8:52 – The affordability crisis facing car buyers
11:48 – Tariffs, trade policy, and having a seat at the table
15:00 – Workforce challenges & preparing the next generation
18:46 – Life after leadership: vineyards, drums, and passing the torch

In this return appearance on Full Throttle, host Jason Stein sits down with Kevin Tynan, Director of Research at The Presidio Group, for a no-nonsense breakdown of what 2026 really looks like for the U.S. auto industry.

This is not a hype cycle conversation.

Kevin explains why the market is hitting a structural tipping point — where chasing volume starts to destroy pricing, margins, and long-term profitability. With inventories creeping higher, incentives looming, EV strategies under pressure, and fixed ops emerging as the real profit engine, this episode is essential listening for dealer principals, OEM executives, and industry operators planning for the next phase.

🔑 Key topics include:
- Why 15.5–16 million units is the profit ceiling — and why going higher hurts
- Inventory discipline vs. volume-at-all-costs thinking
- What 2019 taught dealers about oversupply — and why 2026 rhymes
- The return of used-vehicle supply and what it means for margins
- EV profitability realities and the growing “now what?” problem for OEMs
- Why six-figure EVs don’t work — and what might
- Fixed ops, F&I, and where AI and automation actually deliver ROI
- The biggest strategic mistake dealers must avoid heading into 2026

Kevin also delivers a clear warning: the era of easy gross is over. The winners in 2026 won’t be the dealers who chase volume — they’ll be the ones who tighten operations, control inventory, and find margin in efficiency.

If you’re responsible for profit, planning, or performance in the auto business, this episode is required viewing.

🎧 Subscribe to Full Throttle for unfiltered insights from the people shaping the automotive industry.

3:32 – Why 2026 Is a Tipping Point for the Auto Market
6:13 – The 16 Million Unit Ceiling: Where Pricing Breaks Down
8:40 – Lessons from 2019: Oversupply, Incentives, and Margin Erosion
10:28 – Overcapacity, Incentives, and the Inevitable Reckoning
12:28 – Used Cars Return: Off-Lease Supply and Margin Pressure
14:30 – EV Reality Check: Profitability, Write-Downs, and “Now What?”
19:06 – Fixed Ops, Technicians, and the Real Profit Bottleneck
22:07 – AI, Automation, and Where Dealers Actually See ROI in 2026
24:53 – The #1 Strategic Mistake Dealers Must Avoid in 2026

#FullThrottlePodcast #AutomotiveIndustry #AutoDealers #CarDealerships #EVs #FixedOps #FandI #AutoRetail #JasonStein #KevinTynan #PresidioGroup

In this episode of Full Throttle, host Jason Stein sits down with Jay Vijayan, Founder & CEO of Tekion, to unpack how AI, data, and platform thinking are reshaping the future of automotive retail.

Jay brings a rare perspective—having built enterprise systems at Tesla, invested in dozens of technology companies, and now leading one of the fastest-scaling automotive software platforms in the industry. From simplifying fragmented dealer systems to deploying AI with measurable ROI, Jay explains why technology only matters if it delivers real value.

The conversation dives into:

• Why automotive retail has accumulated decades of complexity—and how to unwind it
• How Tekion approaches AI differently, with ROI dashboards and real-world impact
• The biggest challenge in scaling dealer technology: change management, not software
• Lessons from onboarding thousands of rooftops and working with major dealer groups
• Data ownership, security, and responsible AI in a post-CDK world
• Why productivity—not headcount—is the real promise of AI in auto retail
• Jay’s vision for the next 10 years of automotive software and dealer operations

Jay also draws a powerful parallel between today’s AI moment and Netflix’s transition from DVDs to streaming—explaining how dealers will gradually shift from traditional UI-driven systems to AI agents that work in natural language.

This is a must-watch conversation for:

• Dealer principals and operators
• Automotive technology founders and investors
• Anyone thinking seriously about AI beyond the hype

📌 Full Throttle brings you unfiltered conversations with the leaders shaping the future of mobility, retail, and technology.

0:00 – Why automotive retail became so complex (and why simplification matters)
7:09 – Tech founder and investor: how Jay evaluates technology, teams, and ROI
9:18 – Scaling Tekion: thousands of rooftops, real growth, and onboarding challenges
10:04 – The hardest part of scaling dealer tech: change management, not software
14:53 – How Tekion uses AI internally—plus why ChatGPT is restricted inside the company
18:10 – Data ownership, security, and responsible AI in automotive retail
27:40 – Why AI can finally improve dealer productivity without increasing costs