Mopar Masters Guild Magazine November - December 2023 by Don Cushing

Leaders in the sale of quality Stellantis Mopar Parts.

Last Chance To Sign Up For MMG’s 32nd Annual Meeting at NADA in Las Vegas See Page3

November - December 2023

Also In This Issue From the Desk of Joe McBeth: “MMG Annual Meeting 2024!” .........2 It’s Not Too Late! Make Yor Reservation NOW! ............3 MMG 32nd Annual Meeting Tentative Itinerary ........................... 4-5 The Real Deal A Visit to Elite Extra....................... 6-8 Epicor Aquires Elite Extra ............. 8-9 ”Where Are They Now?” ............10-11 The View From My Office with Kat Monteiro........................12-14 Activator DS ........................................15 MMG Vendors ..............................16-17 MMG Welcomes New Tier 2 Vendor Bowtie Solutions...........................18-19

New Feature in the MMG Magazine! See Pages 10-11 MMG Welcomes Bowtie Solutions as Newest Tier 2 Vendor! See Pages 18-19

AER Sales.............................................20 CDK Global .........................................21 Elite Extra ...........................................22 CDK Global .........................................23 Katzkin Leather ............................24-25 Reynolds & Reynolds .........................26 Endeavor Business Media Ratchet+Wrench ................................27 AER Sales.............................................28 Reynolds & Reynolds .........................29 QB Business Solutions.................30-31 Endeavor Business Media FenderBender ......................................32 QB Business Solutions.......................33 OEConnection ...............................34-35 Why Ramcharger was developed with series hybrid powertrain .............36-39 2023 MMG Officers/Committees ..34

November - December 2023

From the Desk of MMG President Joe McBeth

“MMG Annual Meeting 2024” Hello Mopar Masters and friends! I hope this edi on of the newsle er finds you all well. This is an exci ng me of year when we are ge ng together with loved ones and friends to celebrate the holidays. We have another very exci ng event coming up in January and that is our annual Mopar Masters Guild mee ng. We have three days planned for mee ngs and special events in the evenings. Your presence and par cipa on are vital as we reflect on our past successes and discuss future opportuni es and ideas to help make our businesses more successful. We also will have visits from our great suppor ng vendors as well as a visit from Steve Yandura and other Stellan s execu ves. There is more informa on regarding the mee ng and the full agenda in this edi on of the newsle er. I hope to see you all in Las Vegas. Personally, for me our annual mee ng is the highlight of the year. Being part of such an inspiring and supportive guild has not only enriched my skills but I have also formed many great friendships through the years. The guidance, camaraderie and shared experiences with the Mopar Masters Guild have been crucial factors in my personal and professional growth. I want to encourage all eligible Mopar Masters to join our guild. It will be one of the best decisions you ever make. We all are facing many challenges every day in our business and now more than ever we need to support each other through these mes. The Mopar Masters Guild is the perfect environment for this support! Our guild mo o is “The exchange of informa on by like-size dealers in a non-compe ve environment” I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year. I look forward to seeing you all in Las Vegas.

Joe

Joe McBeth - jmcbeth@thedallaspdc.com President - Mopar Masters Guild - Parts Director - Dallas DCJR If you are interested in joining the Mopar Masters Guild, please visit their website to see if your dealership qualifies to become a member. Then click here to fill out our membership form hƩps://form.joƞorm.com/92635430524151

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

THIS IS IT! Last Opportunity to Make Yor Reservations ASAP Deadline is December 29th, 2023 - Don’t Miss Out!

Mopar Masters 32nd Annual Meeting in Las Vegas The me has come to begin making your hotel reserva ons for our 32nd Annual MMG Mee ngs, hosted at the Beau ful Palms Las Vegas from January 30th – February 4th. Our Guests will have un l December 29th to complete their reserva ons. Should you want to extend your stay, or arrive early, you will have the ability to via the link. If anyone has any ques ons at all, or any issues whatsoever, please reach out to Jill Vance, and she will be happy to assist you! Jill Vance, Apogee Event Agency: Phone - 954-856-6477 - Email: Jill@apogeeeventagency.com *When: We arrive Tuesday January 30th for our Member Recep on *Where: The Palms - Las Vegas *Room ReservaƟons: MMG Hotel ReservaƟon Link hƩps://book.passkey.com/event/50551265/owner/50319926/home

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023 Mopar Masters Guild IƟnerary – NADA 2024 (TentaƟve)

32nd Annual Mopar Masters MeeƟng

Tuesday, January 30th, 2024 Arrive in Las Vegas 4:00pm

The Palms Las Vegas 4321 W Flamingo Rd Las Vegas, NV 89103

Check-in - All rooms should be ready and available for check in at Hotel Crescent No Formal Plans - Feel free to arrange your own plans - Many arriving guests will probably be in the bar area!

All MeeƟngs, lunches and breaks will be held in The Nove Room at The Palms Wednesday, January 31st, 2024

Breakfast - Nove Room MMG Discussions - Nove Room Opening Comments - MMG President Joe McBeth MeeƟng Comments - MMG Vice President Cody Eckhardt Secretary’s PresentaƟon of Minutes - Jim Jaegar Treasurers’ Report - Chris Hojnacki CommiƩee Reports Guild Business Old/New 8:45am - 9:00am Break 9:00am - 10:00am MMG ElecƟons 10:00am - 10:15am Break 10:15am - 12:00pm MMG Discussions 12:00pm - 12:45pm Lunch - Nove Room 7:00am - 7:45am 7:45am - 8:45am

Tier 2 Vendor PresentaƟons - All Tier 2 Vendors will be set up to visit during lunch and aŌer presentaƟons! 12:45pm - 1:15pm 1:15pm - 1:45pm 1:45pm - 2:00pm 2:00pm - 2:30pm 2:30pm - 3:00om 3:00pm - 3:15pm 3:15pm - 3:45pm 3:45pm - 5:00pm

Vendor PresentaƟon - Endeavor Business Media Vendor PresentaƟon - BowƟe SoluƟons Break Vendor PresentaƟon - Katzkin Leather Vendor PresentaƟon - AcƟvator Dealer SoluƟons Break Vendor PresentaƟon - QB SoluƟons Tier 2 Vendors Visits/MMG Discussions

Adjourn Day 1 MeeƟng

Wednesday Evening - Explore Las Vegas Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Thursday, February 1st, 2024 11:00am – 1:00pm Ladies Brunch - Mercat Bistro Transporta on will be provided. Meet in the hotel lobby at 10:40am.

Thursday, February 1st, 2024 7:00am - 7:45am 7:45am - 8:00am 8:00am - 8:45am 8:45am - 9:00am 9:00am - 9:45am 9:45am - 10:00am 10:15am - 10:45am 10:45am - 12:00pm 12:00pm - 1:00pm 1:00pm - 1:45pm 1:45pm - 2:00pm 2:00pm - 3:15pm 3:15pm - 4:00pm 4:00pm - 5:00pm 5:00pm

Breakfast - Nove Room MMG Discussions - Nove Room Vendor PresentaƟon - AER Sales Break Vendor PresentaƟon - Reynolds & Reynolds Break Vendor PresentaƟon - Petra Automotive Solutions MMG Discussions - Nove Room Lunch - Harper Rooms AB/CD Vendor PresentaƟon - OEConnecƟon Break MMG Discussions - Nove Room Vendor PresentaƟon - Elite Extra MMG Discussions ConƟnue Adjourn Day 2 MeeƟng

Thursday Evening, February 1st, 2024 Annual MMG Cocktail RecepƟon 7:00pm - 10:00pm

The Mob Museum - 300 Stewart Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101 We will meet outside of the hotel at 6:30pm. Busses will take us to the Mob Museum “Underground Speakeasy” - Password Required and will be provided at the Hotel!

Friday, February 2nd, 2024 7:00am - 7:45am 7:45am - 8:45am 8:45am - 9:00am 9:00am - 9:45am 12:00pm - 1:00pm 1:00pm

Breakfast - Nove Room MMG Discussions - Nove Room Break MeeƟng with Mopar ExecuƟves Lunch - Mopar ExecuƟves Invited Adjourn – End of Mopar Masters Guild’s 2024 NADA MeeƟng

Saturday, February 3rd, 2024 - NADA ConvenƟon/Leave for Home Hope to see everyone in New Orleans, Louisiana for our 33rd Annual Mopar Masters Guild MeeƟng!

