Service Satisfaction Strong, EPA Rolling Back Emissions Rules, Mr. Beast Chocolate Profitability

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We’re only 10 episodes away from episode 1000 of this podcast, and today, we’re covering the JD Power 2025 US Customer Service Index Study. Plus, we’re looking at how the Trump administration is pushing back on emissions and fuel economy standards, and how Mr. Beast is profiting from something you might not expect.

Show Notes with links:

• For the second straight year, dealership service departments have earned strong customer satisfaction ratings, according to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Customer Service Index Study. 
  • The study, conducted on owners of 1- to 3-year-old vehicles, ranked brands on a 1,000-point scale across five categories: service quality, service advisor, vehicle pickup, service facility, and service initiation.
  • Luxury segment leaders: Porsche (912), Lexus (900), and Cadillac (888). Mass-market leaders: Subaru (896), Mini (888), and Honda (881).
  • A generational trust gap emerged, with Baby Boomers scoring trust in service providers at 6.24 on a 7-point scale, while Gen Z rated it at just 5.77.
  • 12% of issues were not fixed correctly on the first visit— and only half of those customers returned to the same dealership, while 5% went to aftermarket service providers.
  • EV service satisfaction lagged behind ICE vehicles, attributed to technician training gaps and inconsistent communication.
  • Satisfaction rose when recall services were bundled with maintenance, jumping from 829 to 858 points when paired with an oil change.

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking steps to reverse the Biden administration’s ambitious vehicle emissions rules, which would have forced automakers to ramp up electric vehicle production.
  • The EPA is reconsidering its 2024 emissions rules, which aimed to cut passenger vehicle tailpipe emissions by 50% by 2032—a regulation that had Ford’s support.
  • At the same time, the agency is reviewing a 2022 rule that reduced smog- and soot-forming emissions from heavy-duty trucks, citing concerns that it makes trucks more expensive.
  • California’s plan to ban new gasoline-only vehicle sales by 2035 was sent to Congress for review, but the GAO ruled it cannot be repealed.

• MrBeast may be the most-subscribed YouTuber in the world, but his biggest business isn’t content—it’s chocolate. His snack brand Feastables made $251 million in sales and $20 million in profit last year, while his main media ventures lost nearly $80 million.
  • MrBeast’s high-budget videos—costing up to $4 million each—are hard to recoup with just YouTube revenue.
  • His commerce division, led by Feastables, is now the most profitable part of Beast Industries and is projected to triple in size by 2026.
  • The company has raised over $450 million in funding and is seeking another $200 million, pushing its valuation p

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.

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