Issue 3 2025 Official Publication of the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE The Passage of the Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act A Victory for Consumers and Auto Technicians
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table of CONTENTS NJ CAR BOARD OF TRUSTEES BY REGION NORTHERN REGION I (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, Sussex) Mark Abaid (Alt.) Joseph Agresta, Jr. (Alt.) Timothy Allocca Jeffrey Brown John Fette Matthew Haiken (Alt.) William Kundert, Jr. Brian Lam Reneé P. McGuire Richard Selman Todd Van Duren NORTHERN REGION II (Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Union, Warren) Gregg Ciocca, Jr. David Ferraez Chris Gilbert (Alt.) John Johnson, Jr. Trent Miller (Alt.) Sean Lyons Mark Montenero Chris Preziosi, Jr. (Alt.) Edward J. Rossi Michael Salerno Stephen Tilton CENTRAL REGION (Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean) Dan Chuhinko Robert Ciasulli Lisa Ocasio Devivo Kevin DiPiano (Alt.) Garry Foltz Elizabeth Giglio Adam Kraushaar Anton Semprivivo Joseph Wajda (Alt.) SOUTHERN REGION (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Salem) Russell Abate Allen Eastlack (AJ) (Alt.) Jason Elkins Jeremy Fisher Thomas Hessert, III Steven Kindle Stacey Lilliston James Magee (Alt.) Marcy Maguire Robert D. McCormick NJ CAR Executive Committee and Board of Trustees 2025 Ron E. Baus, Jr...................................................................................Chairman Andy Shapiro.............................................................................Vice Chairman Ed Barlow, III.................................................................................... Secretary Michael P. DeSilva............................................................................ Treasurer Jordan Wright.........................Regional Vice President (Northern Region I) Michael DiFeo.......................Regional Vice President (Northern Region II) Richard Malouf, Jr........................Regional Vice President (Central Region) David Kull.................................Regional Vice President (Southern Region) Eric Nielsen..........................................................................Budget Chairman Eric Nielsen..........................................NJ CAR Insurance Co. Ltd. Chairman James Curley, III..........................................NJ CAR Services, Inc. President Richard DeSilva, Jr.........................................NADA Director for New Jersey Frank M. Pezzolla...............................................Truck Committee Chairman Judy Schumacher-Tilton..................................................CAR-PAC President Thomas DeFelice, lll.........................................................NextGen Chairman Laura C. Perrotta. ............................................................................. President PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 6 The Passage of the Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act A Victory for Consumers and Auto Technicians BY LAURA PERROTTA CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE 8 Let’s Celebrate Advancing Safety and Fair Pay BY RON E. BAUS, JR. NADA DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE 11 NADA Advocacy Update BY RICK DeSILVA, JR. 14 Preserving the Vehicle Trade‑in Tax Credit How NJ CAR Created a Coalition to Fight the Governor’s Terrible Idea BY MAGDALENA PADILLA, ESQ. 16 The Future of TAP Bootcamps Across New Jersey BY BRANDON JURAKHAN 18 How Informativ Improves Dealer Relationships With Customers BY DOUG FUSCO 20 Turning Compliance Into Customer Service How ComplyAuto Helps Dealers Serve Their Customers Better BY LAUREN BAILEY 22 NJ CAR Making a Difference Philanthropy, Highlights, and Grassroots 30 NJ CAR Recognizes Dealerships That Have Contributed to CAR-PAC 33 Thank You to Those Who Contributed to NADA PAC 34 Every Dealership Should Be a Member of NJ CARPOOL ©2025 New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJ CAR) | The newsLINK Group, LLC. All rights reserved. New Jersey Auto Retailer is published four times per year by The newsLINK Group, LLC for NJ CAR and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review, consideration and education. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NJ CAR, its board of directors or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. New Jersey Auto Retailer is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of NJ CAR. While a firstprint policy is encouraged, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at (855) 747-4003. EDITOR: BRIAN HUGHES PUBLISHED BY THE NEWSLINK GROUP, LLC (855) 747-4003 Official Publication of
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE It’s remarkable how fast 2025 has gone by, filled with impactful developments that affect the auto industry nationally and locally. As I reflect on the many accomplishments of NJ CAR during the past year, I feel a sense of pride because of the important passage of one of the most comprehensive warranty labor time laws in the United States. The passage and enactment of the “Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act” (A4380/S3309) (P.L. 2025, c.140) is a tremendous accomplishment for NJ CAR. While there are numerous provisions, its name signifies two of the main features of the law, which are to 1) Provide enhanced notification to consumers about open recalls, and 2) Establish a process for the fair compensation of automotive technicians through their dealerships. Another important aspect of the law is amending the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act (NJFPA) to grant standing to NJ CAR to sue on behalf of dealers if there is an alleged