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

The Real Deal… A Visit to Elite Extra The Mopar Masters guild team of Joe McBeth, Alan Yancey, Chris Hojnacki, Steve Hofer and Chris Po ratz descended upon the Elite Extra oﬃce in Eau Claire, Wisconsin like a swarm of predatory birds of prey, their eyes gleaming with the razor-sharp focus of seasoned professionals on a mission. The air was thick with the heady scent of success, as if the very atmosphere had been perfumed by the intoxica ng aroma of freshly minted business deals. The team filed into the conference room, their polished shoes clacking rhythmically against the marble floors, their perfectly tailored suits whispering against each other in a discreet code only they could decipher. As they took their seats around the oval-shaped table, the tension was palpable. Each member of the team knew that the fate of their company, perhaps even their en re industry, rested on the outcome of this meeting. They exchanged knowing glances, nods of encouragement, and the occasional reassuring handshake. It was a delicate dance, this balance between confidence and humility, and they all knew that one false step could prove disastrous. The conference room door swung open, revealing a tall, elegantly dressed man with a commanding presence. He was Jon Ward, the V.P., CSO, of Elite Extra, and his arrival was met with a chorus of respec ul gree ngs and handshakes. As he took his seat at the head of the table, the room seemed to grow even larger, as if it were designed to amplify his presence and authority. Jon glanced around the table, taking in each member of the Mopar Masters guild team. His steely gaze lingered on Joe McBeth, the team leader, before fixing on a point somewhere beyond the far wall. It was a power move, an unspoken message that he was in control, and that they were all here to do business. Joe nodded politely, unruﬄed by the display of dominance. He knew that in order to succeed, he would have to maintain a balance of respect and asser veness. It is here the true story begins. I must admit the first paragraphs were a tale generated from two sentences and an ar ficial intelligence program. While fun, like an AI program can be, the group at Elite Extra is nothing like an AI program. Their campus nestled in Eau Claire, Wisconsin is filled with some of the most genuine people I have had the pleasure working with. Their dedica on and drive to helping our stores succeed is the real founda on of our mee ngs every year.

The Masters Guild met with the Elite Extra team on September 28th and 29th. Rather than boring you with all the fun we had— hanging out tes ng appe zers, drinking Wisconsin beer and visi ng a place called Robot Social—I want to focus on some of the key points we discussed during our mee ngs. Since the mee ng Elite Extra has also come out with some exci ng news. Continued on Page 7

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Continued from Page 6

For both those familiar with Elite Extra or if you are just learning about them, they describe themselves as, “A last mile so ware company that offers industry-leading logis cs solu ons that streamline opera ons.” I couldn’t have said it be er. The last two visits have opened my eyes to many solu ons to our business challenges Elite solves. How these solu ons con nue to evolve or integrate with our processes were the root of conversa ons over the two days. These topics include:  Logis c (delivery) management  Returns automa on – helping our drivers and warehouse staff track and process returns  Customer delivery and returns no fica ons  Analy cs and repor ng – what reports could help drive efficiencies in our stores  Automated dispatch  Dispatch & delivery with DoorDash, Uber and other third-party carriers As a long- me user of Elite Extra, I realized that NOW is the me to pause other tasks and reevaluate the dis nc ve solu ons that Elite has added. The two solu ons I hope to see implemented in our store over the coming months are the use of third-party carriers through dispatching and the returns automa on pla orm. The simplicity of the workflow that their third-party dispatch op on provides should allow us to con nue to grow our business and take back a mechanical share we have lost in recent years. Furthermore, it fits nicely into our business approach of providing best in class service to our wholesale customers. The recently introduced returns automa on that Elite provides will give us an opportunity to address the longstanding issue of thoroughly tracking wholesale customer returns from the point of request through the invoicing of the credit memo. The more we discussed the program it became clear that with a few minor process changes in our stores we would be able to track, approve and bring greater accuracy to our returns process while saving me. In addi on to the great topics discussed with Elite, the a ending Masters Guild members had the opportunity to sit down and share their experiences. If you have not had the opportunity to watch any of their tes monials, please do. It is a good opportunity to listen to what Elite Extra has meant to their businesses for the last 13 years. You can find the video at : (1) Going the EXTRA Mile: Elite EXTRA Customer Success Stories - YouTube. Continued on Page 8

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

Continued from Page 7 Elite Extra also recently shared some exci ng news with an acquisi on announcement. This was shared on November 14th: Elite EXTRA is excited to announce that we are joining Epicor, a global leader of industry-specific enterprise so ware. Epicor’s acquisi on of Elite EXTRA brings together two companies ghtly aligned in helping organizaons get to the right insights at the right me and take ac on to maximize business performance. On behalf of the Mopar Masters Guild I want to thank the en re Elite Extra family for an incredible few days. With so many individuals on the team, that made our me together extremely rewarding, it is diﬃcult to name them all. What I hope they know is that each of us on the trip felt welcome and part of your team. We experienced your dedica on in all the li le details from planned ou ngs, watching a Lions game, helping us look good on camera, lunches, snacks and customized shirts. Most importantly your hard work brings us products that ease the tasks we ask our staﬀ to perform. Jim Ward, you have assembled an incredible industry-leading team that always make us feel special. SubmiƩed by Steve Hofer - Park Chrysler Jeep

Epicor Acquires Elite EXTRA to Add Advanced Last Mile Delivery Capabilities Across the Make, Move, Sell Industries Epicor, a global leader of industry-specific enterprise so ware designed to promote business growth, today announced it has acquired Elite EXTRA, a leading provider of cloud-based last mile delivery solu ons. The acquisi on expands Epicor’s ability to help its customers across the make, move, and sell industries simplify last mile logis cs and compete in a hyper-compe ve market more eﬀec vely. Financial terms were not disclosed. For example, in the Automo ve A ermarket, limited automo ve inventory and growing economic uncertainty are causing vehicle owners to keep and operate their vehicles longer. As a result, distributors must handle increased demand for automo ve parts and maintenance services. Continued on Page 9

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Continued from Page 8 Con nued driver shortages also make it impera ve that distributors dispatch efficiently to meet customers’ quick delivery expecta ons. With Elite EXTRA, Epicor customers in the Automo ve A ermarket will gain even deeper real- me visibility to make more informed rou ng, dispatch, and inventory decisions. This will help distributors, independent service shops, and dealers improve efficiency, reduce costs, and deliver a superior customer experience that builds loyalty and creates a compe ve advantage. The Elite EXTRA por olio provides many key benefits and features to customers across the make, move, and sell industries, including: Simplify last mile delivery logisƟcs. Elite EXTRA offers an end-to-end logistics management solution for multiple logistics operations. From deliveries and pickups to services and shuttling people, Elite EXTRA streamlines operations and provides full visibility of logistics to make more informed routing decisions. Streamline and scale operaƟons with an extensive delivery network. Elite EXTRA helps meet demanding customer expectations by using the most efficient and cost-effective ways to deliver products. A pre-connected network enables customers to leverage leading third-party fleets such as DoorDash®, Uber, Roadie, Point Pickup, and more. Customers manage delivery options by preference or automated business rules such as speed, price, or priority fleet agreements. Strengthen reverse logisƟcs and automate returns. Elite EXTRA streamlines and provides enhanced visibility into the entire returns process. The solution helps to reduce the cost of returns and accelerates the pickup, validation authorization, and credit issuing process. The Elite EXTRA por olio is built on a service-oriented architecture, making it easy to scale and integrate with ERP, POS, and eCommerce systems. Elite EXTRA is already integrated with Epicor Vision, the company’s automo ve parts distribu on management pla orm. In the future, Elite EXTRA will be integrated with other Epicor ERP pla orms and industry produc vity solu ons across the Epicor Industry ERP Cloud por olio. “Like Epicor, we have built our company with a customer-centric mindset in delivering the innova ve, purposebuilt solu ons our users need to solve their biggest supply chain challenges,” said Elite EXTRA President and Founder Jim Ward. “We are excited to con nue that mission, and we look forward to expanding our resources in joining the Epicor team to help customers across industries op mize and streamline their delivery operaons.” About Epicor Epicor equips hard-working businesses with enterprise solu ons that keep the world turning. For 50 years, Epicor customers in the automo ve, building supply, distribu on, manufacturing, and retail industries have trusted Epicor to help them do business be er. Innova ve Epicor solu on sets are carefully curated to fit customer needs and built to flexibly respond to their fast-changing reality. With deep industry knowledge and experience, Epicor accelerates its customers’ ambi ons, whether to grow and transform, or simply become more produc ve and effec ve. Visit www.epicor.com for more information. Epicor and the Epicor logo are trademarks of Epicor So ware Corpora on, registered in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks referenced are the property of their respec ve owners. The product and service offerings depicted in this document are produced by Epicor So ware Corpora on. Results are not guaranteed, and each user’s experience will vary. Source: www.autonews.com

