After 35 years in the car business, working with OEMs and their ever-rotating carousel of “preferred vendors,” I’ll admit that the very first thing that pops into my head when I hear about a newly announced partnership isn’t excitement. It’s a question: “So, who sits on whose board, or who shares a tee time at Torrey Pines?”

I’m not trying to be cynical (well, maybe just a lil), but after decades of watching solutions come and go, I’ve learned to be skeptical when a new service or system is suddenly pushed as the next big thing, especially when the sales pitch comes with a heavy dose of “It’s 100% co-op’able!”

Now don’t get me wrong, I know there are vendors out there who have genuinely earned their spot at the OEM table and worked with many that prove why they are there consistently. Companies that deliver value, drive results, and actually support dealers, rather than just sell to them. But when a rep starts preaching about a product I’ve never heard of with a commission-like enthusiasm, my inner red flag waves harder than a Saturday blowout sale banner.

Dealers deserve more than buzzwords and boardroom handshakes. We deserve tools that actually work, have been tested, proven, and built for our side of the business. Call me old school, but I still believe performance should matter more than proximity to the OEM’s annual retreat.