violation of the NJFPA by manufacturers. SAFETY RECALL NOTICE In 2024, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ordered automakers to recall 27.7 million vehicles across the United States. Approximately 1.4 million vehicles in New Jersey today are being operated on the roadways with unresolved safety or emissions recalls. The new law requires that when the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC) issues motor vehicle registration or registration renewal notices to New Jersey consumers, it must also notify them that the NHTSA maintains a database whereby consumers can determine if their motor vehicle is subject to an open recall. This “Open Recall Notice” must also include a link to the NHTSA database and a statement indicating that each open recall may be repaired at no cost to the consumer by a franchised new car dealer approved by the manufacturer. The NJMVC may apply for monies, including through federal grants, to fund this process. The law also provides that manufacturers who do business in the State must assist BY LAURA PERROTTA, PRESIDENT, NJ CAR The Passage of the Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act the NJMVC with the application for funding. The chief administrator may require manufacturers who conduct business in the State to pay a fee to fund the implementation. FAIR COMPENSATION FOR WARRANTY AND RECALL WORK For many years, it has been the practice of manufacturers to manipulate the time it takes to complete a repair under warranty or recall. This manipulation often takes the form of a reduction in the number of hours it takes to make a repair immediately before a significant recall is announced. Dealers were also subjected to time guides established by the manufacturer, which were set in pristine conditions that do not consider the rigors of the average dealership service facility. These imbalances required a change in the law, which the “Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act” sought to address. The law requires manufacturers to compensate dealers for warranty and recall work at the same rate a retail customer pays for the same repair, accomplishing this by allowing the dealership to set its own A Victory for Consumers and Auto Technicians 6 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
average retail labor time allowance to be paid by the manufacturer. The law also allows the dealership to establish its own multiplier by: “… taking the number of hours billed in 100 sequential customer-paid service repair orders or 90 days of customer paid service repair orders, whichever is less, covering repairs made no more than 180 days before the submission, and dividing that by the numbers of hours permitted by the motor vehicle franchisor for any such repairs under the motor vehicle franchisor’s labor time guide for franchisor-paid repairs or service. The resulting quotient shall be applied to the motor vehicle franchisor’s labor time guide to establish the motor vehicle franchisee’s average retail labor time allowance.” In practice, the law requires a step-by-step procedure to establish a dealer’s labor time allowance. These steps are summarized as follows: • STEP 1 — Dealer takes 100 sequential customer-paid repair orders or 90 days of customer-paid repair orders, whichever is less, to establish their own multiplier. Only repairs made no more than 180 days prior to submission of the claim can be considered. ◽ This is not applicable to all exclusions listed by the law, including routine maintenance, as well as all lines without an operations code in the manufacturer’s time guide. • STEP 2 — Dealer would then add up all the hours of labor time for the 100 sequential customer-paid repair orders. ◽ That number is your NUMERATOR. • STEP 3 — Dealer would then add the OEM labor time hours from the manufacturer’s time guide with correlating operations codes to the customer pay work for the 100 repair orders they are analyzing. ◽ That number is your DENOMINATOR. • STEP 4 — Dealer would then divide the hours in the numerator by the hours in the denominator to establish the dealership multiplier that would be applied to all warranty and recall work, which is all based on customer-paid repair orders. It is worth noting that this process can be tedious for dealerships to calculate on their own. Therefore, it is recommended that dealerships use a credible warranty reimbursement firm to help submit a proposal to their manufacturer to establish their labor time allowance. In anticipation of the law’s effective date, April 1, 2026, NJ CAR has partnered with ARMATUS and WITHUM to help educate our members about the submission process serving as an option to provide their services if members choose. STANDING As a trade association that represents 520+ franchised neighborhood new car and truck dealers in New Jersey, we take pride in advocating for our members. That advocacy often involves the State legislature, but sometimes litigation is required to protect the interests of the association’s members. Unfortunately, NJ CAR met roadblocks on the issue of standing in recent cases brought both in Federal and State courts. New Jersey case law has a liberal treatment of associational standing. However, the New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled in N.J. Coal. of Auto. Retailers, Inc. v. Ford Motor Co., 261 N.J. 348 (2025), that NJ CAR could not bring an action under the NJFPA using associational standing because the statute states that franchisees are the only ones who can bring actions against their franchisor for violations of the NJFPA. Amending the NJFPA to grant standing to NJ CAR was essential to allow the association to freely advocate for its members in court on important issues that arise under that statute. However, the law is not retroactive and does not apply to causes of action that originated prior to April 1, 2026. SPECIAL THANKS The passage of this law would not have been possible without the hard work of many stakeholders, including automotive technicians, unions, warranty reimbursement professionals, and finally, NJ CAR staff. I also want to point out the invaluable role the grassroots efforts of NJ CARPOOL played in securing the law’s passage. I encourage dealers to continue participating in NJ CARPOOL as it is a very valuable tool. Enacting the “Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act” is the first step toward achieving roadway safety by providing the timely repair of vehicles under recall and providing a clear process for fair compensation for automotive technicians. 