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023 This is a new feature in the Mopar Masters Guild Magazine where we will be featuring former MMG members. A er celebra ng more than 32 years of Mopar Masters, we will have a lot to look back on. We present to you, “Where Are They Now?” Gerry Oakes - Former Parts Director from Baxter Chrysler

How long were you part of the MMG? 23 years. I was fortunate to be included in the first annual mee ng of the guild in New Orleans, 1993. I was very intrigued a er a call from Chuck Hartle at Carl Burger Dodge. He and several other parts managers were a emp ng to put together a guild of the top Mopar parts departments in the country to meet and share ideas during the NADA Conven on. I was fortunate to work for a dealer owner who embraced the idea of more educa on and idea sharing with our peers. Our Dealer Principal, Mr. Tal Anderson, wanted me to be part of this group so I agreed to a end. One of the best decisions of my business career was ge ng involved with the Mopar Masters Guild! What do you remember from your first meeƟng? Listening. Listening to Chuck, Cy Yates and Bart Cooper, the original Founders. Listening to what their vision was for the Guild just blew me away. It did not take long for me to decide that becoming a part of this group would be advantageous to our dealership and myself. I really got excited about the possibili es of becoming a part of the MMG. I also remember our first recep on that evening. Lyne e and I walk into the recep on room, go to the bar (cash only) and strike up a conversa on with Ernie and Janet Wennerstrom, a couple from Rhode Island. We became friends with them for many years. Becoming friends with fellow members for a life me became a great bi-product of being a part of the MMG. What really stands out to you from aƩending all those meeƟngs? Number 1, hands down, was the wealth of knowledge that was demonstrated by those in a endance. Just listening to the other parts managers, about their business models and how they would market to par cular areas or customers amazed me. The “out-of-the-box” discussions were infec ous. As me progressed, we all found it easier to share our ideas and ways of doing business. It grew to the sharing of ideas on employees, pay plans, marke ng strategies, over me issues, hiring and so much more. I ALWAYS took something back from our Annual Mee ngs that I could implement in my dealership that would benefit our business. In what capacity or capaciƟes did you serve in the MMG? I began as a guild member and then was appointed to the Execu ve Commi ee. Then, served on the ADP (now CDK) commi ee and other suppor ng vendor commi ees. I was elected to be the Mopar Masters Guild’s 3rd President and served for 2 years in 1996 and 1997. I was also reelected as the 8th President for the year 2006. I was very involved in all my years as a MMG member and have never regre ed doing so. How long have you been reƟred? It’s been almost 7 years now.

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Continued on Page 11

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Continued from Page 10 What makes a happy reƟree? Having me to be able to do pre y much anything we want to do together. Lyne e worked as an educator and we both worked hard all our lives. We raised our family in Fremont Nebraska. Now that we are both rered, we are enjoying the fruits of our labor. What acƟviƟes do you currently enjoy? A er our re rement, we moved from Nebraska to live here in Kansas City. This was to give us more of an opportunity to be near family. We enjoy a ending our grandkids ac vi es, such as football, dance recitals, and so forth. Also, we enjoy traveling to see family and friends. Many are those who we met through the MMG. Do you have any advice for new members of the MMG? Be ac ve. Get involved and become familiar with all the members. If you are not comfortable speaking during the mee ng, do it a erwards or during a break. Or, in my case, it was usually at the bar a er the mee ngs were over for the day. I would always sit in the mee ngs and listen to certain people speak and think to myself, that is someone I really want to get to know! I always looked for opportuni es to create rela onships, business or personal. There was not a week that would go by that I did not speak to at least one or two Mopar Masters Members. We always had a great line of communica on for sharing and helping. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment in the Auto business? That is a tough ques on. However, one thing I am most proud of is the rela onship I had with my employees. I did not have much change in my core group of parts advisors and oﬃce staﬀ. I always felt a sense of loyalty. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment in life? Being wed to my lovely wife, Lyne e! I certainly know I got the be er end of the bargain. We have been married for 48 years. Raised two children, Ryan, and Ka e, who have grown to have careers that they both enjoy. Ryan and his wife have a son who is 10. Ka e and her husband have two children, Isobel and Eben. Lyne e and I are very proud of them all. How do you relax? – Hobbies? We enjoy watching grandkids with their ac vi es. And exploring the Kansas City area. We will also be heading to Arizona to enjoy warmer weather. And, ge ng a few rounds of golf in with a few past and present MMG members. What message would you put on a billboard right now if you could? I have been blessed with a fantas c wife and wonderful family. Would you care to share any family interests? I found myself in the Air Force sta oned in Nebraska and that is when I met Lynne e. We married a er my discharge from the military and remained in Nebraska. Lyne e worked in elementary educa on as a reading specialist and I started with Baxter Chrysler. We raised our family there and a er re rement moved to Kansas City. We have been here for the past 3 ½ years. I do miss Nebraska and it’s always a joy to get back there to see friends but its even be er being near family watching the li le kiddos grow up. Notes: Gerry served as the MMG’s 3rd President just behind Ernie Wennerstrom (2nd) and First President Chuck Hartle’. Gerry was also the first MMG President to serve 2 Terms. Thanks to Gerry and Lyne e for their par cipa on. We wish you years of future happiness! SubmiƩed by Don Cushing

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

The View From My Oﬃce

With Kat Monteiro

I would like to start oﬀ by wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas from my family to all of you and yours. I hope that however you celebrate the holidays that they are filled with love, joy, and happiness. And that the new year brings prosperity, good luck, and opportuni es. It’s hard to believe we will be bringing in another New Year and that we will be wri ng down 2024! I mean, we are now hi ng numbers that all the Science Fic on stories were wri en about. Numbers that when we were young, we never thought we would actually see! A lot of the technology we have now - like our cell phones who would have ever thought something like that would be a thing - computers, the whole new AI thing, the new car technology, are all things Science Fic on writers wrote about, weird right? But we s ll don’t have flying cars like the Jetsons, but who knows someday it could happen! Remember when the year was turning 2000? How worried everyone was about the computers; will they know how to change to the new year or were they going to crash and burn? And then Prince was singing in 1982 that we were going to party like it was 1999 - because he believed the world would end when the year turned 2000. Well dang, 1999 was 24 years ago now! And with the new year comes our New Year Resolu ons. What is yours this year? This year I am going to try to make one that I can actually accomplish! But the main thing I would like everyone to do is to always be kind and helpful to people you meet out in the world. Bring posi ve energy to your surroundings. The world is full of crazy, unse ling events and there needs to be some peace and calm, even if it is just within our own space. And you can make that happen, it just takes the willingness to try. And please - no poli cal arguments at the dinner table this year! That is a whole diﬀerent can of worms these days! Time sure has a way of flying by. This year seemed to go by par cularly fast. It was a great year for Rick and I. Lots of travel and visi ng friends. An epic trip to Costa Rica with Mopar friends that will always be a highlight in the life me memories department for sure. Re rement is good. Rick is going to con nue to work from home for Jack Powell which is great. It keeps him busy as he wants to be, and his mind stays ac ve and fresh. He really does love the job he is doing now. And he is really good at it, so the store is happy to have him do what he does. And it’s also a great way to stay in touch with all his Mopar friends that are s ll working, because they all s ll talk to each other and ask for advice or opinions - proving the value of being a Mopar Master and having the rela onships, helping each other be the best they can be. And it also gives us the opportunity to a end the NADA mee ngs in the new year, so we will get to see many of you there in Las Vegas. Continued on Page 13

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Continued from Page 12 It will be interes ng to see how the car industry changes in the new year. I believe there has been so much change in this past year with car design, func on, and going electric. Of course, talking about going electric always brings a lot of passion and debate to any conversa on - but it looks like it will be the way of the future. We will be looking forward to an electric car in our future. I am excited about it. No doubt it will be really weird for me a er driving a big Ram 4x4 2500 Diesel truck for so many years!! But it will sure be nice on our fuel bill and driving around town. So, we will see what happens. My heart s ll really wants a Plum Crazy Challenger! This past Thanksgiving was a very memorable one for us. First of all, Terra came home for the week, which truly made this momma happy! We made plans to go to Rick’s brother Jason and his wife Cristy’s house in Peoria, Arizona for Thanksgiving Day, then we decided to make it a weeklong road trip! Our friends Joe and Anne Thomas were camping in their Airstream camper in Benson, Arizona so we decided we would go visit them first for a few days. Now Joe Thomas was Rick’s Chrysler Rep for 30 years! Rick met Joe for the first me back in the day at the old original Kearny Mesa Dodge where he worked prior to Jack Powell. Rick and Joe developed a friendship outside of work. We would camp together and would visit each other’s houses. Well Joe re red from Chrysler back in 2015 and moved from Oceanside to Presco Valley in Arizona and we have remained friends and see each other when we can. Joe and Anne are some of the best people you will ever meet. Just goes to show you again how Mopar brings people together and life me friendships are formed. While we were in Benson, we traveled to an area of Arizona called Sierra Vista. It is a wooded area that has beau ful Fall colors - like a mini-Vermont is what our friend Anne called it. And she wasn’t kidding, it was beau ful! We walked up this trail through the trees that had beau ful color, there were deer and wild turkeys, and a li le bit of wind blowing through the Aspens that was magical. I really cannot wait to do a Fall trip back to Vermont or Maine to see this beauty on a much larger scale. While we were there, we also visited Tombstone and watched the reenactment of the OK Corral - which was fun and saw areas that made this Western town so famous. There was Boot Hill Cemetery, and we also stopped at Fairbank and walked out to where the train would stop, and people would then get on the Stagecoach to catch a ride into Tombstone. It’s always crazy to see these places and imagine how life was back then - pre y sure the people of that me never would have dreamed that someday there would be electric cars taking the place of their horse and buggy! Continued on Page 14

