Carvana’s Value Tracker, Titan Tumbles, Crowdfunded Retirement

Shoot us a Text.

Welcome to Wednesday as we talk about a very practical consumer communication tool that was released by Carvana. We also cover the end of the Nissan Titan as well as one loyal worker being given a well-deserved crowd funded retirement gift. 

We could talk about how UAW President Shawn Fain called Stellantis’ contract proposal ‘trash’ or how Honda’s quarterly profits are up 78% year over year, but given you already know that, we’re going to keep moving into some more practical stories this Wednesday

• Carvana has introduced a new tool, Carvana Value Tracker, allowing consumers to obtain and monitor their vehicle's valuation based on changing market conditions.
  • The tool uses Carvana's proprietary technology and data from nearly 20 third-party sources to provide real-time vehicle worth.
  • Andrew Dickerson, Carvana’s director of engineering and special projects, emphasized the tool's aim to demystify car selling by providing actionable insights into a vehicle's value.
  • “The car in a customer’s driveway is likely one of the largest assets in their portfolio, and yet most have no idea at any given moment what that asset is worth. With Carvana Value Tracker, we are demystifying car selling by offering insight into a customer’s car’s value at any point in time, in a way that is actionable should they choose to sell.”
  • The tool will soon feature biweekly updates and aims to provide more specific insights tailored to individual vehicles.
    
    
• The Titan has fallen as Nissan announces the discontinuation of its full-size pickup after 2024. Unable to rival giants like the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado, the Titan's sales never met expectations. 
  • The Titan, launched in 2003, never achieved its sales target of 100,000-200,000 units per year, with its highest sales reaching 87,000 and dropping to just 15,063 units in 2022.
  • The Canton, MS plant, where the Titan is manufactured, will be retooled for electrified vehicles, with no expected job losses.
  • Nissan had previously attempted a deal with then-Ram owner FCA to make the Titan a rebadged Ram 1500, but the deal fell through.
  • While the Titan struggled, Nissan's midsize Frontier truck performed better, with sales of 76,000 in 2022, indicating a stronger position in the midsize pickup segment.
    
    
• After going viral on TikTok last year for receiving a goodie bag of some candy and just one movie ticket as a reward for never missing a day of work in 27 years, Burger King employee Kevin Ford was given a whopper of a retirement gift from supporters nationwide who banded together to raise $400k for his retirement.
  • The fund was started by one of Ford’s two daughters whom he raised as a single dad
  • Even actor David Spade got in on the action, donating $5000 toward the fund and leaving an encouraging me

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/

JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/