7 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE BY RON E. BAUS, JR., CHAIRMAN, NJ CAR Let’s Celebrate Advancing Safety and Fair Pay On September 11th, Governor Murphy signed the “Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act” (S3309/A4380). This new law, which goes into effect on April 1, 2026, is a big win for New Jersey dealers, their employees, and our consumers, but it wasn’t an easy process to get to the Governor’s desk. The law contains important consumer protections, such as enhanced outreach and notification to consumers who have an unresolved recall and statutorily confirms that customers are entitled to bring their vehicles to an authorized dealership for repair free of charge. Additionally, the legislation requires manufacturers to pay auto dealers fairly for warranty and recall repairs. Though this requirement seems sensible, we had to fight hard to ensure it stayed in the bill. The law now authorizes the use of a customized multiplier for each dealership by applying a process based on what the retail customer pays for the same service. Moreover, it codifies NJ CAR’s statutory standing to sue a manufacturer for an alleged violation of the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act (NJFPA). HOW DID WE GET HERE? This has been an ongoing issue for dealers in New Jersey. NJ CAR’s swift action in leading the fight has taken over two years, including countless meetings, calls, negotiations, and shoe-leather lobbying, but was ultimately successful because of all of you and our powerful grassroots lobbying. Dealers’ strong and influential voices are the best tool we have to advance our policy goals. You are major contributors to New Jersey’s economy, providing good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced, all while investing in your employees to meet the requirements set forth by your manufacturer. So first, let me thank you for placing the calls, hosting the meetings, and sending the emails to help bring to light the challenges we faced as dealers related to this important piece of our business model by asking our legislators to pass this fundamental legislation. We must also thank the leaders and legislators in Trenton in both chambers who not only recognized the challenges we faced with this issue but also helped pass this legislation to ensure consumers as well as small business new car and truck dealers were always the focus. Speaker Craig J. Coughlin, Minority Leader John DiMaio, Senate President Nicholas Scutari, and Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco were tireless champions on this issue despite the aggressive opposition from the auto manufacturers. THE FINAL RESULT Twenty-six (26) Senators and forty-nine (49) Assemblymembers signed on as co-sponsors of this recall legislation. NJ CAR’s legislative staff, our external team of consultants, and the labor unions also played an important role with continual intelligence gathering, providing relentless education on the merits of the legislation. We testified at three (3) hearings in the Assembly and one (1) hearing in the Senate, exposing the growing concern that auto manufacturers continue to oppose this legislation challenging our efforts with objections throughout the process. The misinformation that was being circulated about this bill’s impact not only fueled our dealer body and NJ CAR’s legislative team to rebuke this information but also brought to light the challenges we faced in our industry, and our consumers faced as a result. To enhance our messaging to the public and influence decision-makers in Trenton, NJ CAR made a major investment in a public relations campaign. Using this method, we were able to demonstrate a positive, consumer-focused narrative by explaining the enhanced safety benefits the public would receive when the bill was passed. We also focused the messaging on our automotive technicians, illustrating the importance of positive fair compensation requirements for warranty and recall work. To help get this message out in a quick and effective way, we created digital video brochures to send to each legislative office, explaining why it was so critical to pass this bill. After an incredible victory, let’s take a few moments to celebrate the importance of this new legislation. The investment and effort NJ CAR made to get this across the finish line will have a positive impact on our members going forward, and none of it would have happened without your support! Speaker Craig J. Coughlin Senate President Nicholas Scutari Minority Leader John DiMaio Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco 8 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
