This One Stat Explains Why Customers Still Hate Buying Cars with David Thomas
- Author
- More Than Cars Media Network
- Published
- Thu 28 Aug 2025
- Episode Link
- None
What if the real reason car buyers feel frustrated has nothing to do with price?
David Thomas has spent decades shaping how consumers understand and experience buying a car—from the early days of Autoblog to his current role unpacking research at CDK Global. In this episode, David joins Michael and Paul to talk about the hidden frictions of automotive retail and the disconnects that most dealers don’t even know they have.
He also breaks down why Gen Z wants more in-person experiences, not fewer, and what sports talk radio taught him about content that actually matters. With a sneak peek at CDK’s latest workforce study and a fresh take on how EV adoption is misunderstood, David brings insight without the ego.
Takeaways:
00:00 – The Case of the Missing Co-Host
01:45 – The Craigslist Ad That Launched an Auto Empire
03:29 – Why EV Riders Get Hooked Instantly
04:43 – How to Turn Boring Data Into Dealer Gold
06:27 – What Pearl Jam and Sports Burnout Taught Me About Content
10:56 – Dealers and Employees Are Not Worried About the Same Things
14:38 – Gen Z Doesn’t Want Less Human Interaction—They Want More
15:14 – EV Demand Is Real—Stop Pretending It’s Not
17:08 – Ford’s $22K EV Loss Might Be the Best News Yet
20:06 – Inventory Isn’t Just About Volume—It’s About Trust
24:13 – Millennials Are Shopping Online—But Still Want to Test Drive
Learn more about:
Connect with David Thomas at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davelikescars/
Learn more about CDK Global at https://www.cdkglobal.com
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