TEXAS \u2014\u00a0Affordability is what\u2019s on many Americans\u2019 minds, and several industries are focusing in on it, with the automotive industry being no exception.<\/p>\n
2025 was a strong year for the industry, with people buying new cars before the tariffs hit. Owners of used car dealerships report having had some slow months last year, with business picking up toward the end of the year and being off to a good start in the new year.<\/p>\n
Zachary Shelley and his brother took over operations at the used car dealership Shelley\u2019s Auto Sales, which is between Austin and Waco. Their father started the business back in the 1980s.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe pretty much was a one-man show, and around \u201886 or so, he moved to this location, and it was a bigger car lot, but not near the size it is now,\u201d Shelley said.<\/p>\n
Shelley started off as a mechanic at the dealership when he was in high school, then worked his way up to being a salesperson. It\u2019s safe to say he knows a lot about the auto industry, seeing how things have changed over the years.<\/p>\n
Because of a few factors, Shelley says the dealership had its difficulties last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had some months that were a little slow, and I heard that kind of throughout our market,\u201d Shelley said. \u201cEnd of the year, we bounced right back and had a really good kind of last couple of months.\u201d<\/p>\n
But for new car dealerships, 2025 felt different.<\/p>\n
\u201c2025 as a whole was certainly a crazy year,\u201d said Don Herring, the owner of two Mitsubishi dealerships in the Dallas area. \u201cWe saw some pull ahead with the people trying to beat tariff pricing, buy new cars before the tariffs increased the prices across the board.\u201d<\/p>\n
Used car sales have been a big part of his business and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.\u00a0<\/p>\n