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NADA DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE BY RICK DeSILVA, JR., DIRECTOR, NADA NADA Advocacy Update NADA continues to advocate aggressively on issues critical to the retail automotive industry. The following is an update on key developments. Please feel free to contact me at rdesilva@libertycarsnj.com with any questions. TARIFFS The Trump administration recently announced a 25% tariff on heavy trucks imported from outside the U.S., effective October 1. This announcement regarding tariffs on foreign heavy-duty trucks follows two other significant updates: • On September 24, it was confirmed that the U.S. trade agreement with the European Union (EU) has been officially implemented, establishing a 15% duty rate on EU autos and auto parts that is retroactive to August 1. • On September 4, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to initiate a trade deal with Japan, which includes a 15% baseline tariff on automobiles. NADA has advocated against the imposition of tariffs on autos, trucks, and auto parts from U.S. trading partners with the Administration, emphasizing the effect tariffs will have on vehicle affordability, vehicle sales, and dealership viability. NADA has met with the White House, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Department of Treasury, Department of Commerce, other government agencies, and key Members of Congress to discuss the impact of tariffs on dealers and consumers. NADA and ATD are engaging the Trump administration to best inform its decisions regarding tariffs. We will continue to inform decision-makers in Washington that franchised auto and truck dealers are fully American businesses, predominantly small businesses, and that tariffs impact them regardless of whether they sell domestic or international vehicles. CARB ZEV MANDATE NADA, ATD, and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation recently filed a motion to intervene in California’s lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). California filed this suit against the EPA hours after President Donald Trump signed three (3) Congressional Review Act resolutions that eliminated CARB’s ability to ban gas and hybrid cars, and diesel trucks further regulate NOx truck emissions. The lawsuit seeks to reinstate these regulations, known as Advanced Clean Cars II, Advanced Clean Trucks, and Omnibus Low NOx, respectively. In joining this suit, NADA and ATD protect dealers’ interests by opposing California’s efforts to revive its unobtainable standards that Congress properly recognized hurt vehicle affordability and are out of sync with customer demand. In the coming weeks, the court will rule on whether NADA and the Alliance can intervene in the suit in support of the EPA. EPA’S EV MANDATE In September, NADA and ATD submitted comments to the EPA supporting its plan to eliminate the previous administration’s unreasonable emissions standards. The Biden administration’s greenhouse gas (GHG) rules were premised on overly aggressive assumptions regarding future electric vehicle market penetration without proper consideration of lagging charging 11 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
Auto Dealers: Start Earning From Every Supply Purchase! 22 Florence Street • South Hackensack, NJ 07606 • Learn more at WASCOonline.com • 800-732-4511 VOLUME PRICING DISCOUNTS PURCHASING EFFICIENCY ANNUAL DIVIDEND contact us! For your FREE, NO-OBLIGATION ANALYSIS to discover how WASCO can significantly impact your dealership’s 2025 earnings. infrastructure and consumer behavior. NADA and ATD support replacing those rules with technology-neutral national emissions standards that consider market realities. The rule the EPA proposed in July would create a seismic change in the regulatory environment regarding tailpipe emissions and could have significant impacts on the auto industry, from changing the types of cars automakers manufacture to vehicle supply and consumer preferences. The EPA could issue a final rule repealing the GHG standards by the end of the calendar year. Opponents are almost certain to challenge it in court. In the meantime, NHTSA is expected to issue a rulemaking proposal to make major changes to Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. CATALYTIC CONVERTER ANTI‑THEFT LEGISLATION (UPDATED) The Preventing Auto Recycling Theft (PART) Act has now been reintroduced in the House (H.R.5221) and Senate (S.2238). The reintroduced versions include non-controversial to help increase support for the legislation. This legislation addresses a major concern for dealers as it will require each catalytic converter to have a traceable identification number at the time of vehicle assembly. The bill also establishes a federal criminal penalty for the theft, sale, trafficking, or known purchase of stolen catalytic converters Catalytic converters are being stolen at increasingly higher rates because they contain valuable metals, such as rhodium, platinum, and palladium. Thieves can easily steal catalytic converters from vehicles, and since they are not readily traceable, there is a lucrative market for these stolen parts. These thefts are costing millions of dollars to businesses and vehicle owners alike. In addition, for consumers, replacing a catalytic converter is costly and often difficult due to the part’s high demand and supply chain shortages. “RIGHT TO REPAIR” LEGISLATION NADA opposes the so-called “Right To Repair” legislation H.R.1566/S.1379, the “REPAIR Act,” which is unnecessary and has little to do with vehicle repair. Last month, NADA/ATD sent letters to the House of Representatives and the Senate strongly opposing H.R.1566/S.1379, as unnecessary and overbroad. The House bill may also exclude franchised dealers from receiving vehicle-generated data needed to repair a vehicle that is outside their franchise. Supporters are working to attach H.R.1566/S.1379, to next year’s Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill. TAX LEGISLATION President Donald Trump signed into law the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (P.L. 119-21) on July 4. For NADA members, the passage of the bill represents another significant victory this year, as many of the association’s tax priorities were addressed. NADA fought for many favorable tax provisions that were included in this landmark legislation such as the permanent: pass-through deduction, estate tax exemption, reversion to EBITDA for the interest deduction limit, and bonus depreciation. The Senate’s version of the bill would have retroactively repealed the EV tax credit for leased leased EVs. NADA strongly opposed this provision. The final bill included NADA’s request for a reasonable phase-out (Sept. 30) for the tax credit. 