What happens when "being nimble" stops meaning clever marketing tweaks—and starts meaning leadership, discipline, and brutal honesty about what's actually changing week to week?

In this episode of In Search Of, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings sit down with Andrew Ruck, GM of LaFontaine Automotive Group, for a real-world look at what it took to win in 2025—and what it'll take to build even bigger in 2026 and 2027. Andrew breaks down why his team chose to hit the accelerator when others tightened up, how over-communication with customers turned uncertainty (tariffs, inventory swings, EV whiplash) into opportunity, and why vendor relationships succeed or fail based on one critical factor: the person on the other end of the phone.It's a candid conversation about "bridging islands" inside the dealership, building a vendor bench that matches your operating personality, avoiding the trap of 30-day decision-making, and staying ruthlessly aggressive about learning—because in today's market, the dealer who stops learning gets left behind.

Why Watch
• Win through volatility — why 2025 felt like "a new problem every quarter," and how LaFontaine stayed profitable by adapting faster
• Get aggressive when it's tough — how "bulking up" inventory and leaning in (without fear-mongering) created real momentum
• Choose vendors by people, not pitches — why the account rep often matters more than the logo on the contract
• Stop reporting the news — what dealership leaders actually need from vendor meetings (and how to tell when engagement is dying)
• Bridge the islands — how parts, service, sales, and body shop interconnect—and why communication is the multiplier
• Avoid the 30-day trap — balancing today's urgent goals with the long-term moves that protect brand and market share
• Crawl, walk, run — how 2026 sets up 2027, and why disciplined planning beats constant "panic switching"
• NADA survival guide — how to shop smart, avoid shiny AI wrappers, and not leave with a cart full of stuff you don't need

If you're a GM, Dealer Principal, or operator trying to scale in a market that refuses to sit still—this one's for you.

• Cut through AI hype: learn why there's no "flip-the-switch" product for AI Overviews/LLMs—and what actually increases your odds of being cited
• Separate paid from organic: understand why "paid AI placement" isn't SEO, and how vendors blur lines to sell "new" solutions
• Get schema and fundamentals right: hear why "2013 SEO" best practices still matter—and how to sanity-check what's really implemented
• Own your data or stay blind: why dealers who don't control their analytics are forced to trust dashboards instead of truth
• Avoid panic changes in Q4: how market headwinds can make great marketing look "flat," and why changing too many variables at once breaks diagnosis
• Break out of OEM handcuffs: what's driving the surge in dealers exploring off-program solutions, dual-site strategies, and co-op tradeoffs
• Build real accountability: why leadership can't be the expert in everything—and the case for a trusted, objective partner who protects the store first

• Understand why dealers are finally moving past theoretical "innovation theater" and into real implementation
• See how leading groups are integrating platforms vertically across the dealership for actual decision-making
• Learn how CXO-level insights are elevating conversations at MRC and DMSC
• Get clarity on how education, not tools, is driving the biggest shifts in automotive
• Hear Zach's breakdown of AI myths, dealership misconceptions, and the real behavior patterns behind LLM vs Google search
• Discover why chasing "step 47" tech is derailing fundamentals like CTAs, processes, and actual customer experience
• Walk away with a clear understanding of what deserves dealer attention in 2025 — and what doesn't

Can Atlas Really Change the Car-Buying Journey?

In this episode of In Search of Insights, Dan Barker and Wikimotive Co-Founder Zach Billings unpack the hype surrounding OpenAI's newly released Atlas - and what (if anything) it means for automotive dealers right now. Is Atlas the beginning of a fundamental shift in how shoppers discover, research, and buy vehicles? Or is it just another AI headline with no real-world impact… yet? Dan and Zach dive deep into LLM adoption, schema problems across dealership websites, consumer behavior inside LLMs vs Google search, and the realities behind OEM claims about AI.

Why Watch

• Understand the real status of Atlas - beyond the headlines
• Learn why LLM-powered shopping journeys still break down at the transaction stage
• See how schema failures across ALL major automotive website platforms impact LLM accuracy
• Get clarity on why Google's AI Overviews aren't the threat many OEMs are claiming
• Hear early insights from upcoming MRC research on LLM vs Google traffic, conversions, and behavior
• Walk away with a grounded understanding of what's real, what's hype, and what actually matters heading into 2025

In This Episode

00:00 – Intro: Welcome to In Search of Insights

00:40 – First impressions of Atlas: breakthrough or nothing-burger?

03:05 – Why big AI announcements rarely change anything immediately

05:10 – Adoption barriers: devices, OS limitations, and early access friction

07:45 – Schema 101: what it is and why dealers should care

10:15 – The wetsuit test: when LLMs misread product data

12:25 – Automotive inventory problems: transient data and broken LLM links

14:50 – The real consumer path: LLM for research, Google for transaction

17:20 – How shoppers refine choices inside an LLM (truck research example)

20:10 – Why 90–99% of consumers still return to Google to complete the journey

22:40 – Early study preview: LLM traffic vs Google vs Bing across 150 dealerships

24:50 – OEM messaging vs reality: the truth about Google AIO usage

27:00 – Trust factors: why consumers prefer organic results over AI answers

28:35 – The rush to "newer = better" and the consequences for automotive

30:10 – Closing thoughts & preview of MRC discussion

31:17 – Episode wrap-up

About In Search of Insights

A monthly, no-fluff snapshot of the automotive marketing landscape - designed for dealership stakeholders, management, and marketers who want clarity, not hype.

Subscribe to get data-driven insights and candid conversations delivered straight to your feed.

• Learn why dealer websites have become overloaded - and how extra GTM containers, scripts, and legacy tools quietly destroy performance
• Understand ASC compliance: which vendors support it, which don't, and how the lack of standards breaks measurement, CDPs, and OEM reporting
• See why most CTA stacks fail (and which CTAs actually convert on SRP + VDP)
• Hear why 20 Groups often become echo chambers - and what true education and innovation should look like
• Get a candid breakdown of AI in retail: what's real today, what's smoke, and how many AI tools a dealership can realistically manage
• Learn the mindset shift every GM and marketing leader needs to make to survive data-driven retail

• Understand what PMax really is — and why Google's "Happy Meal" approach is costing dealers money
• Learn how to identify bot traffic and fake conversions in GA4
• See what triggers actually reveal shopping behavior vs. vanity clicks
• Get the facts on AI-driven traffic and how much impact ChatGPT and Gemini really have
• Hear practical advice for holding vendors accountable and cutting wasted ad spend

• Understand where AI tools actually fit into dealership marketing workflows
• Learn why AI content can't simply replace human SEO strategy
• See how Google's AI Overviews are impacting blog traffic and search behavior
• Get a preview of real data from ongoing studies into LLM behavior, content performance, and consumer search habits
• Walk away with clarity on what matters heading into Q4 — not just hype

• How a lean two-person marketing team drives outsized results
• Why dealership customer experience is a competitive advantage
• The role of reputation management for dealerships in sales growth
• Post-COVID consumer behavior and third-party marketplace value
• What vendors + agencies can do better for dealership leadership teams