Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know GM has just introduced their new used car platform called CarBravo.

I so want to say, “Bravo, way to go GM,” but inside my head I keep thinking about history.
Like most subjects I took in school, history wasn’t one of my stronger ones. Even so, one of the things I did learn is history often repeats itself.

When was the last time the factory was successful when they tried to do something on the retail side of the automobile business? Go ahead think on it and get back to me.

I do want to cheer GM for taking on the likes of Carvana and Carmax. As much as dealers have tried, they haven’t put much of a dent in what these “big boys” have been able to accomplish.

These two groups do a lot of things well and by and large dealers have been chasing them for years.

I suspect that was part of GMs thinking. You Dealers haven’t been able to figure it out, so we are here to save you. Sorta like the Federal Government. Shame on us.

We all know that anytime the Feds or the Factory take over something the success rate goes way down.

I’m confident that GMs mission is to help their dealers make more money. (Said with a big dose of sarcasm.)

Don’t kid yourself. GMs gonna make money out of this.

Your first question should be, will you?

Your second question should be, what’s GMs long-term game plan? Do they ultimately want to be in the retail new car business? Imagine that.

I can’t help but remember a quote from a former factory executive who said, When the factory says “if you play ball with us, we’ll play ball with you.” What they are really saying is “play ball with us and we will shove the bat right up your ass.”

Play ball. Game on. That’s all I’m gonna say. Tommy Gibbs