12 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
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Preserving the Vehicle Trade‑in Tax Credit How NJ CAR Created a Coalition to Fight the Governor’s Terrible Idea BY MAGDALENA PADILLA, ESQ., SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, NJ CAR We’ve all heard the adage that “politics makes strange bedfellows,” and Governor Murphy proved it when he introduced his proposed 2026 budget. In his proposal, the Governor included several sales tax proposals to increase State revenues, and numerous groups pushed back to oppose the increases. One proposed option to increase State revenue was to eliminate the trade-in credit for new car sales. Dealers, OEMs, electric vehicle (EV), and environmental advocates — not normally on the same side of many issues — banded together to oppose the elimination. Leading the charge, NJ CAR encouraged OEMs, EV, and environmental advocates to push back as a coalition. Though we held different perspectives, we shared the same opposition to the Governor’s proposal to eliminate the trade-in tax credit. NJ CAR dealers were troubled that, under this proposal, their customers would be discouraged from trading in their old cars and trucks. OEMs objected that the proposal would dampen sales of new cars and trucks if the contract price of the new cars were not reduced by the trade-ins. EV and environmental advocates oppose policies 14 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
that increase the number of gas-powered cars and trucks on New Jersey roads, but we all agreed that the Governor’s proposal to eliminate the vehicle trade-in tax credit would likely extend how long consumers stay with their old vehicles. We also agreed that the proposal would hit low- and moderate-income New Jerseyans the hardest. In New Jersey, consumers do not pay sales tax on the value of a trade-in. Instead, they get a sales tax credit from the value of their trade-in, which reduces the purchase price of a new vehicle. Simply put: Eliminating the trade-in tax credit would increase consumers’ cost of purchasing vehicles and threaten to tax consumers again if the Governor chose to tax consumers for the trade-in! Under NJ CAR’s guidance, the coalition of OEMs, EV, and environmental policy advocates strategized a plan of action. First, NJ CAR educated the group on how the tax credit benefits consumers so they could echo our opposition at their respective meetings with legislators and other groups. Second, NJ CAR leveraged our access to Trenton-based business associations that opposed other sales tax proposals but were eager to learn how our issue affected them as consumers. By educating them on how trade-ins work, they could spread our message as they lobbied against the proposed budget overall. Arming both groups with the facts, we explained that when a New Jersey consumer trades in a vehicle, a trade-in credit is applied to reduce the price of the new vehicle. To help illustrate this point, we provided examples of how the trade-in credit currently works in New Jersey and how it could work under the proposed changes. THE IMPACT OF THE TRADE-IN TAX CREDIT If the total vehicle purchase price is $50,000, and the value of the consumer’s trade-in is $25,000, under the current law, the consumer would pay the sales tax (6.625%) on $25,000 ($1,656.25), NOT on $50,000 ($3,312.50). Therefore, the purchase price would be $51,656.25 instead of $53,312.50. This is a sizable savings. If the trade-in credit were eliminated, the full purchase price on a $50,000 vehicle would be $53,312.50. NJ CAR further explained that the Governor’s budget packet lacked details regarding how his policy changes would be implemented. As a result, we knew the consumer would pay more under any plan. We feared that New Jersey wished to mirror California’s approach, where the trade-in tax credit would be removed entirely, and consumers would be taxed twice — once for buying a new vehicle, and again for trading in a used one. We also recognized that New Jersey could consider other options, such as eliminating the trade-in tax credit for luxury vehicles or for high-wage earners. Under all scenarios, the consumer would pay more. THE FIGHT TO KEEP THE TAX CREDIT NJ CAR convinced the OEMs, EV, and environmental advocacy organizations to formally unite in a signed coalition letter. Our letter highlighted how the coalition represented a broad spectrum of the private passenger vehicle market, including franchised new car and truck dealers, auto manufacturers, and the State’s EV and environmental advocates. The coalition letter was emailed to members and staffers of the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees, and coalition members distributed the letter to key contacts in the Legislature. The letter was also used to brief legislative leaders not on the Budget Committees. The intention was to impress upon the Legislature