That may not be entirely fair — but here is what is true: most Fixed Operations Managers have a genuine depth of knowledge about the service department and barely skim the surface when it comes to parts. Acknowledging that gap honestly is not a criticism. It is the first step toward actually closing it. Part […]

In Part One we established something that is uncomfortable but true: most underperforming parts departments are not being held back by a lack of knowledge or a lack of tools. They are being held back by a culture that has quietly accepted underperformance as normal. Changing that is harder than installing a new DMS and […]

Ask most dealer principals or fixed operations directors what is holding their parts department back and you will hear the same answers. The DMS is outdated. The manager needs more training. The stocking guide needs to be rebuilt. The pricing matrix hasn’t been touched in years. These are real problems, and they deserve real attention. […]

Artificial intelligence is no longer a concept reserved for tech companies and science fiction. It is showing up in dealership parts departments right now, and the managers who understand what it can do — and begin embracing it — will have a meaningful operational advantage over those who wait on the sidelines. At its most […]

For many parts managers, the annual physical inventory produces a moment of genuine anxiety — not the count itself, but the reconciliation that follows. When the final inventory value lands significantly above or below the general ledger balance, the questions start flying: Where did the difference come from? Who is responsible? And how do we […]

When acquiring a new car dealership, buyers and sellers alike spend enormous energy negotiating real estate values, blue sky, customer pay metrics, and F&I performance. Attorneys review every line of the purchase agreement. Accountants scrutinize the financials. And yet, one of the most financially consequential elements of the entire transaction is frequently handed off with […]

Wholesale parts sales can look very attractive on paper. Volume goes up, your parts counters stay busy, and your inventory turns faster. But wholesale is not the right move for every dealership parts department, and jumping in without an honest assessment of your resources, your market, and your margins can leave you worse off than […]

If it feels like backordered parts have become a permanent fixture of dealership life, that is because they have. Supply chain disruption — driven by semiconductor shortages, geopolitical instability, tariff uncertainty, and raw material constraints — has been the number one challenge facing automotive parts departments year after year since 2022. The situation has improved […]

In today’s competitive dealership services landscape, it seems like every consulting firm, every coaching company, and every fixed operations vendor has added physical inventory to their list of offerings. It sits right there on their website alongside warranty rate reimbursement consulting, parts department coaching, management training, and half a dozen other services. Physical inventory is […]

One of the most underutilized tools in a dealership parts department is also one of the most valuable: the manufacturer’s parts return program. Every major automotive OEM provides franchised dealers with some mechanism to return slow-moving or obsolete parts for credit. But the details — how much you can return, how often, which parts qualify, […]