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

Continued from Page 13 Thanksgiving Day was great, spending me with family who we haven’t spent much me with these last few years. It was fun going down memory lane talking about all the Thanksgiving weekends we spent together out in the desert riding our dirt bikes, and the kids growing up together. We were so thankful they invited us out to their house for the holiday. To see our nephews all grown up into handsome men, one married now with a kid of his own on the way. It was a wonderful few days. Times like these spent with family and friends really makes the heart full and brings into perspec ve how fortunate we are in life. Speaking of lucky - as I write this I am literally in the Redwood Forest! We are spending December here at our Coast House in northern California. We have some friends from San Diego visi ng us for a few days and Rick is taking them on a hike through the Montgomery State Park which goes through some of the old growth Redwood trees. It is quite beau ful. I am not a hiker, so I am si ng here in the truck wri ng and relishing in the moment of complete peace, quiet, and beauty. Not sure the view from my oﬃce has been much be er. The end of the year always brings reflec on - and as we spend me here, when I wake up in the morning, grab my coﬀee and sit in front of the window and look out upon the ocean, or we drive around and just marvel at the beauty of this area and the quietness, the calm, I have to thank my grandmother, God bless her soul, for her love of this area and buying this house back in 1968. Because of her I was able to grow up coming to this place and spending much me here, and then being able to bring my family here to share my love of this place. Since re rement Rick and I have been able to spend extended periods of me here, instead of the one week a year we used to squeeze out while we were working, and it has been wonderful. To see that Rick loves this area as much as I do makes my heart sing. So, we always make sure to thank Grandma for this wonderful gi of our li le house by the sea. In closing I would like to remind everyone to take a deep breath and slow down. The holidays always seem to get chao c, and people feel so stressed out. So just breathe, enjoy the season, family, friends, and the beauty of it all. Thanks for another great year,

Kat

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Prioritize Customers with Activator’s Hybid CDP and Journey Builder

Improving Data Quality and Create Tailored Customer Experiences Activator’s turnkey solution is seamlessly integrated with Salesforce giving birth to a hybrid CDP and Multichannel Marketing Journey Builder. With this foundational framework in place, Activator can now incorporate additional data, both 1st party and 3rd party data sources, creating a comprehensive FXVWRPHU SUR¿OH RI HDFK FXVWRPHU 7KLV LQWHUFRQQHFWHG VROXWLRQ IDFLOLWDWHV WKH FUHDWLRQ RI SHUVRQDOL]HG customer journeys that engage with individuals based on their interactions and preferences. Over time, the data collected during these interactions is channeled back into the CDP, creating a picture of the FXVWRPHU¶V SUHIHUHQFHV DQG HQVXULQJ FRQWLQXRXV UH¿QHPHQW DQG SHUVRQDOL]DWLRQ RI PDUNHWLQJ RXWUHDFK Unique Capabilities of Activator’s hybrid CDP and Multichannel Marketing Journey Builder Solution: Customer Data Platform (CDP) and Integrated Solutions: Built with Salesforce, Activator seamlessly connects with the dealership’s DMS and other critical data sources, including Activator’s enhanced data and 1st and 3rd-party data. Hybrid CDP and Multichannel Marketing Journey Builder: %XLOW ZLWK 6DOHVIRUFH $FWLYDWRU¶V IXO¿OOPHQW FDSDELOLW\ DOORZV IRU G\QDPLF PXOWLFKDQQHO FXVWRPHU MRXUQH\V tailored to dealership goals and processes approach, as well as the customer’s individual interactions. Reporting: Guided by marketing experts with extensive automotive experience, Activator provides comprehensive reporting tools.

$FWLYDWRU LV DOVR RSWLPL]LQJ LWV &'3 VROXWLRQ WR LQFOXGH DGGLWLRQDO GDWD VRXUFHV E\ LQWHJUDWLQJ VW party, Spending Power data, 1st-party Website Data, and Digital + Social Advertising Channels. These efforts aim to enhance data quality and offer custom campaigns demonstrating a strong commitment to staying at the forefront of automotive marketing. Multiple dealerships are set to beta test these features, with plans to launch them for NADA Show 2024.

MOPAR MASTERS GUILD Join us at The Palms in Las Vegas, NV on Wednesday, January 31st, from 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm as we present Activator’s Customer Data Platform (CDP) to parts and service managers.

info@activator.ai | www.activator.ai | @GetActivatorPro

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

Our Supporting Vendors: Support those who support you.

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Our Supporting Vendors: Support those who support you The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

The Mopar Masters Guild is Proud to Announce Bowtie Solutions as Newest Tier 2 Supporting Vendor! BowƟe SoluƟons is a Service BDC Solu on for the automo ve industry, created for dealers, by dealers. Our Service BDC allows your team to put the phone down and do what they do best: sell and service in the lane. As an extension of your team, we keep your customers engaged and your service centers full. We do this in three ways: 

Inbound call management by real people with real industry knowledge.



100% customizable proac ve customer outreach tailored to your loca on and customers’ needs



Appointment scheduling directly into your system

Our agents are trained on your business. When they answer the phone, they already have the answers your customers need. Our outreach campaigns can be set in any way you want; however we oﬀer you industry best prac ces that have proven tried and true. For example, we know when recalls are being issued. That means, we can tell you that now is a good me for an outreach campaign. We can tell you exactly how much money is on the table, and we can help you bring it in. We know it works. Bow e Solu ons was born from a perfected product of Team Automo ve Group’s in-house BDC. Because we are dealers, we know how to op mize recall campaigns, the perfect ming for successful outreach campaigns, and the importance of mee ng your customers’ expecta ons. If you want to fill your service schedule, we can help. Let us do it for you. MaƩ Raymond currently serves as the Director of Digital Opera ons of Team Automo ve Group, as well as COO of Bow e Solu ons, an outsourced service BDC solu on he helped launch in May of 2023. Ma has over a decade of experience in automo ve business development, working extensively with CRM and DMS technology, and specialized in automo ve marke ng for dealerships. Ma joined Team Automo ve Group as the Director of Digital Opera ons in 2018 and worked alongside Kris n Dillard to grow the group from one loca on, to a leader in N.C. automo ve sales with seven loca ons across the Carolinas. Continued on Page 19

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Continued from Page 18

In recogni on of their recent growth, Team Automo ve Group appeared on the Inc. 5000 List of America’s fastest-growing companies in 2022, and then again in 2023, when they ranked #11 among the automo ve industry. During his me at Team Automo ve Group, Ma oversaw the development of Team’s in-house automo ve service call center, which played a major role in the recent success and growth the auto group has experienced. Aware of the industry-wide challenges dealerships and independent repair facili es face when it came to managing the business development side of automo ve service centers, Ma and Kris n saw the need for a solu on. This sparked the launch of Bow e Solu ons: an outsourced service BDC solu on for the automo ve industry, created for dealers, by dealers. Industry Recogni on Automo veNews, 40 Under 40 - 2021 Toyota, Sales Manager Excellence Award - 2015 Toyota, Bronze Sales Excellence Award - 2013

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

CHECK IT OUT!

THE MOPAR® POWERTRAIN NETWORK IS GIVING 3 CAN-AM COMMANDERS TO 3 LUCKY IRFS IN 2023!

Purchase any powertrain unit from your local Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram or FIAT® dealership and enter to win! Why BUY Mopar O.E.?