the weight of the historic coalition of dealers, OEMs, EV, and environmental advocates unified in opposition to a State budget policy, and urge them to join us in opposing it. After that, NJ CAR testified in opposition at the Budget Committees in the Assembly and Senate. Our message to decision-makers was that eliminating this tax credit was a bad policy that would negatively impact consumers by making New Jersey less affordable for working and middle-class families. We also submitted written testimony and hosted Zoom calls with legislative leaders of both Committees, encouraging them to oppose the Governor’s proposal. Tense negotiations were conducted between legislative leadership and Governor Murphy on his proposed revenue increases, and the Assembly was especially concerned about these proposed increases advancing the same year its members were up for re-election. Ultimately, the Governor’s Office withdrew the proposal to eliminate the vehicle trade-in tax credit. NJ CAR’s success in defeating Governor Murphy’s 2025 budget proposal was a collaborative effort, representing a rare opportunity for “strange bedfellows” to unify for a greater cause. 15 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
The Future of TAP Bootcamps Across New Jersey BY BRANDON JURAKHAN, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, NJ CAR The Technician Advancement Program (TAP), powered by NJ CAR, is more than just an educational initiative; it’s a statewide movement to address the urgent need for skilled automotive technicians while providing individuals with a clear, supported pathway into a rewarding career. With the success of our initial camps, TAP is poised to grow significantly in the coming months. We are excited to share what the future holds, thank the dealerships stepping up to host bootcamps, and highlight the powerful stories of students already benefiting from this program. BUILDING THE FUTURE OF TAP ACROSS NEW JERSEY The demand for skilled automotive service technicians is not slowing down. In fact, according to labor projections, New Jersey will need thousands of new technicians over the next decade to keep pace with the retirement of existing technicians and the growing demand for vehicle service. Recognizing this critical need, NJ CAR launched TAP as a pre-apprenticeship training program designed to equip participants with the technical skills, professional training, and real-world experience required to thrive in the field. The program provides 288 hours of instruction, split between classroom, teaching, and hands-on shop experience. Students meet four evenings a week, balancing lessons with a hands-on application of what’s taught on real vehicles in dealership service bays. This learning model results in a practical, fast-tracked training experience that prepares participants for entry into a registered apprenticeship or direct employment with franchised new vehicle dealerships. TAP would not be possible without strong partnerships, and NJ CAR is proud to partner with the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development (NJDOL), which awarded a $664,500 Pre-Apprenticeship in Career Education (PACE) grant to help expand TAP statewide. This investment provides students with critical support, including a $200 weekly stipend to offset living and travel costs during training, as well as a professional-grade toolbox — valued at over $3,000 — filled with essential tools students receive upon graduation from the program. These benefits ensure that financial barriers do not prevent motivated individuals from pursuing a career in automotive technology. Looking ahead, future TAP bootcamps will be rolled out across multiple counties in New Jersey, ensuring that location is never an obstacle to opportunity. The latest bootcamp in Newark recently launched, and a class in Manahawkin has already been confirmed as the next site, starting in January. There are several dealerships in Camden, Essex, and Middlesex counties currently under consideration as potential hosts for future bootcamps. Our vision is clear: Within the next few months, TAP will have active training sites across the State to ensure that anyone interested in pursuing this career has access to high-quality, no-cost training close to home. THANKING THE DEALERSHIPS THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE None of this growth would be possible without the dealerships stepping forward to host TAP bootcamps. It takes commitment to open up service bays, lend equipment, and provide support instruction, yet dealerships across New Jersey are showing just how invested they are in closing the gap on the technician shortage. 16 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
By becoming host sites, dealerships not only help students, but they also directly address their own workforce needs. Every camp creates a pipeline of entry-level technicians who are trained in a dealership environment so they are already comfortable with the pace, expectations, and culture of the service department. This creates a smoother transition from training into full-time employment, thus reducing turnover and giving dealerships a competitive edge in a challenging labor market. We extend our deepest gratitude to the dealerships that have already partnered with TAP, as well as to those currently considering it. Your investment in training the next generation of automotive professionals is both practical and inspiring. You’re not just filling jobs; you’re building careers and shaping the future of the industry in New Jersey. STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES: REAL IMPACT, REAL OPPORTUNITIES While numbers and projections matter, the real impact of TAP is best seen in