Insights to Drive Your
Dealership Business Forward.

As operating costs keep climbing for franchise dealers, a single dealer group has little power to bring them down. But dealers who combine their spending can change that. Dave Mondragon, Founder and CEO of AutoTrust Dealer Alliance, takes a closer look at how group purchasing and dealer ownership can substantially lower those costs.

"I love the vehicle, but I can't afford it." A dealer's ability to respond depends partly on its own cost structure. That's the piece AutoTrust exists to change. By bringing dealers together to create purchasing power, reduce costs, and unlock new revenue, we help member dealers build the flexibility to say yes more often, whether that means a maintenance package that fits a tighter budget, a better financing structure, or just staying in the conversation.

Carvana's growing footprint of franchised Stellantis dealerships raises questions about the long-term balance of power in U.S. auto retail.

Two days after AutoTrust announced it had united more than 300 franchise dealers in its first year, founder and CEO Dave Mondragon outlined the macro pressures reshaping the industry, and what it takes at the store level to compete.

AutoTrust Dealer Alliance is sharing an important update: “In Its First Year, AutoTrust Unites Over 300 Franchise Dealers to Compete With America's Largest Public Groups“. Read the full release below:

The car business has spent decades letting outside companies get rich off dealership scale. That era ends for the dealers who decide it should. You can keep fighting alone. Keep absorbing. Keep funding everyone else’s margin. Or you can finally own the upside you’ve been handing away.

In a market where profitability is under pressure, the advantages of collective scale are no longer optional. They are becoming essential.

Dealer margins are tightening while consolidation grows. Learn why collective lending power and aggregated volume can improve dealer liquidity and negotiating leverage.

AutoTrust announces its partnership with StoneEagleMETRICS, establishing a foundational analytics and reporting layer within the AutoTrust platform. By integrating one of the industry’s most trusted performance intelligence platforms, we’re strengthening data integrity, transparency, and enterprise-grade reporting for our dealer members, supporting better decisions and long-term value creation.

As the industry heads into 2026, automotive dealers are entering a more disciplined, value-driven market where old strategies no longer work. Affordability pressures, rapidly advancing technology, shifting EV dynamics, and growing consolidation are forcing dealerships to rethink how they operate, sell, and retain customers. Those who adapt early will find new opportunities to stay competitive, while those who don’t risk falling behind in a market that’s changing faster than ever.

As Gen Z becomes the core customer base, dealers need to address 2 critical problems: customer satisfaction doesn't equal dealer profitability; and satisfaction rate crumbles with younger buyers.

AutoTrust announces Carmen Torres as President of AutoTrust Protect and James Wood as SVP of AutoTrust Financial Services — two proven leaders with deep F&I and lending expertise.

Discover how dealer-owned alliances like AutoTrust help dealers reduce costs, earn equity, and boost profit margins.

AutoTrust helps dealers grow profit margins, build equity, and improve customer loyalty—strengthening enterprise value for future succession or sale.

Tired of being at a competitive disadvantage next to large public dealer groups? Learn how AutoTrust’s dealer-owned alliance model gives power, equity, and profit back.

New Dealer-owned cooperative delivers margin recovery, equity growth, and independence across the nation.