• No-hassle core returns • Mopar offers towing reimbursement of • No ﬂeet or commercial restrictions on warranty up to $75 • Mopar has NO deductible • Mopar pays labor to IRF if approved to • Mopar warranty is paperless and tied to the do the work VIN, so it transfers • Remanufactured to O.E specs, never “rebuilt” offers quick delivery with over 30 • Mopar O.E. units have the latest factory upgrades • Mopar warehouses and drop ship included Contact your local Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, FIAT dealership for details. Enter at https: https://aergiveaway.com/ *Winners will be subject to 1099. Scan the Code to Enter

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

L AST MILE SOFT WARE SOLUTIONS

It’s time to WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER! Imagine streamlining repetitive tasks and letting automation tools do the heavy lifting. With Elite EXTRA’s last mile software solutions you can! TRY OUR DELIVERY NETWORK! Automated third-party requests to keep up with customer demands Millions of Delivery Drivers

ʇ INCREASED DELIVERY SPEED BY UP TO 3,800% ʇ UP TO $120,000 IN ANNUAL SAVINGS

Delivery Automation Third-Party Delivery Provider Price/Time Comparisons Business Rules Setting Central Contracting and Billing

OUR PROVIDERS INCLUDE:

Not all providers are available at every location.

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Join Elite EXTRA at the 32nd Annual MMG Meeting in Las Vegas to learn how you can start using automation in your daily delivery workﬂows.

www.EliteEXTRA.com

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

With Tools That Empower Techs ƊȁƮ ²ɈȲƵƊǿǶǞȁƵ àȌȲǲ˜ȌɩȺ

ÀǘƵ IǞɮƵƮ ȯƵȲƊɈǞȌȁȺ ²ɐǞɈƵ* Part of the CDK Dealership Xperience Experience More at ƧƮǲǐǶȌƦƊǶ‫خ‬ƧȌǿ‫ش‬ƧȌȁȁƵƧɈɩǞɈǘ˛ɮƵƮȌȯȺ

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

MEET THE KIOSKS MADE FOR SERVICE GoMoto service kiosks handle the check-in and check-out process so your service advisors can focus on customer relationships and proﬁt producing tasks. Find the perfect ﬁt for your dealership.

Increase Revenue

Promote Trade-Ins

Boost Customer Satisfaction

Improve Efficiency

OFFERING 3 KIOSKS: Virtual Service Advisor Express Service 365 Kiosk

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

All the tools you need to sell more mechanical parts.

GROWPARTS.RATCHETANDWRENCH.COM/MOPAR ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA THE EXCLUSIVE MEDIA PARTNER OF THE MOPAR MASTERS GUILD

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Short on techs and space? Expand capacity…

Hi Ira! Can you please conﬁrm your phone number and email address? Phone Number (937) 485-9001

Critical Issue REPLACE ENGINE WATER PUMP

Email Address ira_reynolds@reyrey.com How would you like to be contacted about your vehicle status? Email Phone Text

PROCEED

Why is this necessary? A worn or damaged water pump can cause coolant leaks, poor engine cooling, lack of heat, engine overheating, or catastrophic engine damage.

$ 557.77

ADD TO CART

DETAILS

…without extending hours No long check-in lines. No approval phone tag. No carryover.

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

Warranty Reimbursement: A Roadmap to Success We understand that the relationship between the manufacturer and dealership can feel like it’s working against you, and you may be able to get a much fairer Warranty Reimbursement deal with a roadmap to success. In the automotive industry it’s well known that state laws protect dealers from their manufacturer counterparts. Unnamed manufacturers behaved unfavorably in the past, and states showed they noticed by taking action. Out of all these laws, there’s one law you should get familiar with today:

Retail Warranty Reimbursement Dealer agreements can leave you stuck with painstakingly low parts mark-up, and it looks even worse if your warranty labor rate isn’t great. This mark-up typically hovers around 40%, and some manufacturers will instead offer to pay you list or MSRP. But be weary... this “list” claim isn’t all that it seems. Instead, you most likely are being paid a mark-up in the 50-55% range instead of 67%. Therefore, things could get better. Labor Warranty rates are also typically compensated much lower than the stores Customer pay Door Rate. This is why favorable state laws are there to help you. By law in most states, you are entitled to be reimbursed by your manufacturer for warranty work at “retail.” This does not mean list or MSRP. In fact, in most states the law defines “retail” as the dealer’s customer “repair” rate (or what a customer pays you for a warranty repair). That means you could be entitled to a significant increase in warranty gross profit if you take proper precautions and action.

Why This Matters To You Now before we get into specific ways you can get the best possible results, we want to give you a full disclosure that this process takes time and patience - but in the end, it’s entirely worth it. If you’re serious about increasing your warranty gross profit, it’s best practice to consider the following before sending in a submission:

Best Practice #1: Know The Law Based on previous experiences, you can be sure that certain manufacturers will read the law in an entirely different manner than you and try to wiggle out of following the law altogether. The only way you can combat this is by being prepared. We know some

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

manufacturers try to squeeze non-warranty repairs in to hurt your mark-up and others deliberately refuse to follow the law, so it’s crucial you know the statutes in your state.

Best Practice #2: Follow The Manufacturer’s Protocol ‘To A T’ Manufacturers try to shield you from knowing the rules you have to follow before sending in your submission. There are guidelines for the inclusion or exclusion of various aspects that make up the submission, so if you can figure out what they are, we suggest following them. It’s better to follow them ‘to a t’ than to cause red flags right away.

Best Practice #3: Optimize For The Long Run If you don’t invest in quality technology, you may cost yourself a few mark-up points, and that means losing thousands of dollars in warranty gross profit per year. Please take this point seriously and give your submission some serious attention to detail and consideration. You don’t want to look back in five years and think about the extra $20,000 you could’ve had.

Best Practice #4: Get Prepared For Warranty Auditors As soon as you send your submission in, factory auditors pounce on it in hopes of finding errors - and errors delay the process. This is why you should have someone familiar with the way the auditors operate ready to serve as your last line of defense before you send your submission in.

Best Practice #5: Get Ready To Handle Manufacturer Responses As foreshadowed and in many cases, your submission approval process will have its ups and downs. The manufacturer may reject submission altogether or refuse to accept certain parts of it. How you respond is what really matters. In fact, your response will determine whether you enjoy a mighty increase in your warranty gross profit or leave with nothing to show for it. Regardless, you must be prepared to handle rejection because some dealers have sent in up to four re-submissions in two years.

Wrapping This All Up At the end of the day, dealers of all sizes have a massive opportunity to increase their warranty gross profit. Not only are you entitled to receive fair reimbursement for Warranty work, but you can also potentially double the size of your current reimbursement. Tackling the submission-process should not be taken lightly, but if you do attack it judiciously and professionally, you can reap the benefits. By not taking action, you must know you’re causing yourself thousands of dollars per year. QB Business Solutions can only hope that you see the upside and take the necessary steps to execute the submission process accordingly.