the lives of the students who are participating right now. Their journeys show just how transformative this program can be. Take Zakia, for example: She began her journey studying automotive technology at her local community college. While classroom lessons gave her a foundation, she quickly realized she was missing real, hands-on training. She found this in TAP. Within just a few weeks of joining the bootcamp, Zakia was confidently performing basic maintenance tasks and was building the practical skills she’d been seeking. Now, she sees herself working in a dealership service department and is determined to continue her training to become a master technician! Then there’s Jeremiah, who comes to class after working as a pest control technician. He was searching for more stability, a better earning potential, and a career where he could truly grow, but he didn’t know where to start. TAP gave him that direction. Training on real vehicles inside a dealership and learning directly from experienced professionals gave him the confidence and hands-on skills he needed. Today, Jeremiah not only has valuable experience to add to his resume, but he also has an interview lined up with a dealership upon graduation. For him, TAP isn’t just training; it’s the first real step toward building a lifelong career. These stories demonstrate that a student’s willingness to learn — combined with a determination to succeed — is more valuable than having prior experience. This is the true heart of TAP: Providing the structure, training, and opportunities students need to turn their determination into a lifelong career. WHY TAP MATTERS TO COMMUNITIES TAP is not just about filling positions; it’s about strengthening communities. Every graduate who finds employment represents not only a personal success story but a positive impact on their family and neighborhood. Stable, good-paying careers reduce unemployment, improve local economies, and create role models for others seeking a pathway forward. Automotive technology is evolving rapidly, and today’s technicians are not just turning wrenches; they are working with advanced diagnostics, electric vehicles, hybrid systems, and complex computer-driven systems. This makes TAP even more valuable by ensuring that New Jersey communities have local technicians trained in the skills of the future, ready to keep vehicles safe and reliable. LOOKING AHEAD As we expand TAP to more locations across New Jersey, we are guided by the mission to connect motivated individuals with the tools, training, and opportunities they need to succeed in the automotive industry. Our future bootcamps will continue to focus on accessibility, ensuring that cost, geography, or lack of experience are never a barrier. By committing to strengthening our partnerships with dealerships, community organizations, workforce development boards, schools, and state agencies like NJDOL, we can ensure that TAP continues to grow and evolve, reaching more students, preparing more technicians, and supporting more dealerships every year. A FINAL WORD OF THANKS To our dealership partners: Thank you for stepping up. Your leadership makes TAP possible, and your commitment ensures its success. To our students: Thank you for taking the leap. Your courage and hard work prove every day why programs like TAP matter. To our broader community of supporters: Thank you for believing in this vision. Together, we are building not just careers, but futures. NJ CAR’s TAP initiative is more than a bootcamp; it’s a movement to transform lives and strengthen the automotive industry across New Jersey. This is only the beginning. 17 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
Informativ has proudly been working with NJ CAR for the last seven years to provide dealers with a top-notch compliance enforcement platform. Informativ provides dealers with proactive “guardrails and controls” throughout the sales process that enforce the dealer’s policies as well as state and federal regulations regarding privacy, credit, fraud, and many other critical requirements. The result is the elimination of the liability gap that exists in every showroom between “what your policies state” and “what actually happens” every day. The busier the day, the larger the gap and the larger the liability. Informativ’s unique platform provides the industry’s only proactive enforcement engine that STOPS staff misbehavior before it happens, eliminating the current approach of trying to fix issues after the fact. Some of the proven benefits to dealers include: • Multi-layered fraud prevention that stops ID and synthetic fraud, including real-time confirmation and notifications when fraud is found on in-store and remote deals. Other benefits include the elimination of fraudulent IDs, synthetic fraud, and the validation of phone device (SIM card) ownership both in the showroom and remotely. • Secure remote deliveries by eliminating many of the associated risks. • Tech-enforced elimination of “policy evaporation.” The less training your staff gets or the busier you get, the greater the risk of inconsistent, non-compliant processes. • Tech-enforced elimination of “process breakdown.” The law requires “consistent patterns and practices” regardless of showroom traffic volume. Compliance isn’t optional! Three factors that have a direct impact on process breakdown: ◽ Training is temporary. ◽ Turnover is a fact of life. ◽ Programs, such as Informativ, are effective. • Elimination of private information on staff personal devices, which would directly violate your Privacy Statement. Fines for violations of this type exceed $53,000 per incident. Informativ’s platform digitally collects, creates, and controls all customer information, ensuring