NEWS | Axiom Advisors

Fun Fact - Insight Vol. 36

The “Jelly Bean” Car Era In the 1980s, many automakers began shifting away from the sharp, boxy vehicle designs of the 1970s toward smoother, rounded “jelly bean” shapes. One reason for this change was the growing use of a small number of shared wind tunnels across the automotive industry. Because manufacturers were often testing designs in the same facilities—and optimizing for the same aerodynamic principles—their vehicles started to converge toward similar rounded forms th

Jul 61 min read

Privacy Risk in the Connect Vehicle Era - Insight Vol. 36

BY ERIK ACOSTA As a Dealership Consultant working in internal auditing, I spend a significant amount of time evaluating risks that are not apparent. One that has recent mass attention and appears to have been slightly underestimated is client privacy particularly related downloaded manufacturer applications and the trade-in process. Dealership groups have made tremendous progress in operational efficiency and client data protection. However, one control gap continues to sur

Jul 64 min read

Your Parts Reconciliation is Talking, Are You Listening? - Insight Vol. 36

BY SAMANTHA MILLARD Let’s talk about the parts department—the quiet workhorse of the dealership. It doesn’t usually steal the spotlight like variable sales. It doesn’t generate daily drama like service capacity or technician shortages. However, it does quietly hold a material chunk of your balance sheet, feeds your service department, supports customer satisfaction, and (when managed well) prints reliable gross month after month. And yet… it’s often one of the most neglected

Jul 64 min read

Insight by Axiom Advisors - Vol. 36

Jul 60 min read

Fun Fact - Insight Vol. 35

Cars Cruise, Trucks Pay The U.S. has one of the lowest car tariffs in the world at 2.5%, but one of the highest truck tariffs at 25% thanks to a 1964 law still shaping today’s market. The Chicken Tax, imposed in retaliation for European tariffs on American chicken exports, reshaped the American pickup market and continues to influence domestic assembly today.

Jan 151 min read

The Changing of the Guard in Auto Retail - Insight Vol. 35

BY PHILIP VILLEGAS Over the past year, I’ve noticed something across dealerships: The “Old Car Dogs”—dealers, operators, and managers who’ve run stores for decades—are finally retiring. Many held on through the pandemic when profits were historic, but now that the music is slowing, they’re stepping aside. These are the ones who built this business. They’re pragmatic, no nonsense, and believe in one rule: If it works, don’t break it. That mindset kept stores alive through rece

Jan 152 min read

Buying A Car From A Different Point of View - Insight Vol. 35

BY ERIK ACOSTA Buying a car should be an exciting experience—flipping through listings, test-driving vehicles, and finally driving off the lot in something that feels like the perfect fit. But for someone who audits dealerships for a living, the process is a little different. It’s hard to turn off the part of my brain that constantly analyzes deals, processes, and whether everything was done “correctly.” Over the past year and a half, I have purchased seven cars. Yes, seven.

Jan 154 min read