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

LEVERAGING OUR SCALE TO HELP YOU SELL MORE COLLISION PARTS

GROWPARTS.FENDERBENDER.COM/MOPAR ENDEAVOR BUSINESS MEDIA THE EXCLUSIVE MEDIA PARTNER OF THE MOPAR MASTERS GUILD

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

ĂƚĞ͗ KĐƚŽďĞƌ ϭϬƚŚ͕ ϮϬϮϯ dŽ͗ ůů ŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ>ŝŶŬ ĞĂůĞƌƐ ^ƵďũĞĐƚ͗ ŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ>ŝŶŬ ĞĂůĞƌƐ ʹ ůůͲEĞǁ WƌŽŐƌĂŵ ĞŶĞĨŝƚ ƚ K ͕ ǁĞ ĂƌĞ ĐŽŶƐƚĂŶƚůǇ ƐƚƌŝǀŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ ƚŚĞ ǀĞƌǇ ďĞƐƚ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚŝĞƐ ĨŽƌ ŽƵƌ ĚĞĂůĞƌƐ͘ tŝƚŚ ƚŚĂƚ ŝŶ ŵŝŶĚ͕ ǁĞ ĂƌĞ ĞǆĐŝƚĞĚ ƚŽ ĂŶŶŽƵŶĐĞ ƚŚĂƚ ǁĞ ŚĂǀĞ ƉĂƌƚŶĞƌĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ &ĞŶĚĞƌ ĞŶĚĞƌ͕ ƚŚĞ ĐŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌǇ͛Ɛ ůĞĂĚŝŶŐ ƉƵďůŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ͕ ƚŽ ĞƐƚĂďůŝƐŚ ĂŶ ĞǆĐůƵƐŝǀĞ͕ ĚŝƐĐŽƵŶƚĞĚ ĂĚǀĞƌƚŝƐŝŶŐ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚǇ͘ dŚŝƐ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ŝƐ ĚĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ƐƉĞĐŝĨŝĐĂůůǇ ƚŽ ŚĞůƉ ŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ>ŝŶŬ ĞĂůĞƌƐ ƌĞĂĐŚ ŵŽƌĞ ďŽĚǇ ƐŚŽƉƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĂŶĚ ƐĞůů ĞǀĞŶ ŵŽƌĞ ǁŚŽůĞƐĂůĞ ƉĂƌƚƐ͘ dŚŝƐ ƐƚƌĞĂŵůŝŶĞĚ͕ ŵƵůƚŝͲĚĞĂůĞƌ͕ ƌĞŐŝŽŶĂů ĂĚǀĞƌƚŝƐŝŶŐ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ͕ ŵĂŬĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚŝŶŐ ǇŽƵƌ ƉĂƌƚƐ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĞĂƐŝĞƌ ĂŶĚ ŵŽƌĞ ĐŽƐƚ ĞĨĨĞĐƚŝǀĞ ƚŚĂŶ ĞǀĞƌ ďĞĨŽƌĞ͊ &ĞŶĚĞƌ ĞŶĚĞƌ ŵĂŐĂǌŝŶĞ ŝƐ ĚŝƐƚƌŝďƵƚĞĚ ƚŽ ŽǀĞƌ ϰϮ͕ϱϬϬ ĐŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ ƌĞƉĂŝƌ ƐŚŽƉƐ͕ ŵĂŬŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŵ ƚŚĞ ηϭ ƌĞĂĚ ŵĂŐĂǌŝŶĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌǇ͊ dŚĞ ƐƵďƐĐƌŝďĞƌ ĂƵĚŝĞŶĐĞ ŝƐ ĐŽŵƉŽƐĞĚ ĞŶƚŝƌĞůǇ ŽĨ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŽǁŶĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ŽƉĞƌĂƚŽƌƐ ǁŚŽ ĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ĐŚŝĞĨ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶͲŵĂŬĞƌƐ ĨŽƌ ƉĂƌƚƐ ƉƵƌĐŚĂƐĞƐ͕ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŝŵĞ ƚĂƌŐĞƚƐ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵƌ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͘ ĞŶĞĨŝƚƐ ŽĨ ƉĂƌƚŝĐŝƉĂƚŝŶŐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ>ŝŶŬ ŵƵůƚŝͲĚĞĂůĞƌ ƌĞŐŝŽŶĂů ĂĚǀĞƌƚŝƐĞŵĞŶƚ͗ x x x x x

,ŝŐŚůŝŐŚƚƐ ǇŽƵƌ ĚĞĂůĞƌƐŚŝƉ ĂƐ Ă ŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ>ŝŶŬ ĚĞĂůĞƌ ʹ zŽƵƌ ĂĚ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐ ǇŽƵƌ ĚĞĂůĞƌ ŶĂŵĞ͕ ĐŝƚǇͬƐƚĂƚĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŽƉƚŝŽŶ ƚŽ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞ ǇŽƵƌ ĚĞĂůĞƌ ůŽŐŽ ZĞĂĐŚ ĞǀĞƌǇ ƐƵďƐĐƌŝďĞĚ ďŽĚǇ ƐŚŽƉ ŝŶ ǇŽƵƌ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ WƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂůůǇ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉĞĚ͕ ĐŽƐƚ ĞĨĨĞĐƚŝǀĞ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵ ^Ğůů ĞǀĞŶ ŵŽƌĞ ƉĂƌƚƐ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ>ŝŶŬ KŶůǇ Ψϲϱ ƉĞƌ ŵŽŶƚŚ ʹ >ŽǁͲĐŽƐƚ ĂĚǀĞƌƚŝƐŝŶŐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚ ƚŚĂƚ ƉƌŽĚƵĐĞƐ ƐƚƌŽŶŐ ZK/ ĨŽƌ ĚĞĂůĞƌƐ

tŚĞŶ ŝƚ ĐŽŵĞƐ ƚŽ ďƌĂŶĚ ĂǁĂƌĞŶĞƐƐ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŽŵŽƚŝŶŐ ǇŽƵƌ ǁŚŽůĞƐĂůĞ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ƚŽ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƉŽƚĞŶƚŝĂů ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌƐ͕ ƚŚĞƌĞ͛Ɛ ŶŽ ďĞƚƚĞƌ ƐƚƌĂƚĞŐǇ ƚŚĂŶ ĚĞůŝǀĞƌŝŶŐ Ă ĐŽŶƐŝƐƚĞŶƚ ŵĞƐƐĂŐĞ ƚŽ ŬĞĞƉ ǇŽƵƌ ƉĂƌƚƐ ĚĞƉĂƌƚŵĞŶƚ ƚŽƉͲŽĨͲŵŝŶĚ ǁŝƚŚ ǇŽƵƌ ƚĂƌŐĞƚ ĂƵĚŝĞŶĐĞ͘ ŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ>ŝŶŬ ĞĂůĞƌƐ ŶŽǁ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŚĞ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚǇ ƚŽ ĞŶƐƵƌĞ ƚŚĞŝƌ ůŽĐĂů ƐŚŽƉƐ ŬŶŽǁ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞǇ ĐĂŶ ŽƌĚĞƌ ƉĂƌƚƐ ĨƌŽŵ ǇŽƵ ĚŝƌĞĐƚůǇ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ>ŝŶŬ͕ ƐĂǀŝŶŐ ǇŽƵ ƚŝŵĞ͕ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐŝŶŐ ǇŽƵƌ ŽƌĚĞƌ ĂĐĐƵƌĂĐǇ͕ ĂŶĚ ƵůƚŝŵĂƚĞůǇ ŚĞůƉŝŶŐ ǇŽƵ ƐĞůů ĞǀĞŶ ŵŽƌĞ ƉĂƌƚƐ͘ /Ĩ ǇŽƵ ĂƌĞ ƌĞĂĚǇ ƚŽ ďĞ Ă ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŽůůŝƐŝŽŶ>ŝŶŬ ŵƵůƚŝͲĚĞĂůĞƌ ĂĚǀĞƌƚŝƐĞŵĞŶƚ͕ ƉůĞĂƐĞ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞ ƚŚĞ ĂƚƚĂĐŚĞĚ ĞŶƌŽůůŵĞŶƚ ĨŽƌŵ ĂŶĚ ĞŵĂŝů ĚŝƌĞĐƚůǇ ƚŽ DĂƚƚ ,ĂƌƉĞƌ͕ ^ĂůĞƐ DĂŶĂŐĞƌ͕ Ăƚ ŵŚĂƌƉĞƌΛĞŶĚĞĂǀŽƌďϮď͘ĐŽŵ Žƌ ĨĂǆ ƚŽ ϲϱϭ͘ϮϮϰ͘ϲϮϭϮ͘ Ύ/Ĩ ǇŽƵƌ ƉƌŝŵĂƌǇ ĨŽĐƵƐ ŝƐ ŐƌŽǁŝŶŐ ǇŽƵƌ ǁŚŽůĞƐĂůĞ ŵĞĐŚĂŶŝĐĂů ƉĂƌƚƐ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͕ &ĞŶĚĞƌ ĞŶĚĞƌ͛Ɛ ƐŝƐƚĞƌ ƉƵďůŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ͕ ZĂƚĐŚĞƚнtƌĞŶĐŚ͕ ŚĂƐ ĂŶ ĞƐƚĂďůŝƐŚĞĚ ƚǁŽͲƉĂŐĞ ƐƉƌĞĂĚ ŵƵůƚŝͲĚĞĂůĞƌ ĂĚ ĨŽƌ ZĞƉĂŝƌ>ŝŶŬ ĚĞĂůĞƌƐ͕ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůǇ ƌƵŶŶŝŶŐ ŝŶ Ăůů ƌĞŐŝŽŶƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƉƵďůŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ͘ WůĞĂƐĞ ƌĞĂĐŚ ŽƵƚ ƚŽ DĂƚƚ ,ĂƌƉĞƌ ĨŽƌ ĂĚĚŝƚŝŽŶĂů ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƚŝŽŶ Žƌ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ ĞŶƌŽůůĞĚ ƚŽĚĂǇ͘

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Be a CollisionLink standout. SM

CollisionLink is great – let shops know you use it. The all-new OE Supplier Directory sets you apart. For your next order, use:

Take Advantage of the Parts Marketing Programs through CollisionLink

Getting started with CollisionLink is as

EASY AS 1 2 3 1

ENROLL AT

CollisionLinkShop.com

One-time setup Register for FREE at CollisionLinkShop.com

2 COLLISIONLINKSHOP.COM AUDI

G M C O N T.