your dealership maintains security, control, transparency, and protection of this information. • Digital collection and creation of sales documentation. Informativ eliminates paperwork containing private information in common areas of your dealership to protect your dealership from violating its Privacy Statement, which carries the same financial liability. • Automatic, real-time dead deal retention. Informativ’s digital showroom completely automates the retention of dead deal jackets and the administrative burden associated with finding, collecting, and controlling them for five years. • Elimination of unauthorized access to private information. There are numerous examples of improper manipulation of income and employment on credit applications, which put dealers at risk of government fines and lawsuits. A recent case resulted in a settlement in the $20 million range. • Reduction in compliance burden of up to 80% with respect to Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) consent, dead deals, red flags, and private information in the showroom. • Controlled credit costs with the industry’s only fixed, flat-rate, and controlled credit report expenses. • Elimination of kicked deals, providing a significant improvement in customer-related issues. • An integrated, transparent platform that speeds up the sales process, eliminates fraud, reduces customer friction, and drives sales. How Informativ Improves Dealer Relationships With Customers BY DOUG FUSCO, MANAGING PARTNER FOR DEALER COMPLIANCE, INFORMATIV 18 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
In today’s competitive retail automotive environment, serving customers means more than offering a great price or stocking the right inventory. Customers want to feel respected, protected, and confident throughout their experience from the first advertisement they see, to the test drive, to signing paperwork in the finance office. That confidence comes not only from honest pricing and professional service, but also from knowing their personal data is being handled responsibly and kept safe. Dealers know that customer trust is their most valuable asset. At the same time, the rules governing advertising, data privacy, and workplace safety are complex and constantly shifting. ComplyAuto bridges that gap. By simplifying compliance, it transforms a regulatory burden into an opportunity to better serve customers. THE PROBLEM: COMPLIANCE CAN GET IN THE WAY OF SERVICE Dealers are in the business of building relationships, not chasing paperwork. Yet dealership regulations require extensive documentation and strict adherence to rules that are easy to miss. By making compliance simple for dealers, ComplyAuto helps turn what could be a pain point into an opportunity to enhance the customer experience. Advertising Customers expect the price they see online to match the price they pay in-store. Advertising regulations can be cumbersome, and even minor mistakes, such as hidden fees or prohibited phrases, erode trust and expose dealers to regulatory action. ComplyAuto’s Guardian ad compliance tool flags risky language, hidden fees, or missing disclosures before an ad goes live. Privacy Vehicle shoppers hand over sensitive information when they apply for credit or interact with a dealer’s website. Customers want to know their personal information is being handled responsibly. ComplyAuto’s Privacy product automates privacy notices and opt-outs, ensuring every customer understands what data is collected and why. Transaction Accuracy Customers want confidence that every form is signed, every disclosure is delivered, and their deal is truly finalized when they leave the F&I office. Safety A dealership’s back-end operations matter, too. Customers notice whether a facility feels safe and professional. Behind the scenes, safety regulations are in place to protect both employees and visitors. ComplyAuto Safety helps dealers maintain essential safety practices, including hazard communication, eyewash stations, and equipment inspections to give customers peace of mind when they visit. THE SOLUTION: BUILT FOR DEALERS, BY DEALERS ComplyAuto was created by dealers for dealers, with a single goal in mind: to take the complexity out of compliance so that dealers can focus on what they do best — serve their customers. By automating state and federal obligations, ComplyAuto ensures compliance steps happen seamlessly in the background. Compliant Advertising With Guardian Nothing frustrates a customer more than feeling misled. If an ad promises one price but the deal sheet shows another, the relationship may be damaged before it even starts. ComplyAuto’s Guardian ad compliance tool flags risky language, hidden fees, or missing disclosures before an ad ever goes live. This results in advertising that customers can trust and transactions that start on the right foot. Privacy Protection That Builds Confidence When customers submit a lead form or credit application, they want reassurance that their personal information is safe. ComplyAuto’s Privacy product automates notices, opt-outs, and consent forms, providing customers with clarity on how their data will be used. This isn’t just about checking a legal box; it’s about treating customer data with respect while complying with the law. In today’s digital environment, privacy protection is a form of customer service that strengthens trust and loyalty. Turning Compliance Into Customer Service How ComplyAuto Helps Dealers Serve Their Customers Better BY LAUREN BAILEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF STATE LEGAL AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS, COMPLYAUTO 20 NEW JERSEY auto retailer
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