Get your automotive data ad-free: become a premium member today!

The “Death” Of The Traditional Dealership

Car dealership from the air
Image via Pexels
Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player...

In the 21st century landscape of the automotive industry, one of the most interesting and industry-defining topics among manufacturers and consumers alike is the potential “death” of the traditional car dealership. As we move into 2025 in a few weeks, one thing is becoming more and more apparent, with the signs almost literally written on the wall: The traditional model of car buying that has been in place for nearly a century is undergoing a significant transformation. It is not unfair to say that it may even be threatened with extinction. The questions are, however, what has driven this change, and are there any adaptations that the industry is making to keep selling their vehicles?

The Catalysts for Change

While there is no one single reason that the automotive buying process is undergoing significant metamorphosis, there are several catalysts that have driven things forward faster than many expected. These are:

No Membership? You’re missing out

Get immediate ad-free access to all our premium content.

Daily Tracker
Oil Crisis Monitor
Updated: Oct 20, 2026 — 4:25 AM MT
Strait of Hormuz
233
Days
Day 233 — Houthi strike kills 53+ at a Shabwa camp (Yemeni officials). The strait remains closed.
Day 233: Yemeni officials say a Houthi missile strike on a Shabwa training camp killed at least 53 soldiers; Riyadh reports a missile intercepted.
Brent Crude
+49.8% since closure
$109.55
/bbl
Today: −$0.31 (−0.3%)
U.S. Gas Avg
+42.6% since closure
$4.28
/gal
Today: −$0.02
WTI Crude
+50.2% since closure
$103.66
/bbl
Today: +$2.25 (+2.2%)
Next
IMF PortWatch weekly Hormuz chokepoint update
Today
Oct 20
USMCA Tariffs
25% IEEPA + 232 duties
IN EFFECT
202
Day
2026 SAAR Forecast
16.1–16.8M
▼ 16.8M
prev. forecast
View Full Tracker →
Public agencies & commodity exchanges