In this episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, Zach Klempf talks with Dan Ingle, President & COO of UsedCars.com, to discuss how affordability pressures are fueling a major shift from new to used vehicles and what dealers need to do to stay ahead in a tight inventory market.

Drawing from his extensive automotive background, including leadership roles at Kelley Blue Book and AutoWeb, Dan shares practical strategies dealers can use heading into 2026. The conversation covers pricing vehicles to market, building consumer trust through stronger merchandising and vehicle history reports, and improving speed-to-lead and lead nurturing for shoppers transitioning from new to used.

They also dive into inventory sourcing strategies across trade-ins, service drive, auctions, and direct-to-consumer channels, along with Dan’s perspective on growing used EV demand and how dealers can better merchandise and position EV inventory for today’s buyers.

⏱️ Key Questions & Timestamps

01:12 — Dan’s career journey (PeopleFirst → KBB/Cox → AutoWeb turnaround → UsedCars.com)

03:39 — Why 1 in 3 shoppers are moving from new to used (affordability, rates, payments)

04:54 — Where shoppers are landing: segments, trims, and the $15K “unicorn” hunt

06:11 — Demand stays healthy… but confidence is down: need-based buying + what that signals

08:03 — What the new-to-used migration means for dealer strategy in 2026 (used mix + positioning)

09:52 — Dealer playbook: pricing to market, listing quality, VHR trust, and speed-to-lead/nurture

12:17 — Inventory flow update: off-lease returns, upside-down equity, and tight day supply

13:12 — Are we heading toward balance—or does affordability keep supply tight?

13:51 — Sourcing strategy: auctions vs trade-ins vs service lane vs direct-to-consumer channels

15:12 — Biggest inventory opportunity: late-model, clean, on-brand units (and why it matters)

15:48 — Used EVs: interest trends, impressions, and what conversion looks like so far

16:48 — Used EV buyer psychology: affordability tailwinds vs battery health concerns

17:58 — How to sell used EVs: pricing, training, range, trust signals, battery health + warranties

19:25 — Back half of 2026 outlook: merchandising opportunities + what Dan expects next

20:40 — Rapid fire: underrated segment to stock now (3–5-year sedans)

21:10 — Rapid fire: biggest dealer mistake right now (not “skating to where the puck is going”)

21:51 — Rapid fire: surprising data point (mid-April EV impressions doubled)

Learn more about Usedcars.com: https://dealers.usedcars.com/?utm_source=used-car-dealer-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=dan-ingle-interview&utm_content=youtube-description

🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://www.sellyautomotive.com/podcast

📄 Read the full transcription: https://blog.sellyautomotive.com/blog/affordability-challenges-inventory-trends-the-growing-shift-from-new-to-used-vehicles-with-dan-ingle-of-usedcars-com

In this episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, Zach talks with Monik Pamecha, co-founder of Toma, about how AI is reshaping dealership operations, from lead handling to customer communication and overall efficiency.

Monik shares how Toma started by solving a simple but critical problem—missed calls and slow response times—and how that expanded into a broader opportunity to reduce friction across the entire car buying process. The conversation dives into why today’s consumers expect instant responses, where dealerships are losing opportunities, and how AI helps bridge that gap at scale.

They also explore what real AI adoption looks like inside a dealership, including how AI agents improve lead engagement, increase appointment set rates, and streamline communication without replacing the human element. Monik breaks down common misconceptions about AI, why it’s not a “magic bullet,” and how dealers should think about ROI when implementing these tools.

Zach and Monik also discuss the future of dealership operations, how AI could simplify decision-making, and why the next generation of high-performing dealers will be those who adapt quickly to changing customer expectations.

Key Questions & Timestamps

00:33 Intro: AI for car dealerships with Monik Pamecha of Toma
01:18 How Toma got started in automotive
03:14 The biggest dealership problems AI can solve first
04:43 Why dealers can’t ignore AI anymore
06:55 Where AI is driving real efficiency today
08:45 Measuring ROI from dealership AI tools
09:38 What makes a true AI agent different
10:31 How AI helps convert leads into appointments
12:46 Real results: appointment lift and conversion impact
14:19 The biggest AI implementation mistakes dealers make
15:45 What dealership operations look like in the next 3–5 years
17:28 Is AI replacing people or supporting teams?
20:31 Rapid fire: easiest dealership process to automate
21:05 Rapid fire: Biggest misconception about AI
21:22 Rapid fire: What separates top-performing dealers in the future
22:12 Where to find Toma
22:58 Why Monik started selling cars in-store himself

🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://www.sellyautomotive.com/podcast
📄 Read the full transcription: https://blog.sellyautomotive.com/blog/ucdp-episode-84-how-ai-is-transforming-car-dealership-lead-handling-sales-monik-pamecha-of-toma

In this episode of the Used Car Dealer Podcast, Zach talks with Sanjay Varnwal, co-founder and CEO of Spyne AI, to unpack how AI-powered merchandising is helping dealers move inventory faster by getting vehicles live online sooner and with more premium visuals.

Sanjay explains why “time-to-live” is one of the most overlooked profit levers in used cars, how holding cost compounds every day a vehicle sits without strong photos, and how Spyne helps dealers publish listings earlier without waiting on traditional studio workflows.

The conversation also covers Spyne’s expansion beyond photos into conversational AI (Vini) for voice, chat, and email, plus what AI is genuinely improving inside dealerships versus where the hype still outpaces reality.

Key Questions & Timestamps

00:22 – Intro: Sanjay’s background + what Spyne does for dealers

01:16 – How did your past roles shape the way you approached building an automotive tech startup?

05:07 – What was the early moment you realized AI-powered imaging could fundamentally change vehicle merchandising?

09:26 – What does Spyne actually do in the day-to-day workflow of a dealership?

11:48 – Why was it important to expand beyond merchandising into a fuller automotive retail suite?

16:33 – What differences have you noticed between U.S. dealers and other global markets?

19:29 – Where is AI genuinely delivering value today—and where is it still mostly hype?

23:22 – What does Spyne’s longer-term vision look like in practice?

24:33 – If you were advising a dealer today, where should they invest in technology first?

26:24 – What’s one dealership process AI will completely automate in the next five years?

26:45 – What’s one mistake dealers make when it comes to digital merchandising?

27:28 – In one piece of advice: how can dealers sell more cars online starting now?

📺 Read the Transcribe: https://blog.sellyautomotive.com/defaultblog/ai-inventory-merchandising-for-dealers-with-sanjay-varnwal-of-spyne-ai
🎧 Listen to more Used Car Dealer Podcast episodes: https://www.sellyautomotive.com/podcast