Audi Gwinnett

AUDI GWINNETT

Duluth, GA

FORD Beach Ford Lincoln Myrtle Beach, SC

Gray-Daniels Chevrolet

Denton, TX

Bob Utter Ford Lincoln

3 MERCEDES-BENZ

NISSAN

Grubbs Infiniti

Mercedes-Benzz of Buckhead

Eddie Tourelle’s Northpark Nissan

Atlanta, GA

Covington, LA

Heritage Volkswagen

Mercedes-Benz of Shreveport

Metro Nissan of Dallas

Union City, GA

Famers Branch, TX

Jim Ellis Atlanta Volkswagen

Grapevine, TX

Southwest Infiniti

Selma, TX

Houston, TX

Hendrick Chevrolet Hoover

Vaden Powertrain Center

Hoover, AL

Savannah, GA

Shreveport, LA

Garland, TX

JAGUAR

M O PA R

Lawrence Hall Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC

Jaguar Southwest Houston

Allen Samuels Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Fiat Waco, TX

Nimnicht Buick GMC

George Coleman Ford Travelers Rest, SC

Jacksonville, FL

Greenway Ford

Vaden Powertrain Center

Orlando, FL

Savannah, GA

Gus Machado Ford d Hialeah Hiale

Vanguard Buick GMC of Carrollton

Hialeah, FL

Carrollton, TX

Lakeland Ford Lakeland, FL

VO L K SWAG E N Harper Volkswagen Knoxville, TN

Atlanta, GA

Performance Nissan

Houston, TX

Abilene, TX

Sherman, TX

Order OEM parts from one of the trusted dealers below

I N F I N I T I C O N T.

Jackson, MS

Gunn Chevrolet

Jupiter Chevrolet

Bill Utter Ford

Export estimates to CollisionLink

KIA

Dallas Dodge Chryslerr Jeep Ram

Bob Utter Kia

Dallas, TX

Sherman, TX

Greenway Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Fiat & Alfa Romeo

City Kia of Orlando Orlando, FL

Orlando, FL

Low Country Volkswagen

Pompano Beach, FL

Mount Pleasant, SC

SouthWest Nissan

Onion Creek Volkswagen

Hudson Oaks, TX

Austin, TX

Vaden Powertrain Center Savannah, GA

Patterson Volkswagen Tyler

Wolfchase Nissan

Tyler, TX

Bartlett, TN

Prestige Volkswagen Melbourne, FL

SUBARU

Southpoint Volkswagen gen

Ferguson Subaru

Ferguson Kia

Huffines Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Plano Plano, TX

Five Star Subaru

Kelly Grimsley Kia

Jerry Ulm Dodge Chrysler Jeep

Grapevine, TX

Baton Rouge, LA

Broken Arrow, OK

Stokes Volkswagen

Long-Lewis Ford Lincoln

HONDA

Broken Arrow, OK

Hoover, AL

Gwinnett Place Honda

Tampa, FL

Tallahassee Ford

Duluth, GA

Odessa, TX

Rick Case Kia

Mac Haik Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Temple

Houston, TX

Duluth, GA

Temple, TX

Subaru of Gainesville

LAND ROVER

Murray Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

Gainesville, FL

Wesley Chapel, FL

Starke, FL

Troncalli Subaru

V O LV O

Tallahassee, FL

Vic Bailey Honda Spartanburg, SC

Wolfchase Honda Bartlett, TN

AutoNation Chevrolet North Richland Hills, TX

Carl Black Chevrolet Buick GMC

HYUNDAI

Orlando, FL

Key Hyundai

Cavender Auto Country Chevrolet Buick GMC

Jacksonville, FL

Land Rover Southwest Houston

South Pointe Chryslerr Jeep Dodge

MAZDA

Tulsa, OK

Lakeland Hyundai

Beach Mazda

Charles Clark Chevrolet

Lakeland, FL

Myrtle Beach, SC

McAllen, TX

Lee Hyundai

Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet

Fayetteville, NC

Stevenson-Hendrick Mazda Wilmington

INFINITI

Tallahassee, FL

Spartanburg Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Spartanburg, SC

Stateline Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Wilmington, NC

Vic Bailey Volkwagen Spartanburg, SC

Volkswagen of Wesley Chapel

Cumming, GA

Houston, TX

Weimar, TX

North Charleston, SC

Subaru of Clear Lake

Fort Mill, SC

Edwards Chevrolet

Daytona Infiniti

Troncalli Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

Birmingham, AL

Daytona Beach, FL

Cumming, GA

Beach Volvo

T O Y O TA

Myrtle Beach, SC

Scottsboro, AL

Grubbs Volvo Cars Grapevine

Toyota of North Miami

Volvo Cars Southwest Houston

High Country Toyota

Grapevine, TX Miami, FL

Houston, TX

Toyota of Orlando Orlando, FL

• Impactful bargain. Big reach, little investment.

• Always fresh. Updated often.

• OEM only. Promotes CollisionLink dealers exclusively.

• Act fast. Boost your online parts sales.

3 Easy Steps to Get Started 1

Check the box

[normally $150/month] D I S C O U N T E D R AT E

$65/month 12 months

Make it Ultra for only $10 more per month! Add your dealer logo & we’ll highlight your listing

Sign to standout Dealer name Authorized signature

Date

Printed name

Title

Email address By signing this agreement, you agree to the terms and conditions found at endeavorbusinessmedia.com/regional-tac

Send it back Fax to 651.224.6212 or email info@growparts.fenderbender.com )HQGHU%HQGHU $OO ULJKWV UHVHUYHG &ROOLVLRQ/LQN DQG WKH &ROOLVLRQ/LQN ORJR DUH WKH UHJLVWHUHG WUDGHPDUNV RI 2(&RQQHFWLRQ )HQGHU%HQGHU LV LQGHSHQGHQWO\ RZQHG DQG PDQDJHG DQG KDV QR DIÀOLDWLRQ ZLWK OEConnection. FenderBender is not associated with, endorsed, sponsored or licensed by OEConnection.

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

Why the Ramcharger was developed with a series hybrid powertrain Stellan s engineers were convinced that a series hybrid powertrain would enable a Ram truck to deliver towing and hauling capability and driving range. Stellan s will make a bit of history with the 2025 gasolineelectric Ram 1500 Ramcharger, the first series hybrid pickup marketed to consumers. In a series hybrid, the gasoline engine has no mechanical connec on to the wheels. Instead, the Ramcharger’s engine has just one purpose: To spin a generator that makes electricity that flows to the ba ery pack and to the front and rear electric trac on motors that drive the truck. The Ramcharger solves at least three major problems that have emerged at the start of the electric vehicle era: •

It eliminates range anxiety. Ramcharger’s 27-gallon fuel tank and 92-kWh ba ery pack deliver an es mated 690-mile range. Refills of the fuel tank take just minutes.

•

It neutralizes owners’ concerns about the unreliable public charging network or the lack of chargers in rural areas.

•

It makes charging mes irrelevant. Although the Ramcharger can be plugged in to bring the ba ery pack level up to deliver 141 miles before the gasoline engine kicks in, it is op onal.

Ba ery-electric trucks from Rivian, Tesla, Ford and GM can’t match those traits. But the Ramcharger’s gasoline engine could be a nonstarter for consumers and businesses looking to go all-electric. Also, as with any vehicle with an internal combus on engine, the Ramcharger will produce carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and other greenhouse gases. It will also need the same maintenance as a combus on-powered truck, such as oil changes and tuneups. Continued on Page 37

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Continued from Page 36 Anatomy of a powertrain The 2025 Ram Ramcharger is the industry’s 1st series hybrid pickup. The 3.6-liter V-6 engine spins a generator that creates electricity to charge the 92-kWh ba ery pack and to power the front and rear electric trac on motors. There is no mechanical path from the engine to the wheels. This is the same powertrain layout used in diesel-electric locomo ves.

1. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 powers a 130-kW generator that charges the 92-kWh ba ery pack. The generator also provides electricity to the drive motors. The V-6 has no mechanical connec on to the wheels. 2. Underneath the V-6 engine is the front electric drive axle, which can be decoupled to improve eﬃciency under certain condi ons. 3. The generator and power electronics are behind the engine where the transmission would normally be installed. The generator charges the ba ery, so the Ramcharger can avoid public charging sta ons. The driver can preserve ba ery power and use the generator to send electricity directly to the drive axles. 4. A 92-kWh liquid-cooled ba ery pack with parallel mounted pouch cells is between the frame rails. This configura on and the absence of a transmission allow the Ramcharger to have a flat floor. 5. The 27-gallon fuel tank enables the truck to travel an es mated 690 miles. 6. The rear electric drive axle resides behind the fuel tank. Ramcharger can tow as much as 14,000 pounds. It uses a coil spring rear suspension layout for a smooth ride. Continued on Page 38

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

Continued from Page 37 EV trucks evaluated A er tes ng compe tors’ electric pickups, Stellan s engineers were convinced that a series hybrid powertrain would enable a Ram truck to deliver the towing and hauling capability and the driving range that many buyers expect in a pickup, regardless of powertrain. Joe Tolkacz, Ramcharger propulsion system chief engineer, describes one of the tests: “We took one of our compe tor’s trucks and loaded it up to their towing rate. Then we took it [from Stellan s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., just north of Detroit] to Flint and back [about 76 miles] and we didn’t make it. We had to stop and charge. We said we really need to do something to extend the capability.” It wasn’t a big leap, Tolkacz said, to create the series hybrid powertrain using many of the same components from the Ram 1500 REV electric pickup coming next year. “We saw a lot of advantages. It was very ed to the use model for pickups. We think our customers are looking for a no-compromise truck. They like the idea of electric, and so this fit really well with that,” Tolkacz told Automo ve News. But the choice of a series hybrid powertrain is an unusual one. Series hybrids with internal combus on engines spinning generators are common in diesel-electric locomo ves but have rarely been used in automobiles. With pickups, automakers have used a variety of parallel hybrids, either mild or full, whose electric motors boost the gasoline engine. Greg Davis, director of the Advanced Engine Research Laboratory and a professor of mechanical engineering, at Flint’s Ke ering University — one of the na on’s largest automo ve engineering schools — cites two reasons automakers have not installed a series hybrid in trucks: efficiency and cost. “The downside is all the power from the engine has to go to generate electrons. It can’t be used to spin the wheels directly,” Davis said. “And so, efficiency can take a li le bit of a hit, especially at steady-state opera on on the highway. Because if you have run down the ba ery pack, you are really just running the vehicle off the engine, conver ng all that mechanical power into electrical power and then conver ng back to mechanical power at the wheels. So, that’s a bit of a problem,” he added. As for costs, because the Ramcharger relies on two powerful electric motors in the axles and a big ba ery pack, those components are far more expensive than what is needed for a parallel hybrid, Davis said. “It was actually cheaper to do a parallel drive hybrid, par cularly if you are doing a mild hybrid, where you are relying on the engine to provide mechanical power and only using the electric system to provide peak power. You can make the ba ery pack and the electric motor pre y small, so in many instances it’s a cheaper way to build the car, though it is more complicated to design.” Engineering challenges Tolkacz said his engineering team knew it had to make the Ramcharger drive like a regular truck — no easy feat when the engine’s power doesn’t flow through a transmission to the wheels. Continued on Page 39

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Leaders in the Sale of Quality Mopar Parts

Continued from Page 38 “One of the cri cisms of hybrids is that you’ll see engine speed flares and things like that,” Tolkacz said. “We developed a strategy so that when the driver ps in on the [accelerator] pedal, the engine opera on is intuive. You’ll see very typical opera on. We have to balance that with efficiency, so it won’t be exactly like a diesel or a conven onal gasoline engine, but it will be intui ve.” Davis, who has built series hybrid powertrains, is intrigued by the Ramcharger. He said a pickup is a good applica on for the powertrain. The torque from the electric motors will make the Ramcharger’s accelera on feel a lot like that of high-performance electric car. “It’s going to have a lot of torque off the line and then the engine can catch up,” Davis said. “You probably won’t feel the engine speeding up quite as fast because they can draw, for a limited amount of me, all the power they need right out of the ba ery pack. I think what you are going to find is that people will say, ‘Wow, this feels great,’ like the first me you get in a Tesla.” Tolkacz describes the Ramcharger’s demeanor as extremely quiet and extremely quick. “Even when the engine kicks in, it’s really quiet,” he said. The 0-to-60 mph me, Stellan s said, is 4.4 seconds. Stephanie Brinley, associate director of Auto Intelligence for S&P Global Mobility, believes Stellan s’ two-truck solu on of the full-electric Ram pickup, the Ram 1500 REV and the Ramcharger, is a good strategy as buyers consider all the factors in making the move away from tradi onal gasoline and diesel pickup powertrains. “Ramcharger has terrific poten al to be an elegant and effec ve solu on alongside the REV,” Brinley said in an e-mail. “Ramcharger has the poten al to serve a wider range of use cases than the EV truck, and mee ng a vast range of use cases is fundamental for full-size pickup trucks.” Davis, looking at the published specs for the truck, said he believes Ramcharger could deliver eye-popping city fuel economy. Doing a quick back-of-the-napkin calcula on, Davis said Ramcharger might get around 20.4 mpg at steady speeds on the highway. That may not sound impressive when light-duty diesel trucks from General Motors and Ram have already crossed the 30-mpg highway threshold. But the Ramcharger, with its bidirec onal charging, can power a house, recharge another EV and drive in areas where the charging network is not well established. S ll, even with those a ributes, Stellan s might have a challenge in marke ng the Ramcharger. “Pricing isn’t known yet, and that could limit accessibility in the first years,” Brinley said. “As with other new, electrified solu ons, there is also room for skep cism. Ram will have to prove the solu on out. The level of consumer educa on needed is high as well.” Source: www.autonews.com ArƟcle by Richard TrueƩ

The exchange of information by like sized dealers in a non-competitive environment.

November - December 2023

2023 2 0 23 M Mo opar p ar M Master ast er s G Gui ui ld O ffi cer c e r s & Com Co mmittees m i t t ees Oﬃcers:

President - Joe McBeth - Dallas DCJ – Dallas, TX V. Pres - Cody Eckhardt - Ken Garﬀ CDJRF - W. Valley City UT Secretary – Jim Jaeger – Bosak Motors – Merrillville, IN Treasurer – Chris Hojnacki – Milosch’s CDJR – Lake Orion, MI Executive Committee - All Oﬃcers Including: Dan Hutton - Tom O’Brien DCJR - Greenwood, IN Alan Yancey - Hayes CDJ - Alto, GA Rick Cutaia - Rick Hendrick DCJR – Charleston, SC Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN Susan McDaniel – Bill Luke CJD – Phoenix, AZ

Guild Committees Nada 2022 Planning Jill Vance - Apogee Event Agency Don Cushing - MMG Magazine

Finance Committee

OEConnection Dan Hutton - Tom O’Brien CJD – Greenwood, IN (Chair) Joe McBeth - Dallas DCJ – Dallas, TX Jim Jaeger - Bosak Motors - Merrillville, IN Chris Hojnacki - Milosch’s CDJR – Lake Orion, MI *Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN

Snap On Business Solutions Cody Eckhardt - Ken Garﬀ CDJRF - W. Valley City UT (Chair) Randy Rogers - Huﬃnes CJDR - Plano, TX *Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN

AER Manufacturing Robert Chatwin - Larry Miller DCJR - Sandy, UT (Chair) John Waltereit - Milosch’s Palace CDJR - Lake Orion, MI Ted Hawkins - Cerritos Dodge - Cerritos. CA Chris Hojnacki - Milosch’s CDJR – Lake Orion, MI *Josh Gouldsmith - Gladstone CDJR - Gladstone, MO *Joe Handzik - Bettenhausen Auto - Tinley Park, IL

Chris Hojnacki - Milosch’s CDJR – Lake Orion, MI Susan McDaniel - Bill Luke CJD – Phoenix, AZ Don Cushing – MMG Magazine

Vendor Chairs

Newsletter/Website/Social Media

Susan McDaniel - Bill Luke CJD – Phoenix, AZ Cody Eckhardt - Ken Garﬀ CDJRF - W. Valley City UT

Don Cushing – MMG Magazine

Vendor Committees

*Alternate

Reynolds & Reynolds Rick Cutaia - Rick Hendrick DCJR – Charleston, SC (Co-Chair) Susan McDaniel – Bill Luke CJD – Phoenix, AZ (Co-Chair) Joe Handzik - Bettenhausen Auto - Tinley Park, IL Randy Rogers - Huﬃnes CJDR - Plano, TX Kent Cogswell - Jack Phelan CDJR - Countryside, IL *David Kiser - Spartanburg CDJR - Spartanburg, SC *Chris Hojnacki - Milosch’s CDJR – Lake Orion, MI

CDK Global Joe McBeth - Dallas DCJ – Dallas, TX (Chair) Ian Grohs – Stateline CDJR – Fort Mill, SC Mick Padgeon - Fred Beans Parts - Doylestown, PA Robert Chatwin - Larry Miller DCJR - Sandy, UT Dan Hutton - Tom O’Brien DCJR - Greenwood, IN *Steve Hofer – Park Chrysler Jeep – Burnsville, MN *Jim Jaeger - Bosak Auto Group - Merrillville, IN

Mopar Masters Guild Magazine

Since 1992 The exchange of information by like-size dealers in a non-competitive environment