©2025 Virginia Automobile Dealers Association (VADA) | The newsLINK Group LLC. All rights reserved. Virginia Auto Dealer is published four times per year by The newsLINK Group LLC for VADA 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 VADA, 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. Virginia Auto Dealer is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of VADA. While a first-print 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. CONTENTS 2025 PUB. 6 ISSUE 2 Virginia Automobile Dealers Association A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT AND CEO DON HALL 4 Selling Cars, Trucks and Optimism No Matter What 6 VADA Buyer’s Order Updates & Lease Order Introduction 9 VADA Executive Committee Meeting AUTOMOTIVE NEWS 10 Dealers Defend Our Industry 10 VADA Live: Insights, Education and Training 11 Virginia Vehicle Sales Trends Q1 2025 12 Driving Change With Grasstops Advocacy 13 VADA Mid-Year Legal & Legislative Update 18 8 14 14 Are “Main Street” Businesses in Local Economies Dead? The Role of Franchised Auto Dealerships 16 How Payments Are Powering Digital Transformation in Auto Retail By Truist Dealer Services 18 Virginia Dealers Shifting Gears for Good 21 VADA 2026 22 Leadership 23 Thank You VADA Allied Members 24 Thank You VADA Program Partners 26 VADA PAC United as One for the Franchise System Cover photo: (L-R) VADA Chair Dan Banister, Virginia gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, 86th District candidate Virgil Thornton Sr., VADA President and CEO Don Hall and Virginia House Speaker Don Scott. vada.com 3
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