Tag: Newsletter 5th Article

Curbee, a leading mobile service platform for automotive dealerships, recently announced that Bozard Ford Lincoln, a leader in dealership mobile service, has selected Curbee as its new mobile service technology platform.

The move represents one of the most significant technology transitions yet in dealership mobile service, Curbee said in a statement.

‍Bozard operates one of the country’s largest dealership mobile service programs, completing more than 2,000 mobile service appointments each month with a fleet of more than 40 service vehicles serving customers across Northeast Florida.

‍“Innovation is the key to distinguishing ourselves as leaders,” Bozard Ford Lincoln COO and General Manager Ed Roberts said. “If we’re going to continue extending our lead, we have to keep challenging ourselves to improve. Curbee shares our vision for innovation. They’ve been incredibly responsive to our needs, and they have the flexibility to grow alongside us.

‍“Curbee’s pace of product development, willingness to collaborate and ability to rapidly build new capabilities ultimately won the dealership over.”

‍“Bozard challenged us to think differently, move faster and build new capabilities that will improve mobile service for every Curbee dealer,” Curbee CEO Amit Chandarana said. “This wasn’t simply winning a customer, it was earning the trust of the dealership that has defined what automotive mobile service can become.”

While many dealerships expand mobile service primarily through oil changes and recalls, Bozard performs nearly every repair that does not require major engine or transmission work at customers’ homes or workplaces.

‍Roberts said convenience – not the vehicle purchase – is what creates lasting customer loyalty.

‍“Customers don’t remember buying a vehicle nearly as long as they remember owning one,” Roberts said. “If we can service a vehicle where the customer already is and give them their time back, that’s what creates loyalty. Mobile service removes friction from ownership. That’s why we keep investing in it.”

‍Bozard has operated mobile service since 2015, steadily expanding from basic maintenance into diagnostics and increasingly complex repairs in the field. Today the dealership serves customers throughout Northeast Florida and beyond.

Just in time for the 2026 Woodward Dream Cruise, Goodyear is opening its Goodyear Motor City Garage, its first retail concept store in Detroit.

The Goodyear Motor City Garage will be open to the public during Dream Cruise weekend on Saturday, Aug. 15, at 8 a.m. Located at 3075 East Grand Blvd. in Detroit, this special Goodyear Auto Service Center showcases the company’s products, technology and heritage and gives a look at the vision for the future of vehicle care.

“Some of the best vehicles in the world have been laying down Goodyear rubber in Detroit since Henry Ford put them on his 999 race car in 1901. From track to tarmac to trail, Goodyear makes tires worth bragging about, and we’ll be doing just that during the Woodward Dream Cruise,” said Goodyear CEO Mark Stewart. “Whether you’re an enthusiast looking for ultra-high performance or just need help picking the best tires to get your SUV through the school pick-up line, we’re looking to show you how easy Goodyear can make vehicle care. Detroit’s car culture makes it the perfect place to showcase our new retail concept alongside our Mobile Garage service that can install tires and service your vehicle right in your driveway.”

Inspired by destination concepts such as a Starbucks Reserve Roastery or a Nike House of Innovation, the Goodyear Motor City Garage is more than a traditional tire and service location. The space is designed as a gathering spot where enthusiasts can connect with car culture, explore the latest tire technology and engage with Goodyear in a new way.

Services the Goodyear Motor City Garage will provice

• Tire sales and installation
• Oil changes
• Alignments
• Brake service
• Battery replacement
• Free vehicle inspections
• Preventive maintenance

As a tribute to the city that helped shape American car culture, the Goodyear Motor City Garage will showcase a custom, one-of-a-kind Detroit-themed Eagle racing tire. This tire is laser-carved with a love letter to Detroit that celebrates the city’s automotive heritage and Goodyear’s longstanding connection to the Motor City and its auto enthusiasts. The letter concludes with “We might be from Akron, but we grew up here. Still. Always. Forever.”

At the Goodyear Motor City Garage during Woodward Dream Cruise weekend, Goodyear will display the famous 1973 Ford Mustang convertible from the opening sequence of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” courtesy of the Ford Motor Company Heritage Collection.

Also on display from the General Motors Heritage Center and Archive is the 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am W72 “Bandit.” This black-and-gold special edition was inspired by the movie, “Smokey and the Bandit,” starring Sally Field and Burt Reynolds. This Trans Am originally was outfitted with Goodyear GR70/15 GM Custom Tread tires.

Additional vehicle displays and featured automotive attractions will be announced closer to the event

Mavis Tire Express Services Corp. and Icahn Enterprises L.P. today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which a subsidiary of Mavis will acquire The Pep Boys-Manny, Moe & Jack Holding Corp. from Icahn Automotive Group LLC, a subsidiary of IEP, for about $700 million in cash. IEP will retain the owned real estate previously transferred to IEP from Pep Boys, as well as the AAMCO Transmissions and Precision Tune Auto Care Businesses.

The transaction is expected to close in the coming months, subject to satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions.

Pep Boys is an established leader in automotive services, offering tires, repairs, oil changes, and maintenance services from nearly 800 locations nationwide. The acquisition expands Mavis’s presence in new and existing markets, particularly across the western United States, where Pep Boys has a significant retail footprint, and grows Mavis’s network to more than 4,400 service center locations across the United States and Canada.

“Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone as Mavis continues to execute its growth strategy. Pep Boys is one of the most well-respected names in the automotive aftermarket, and we look forward to welcoming it into the Mavis family of brands,” said David Sorbaro, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Mavis. “Pep Boys brings a loyal customer base, deep-rooted market presence across the United States, and a distribution network that will meaningfully enhance our supply chain nationwide. Together, we will create a stronger, more geographically diverse platform with the scale and capabilities to provide dependable service to even more customers and create meaningful opportunities for employees. We have tremendous respect for what the Pep Boys team has built, and we look forward to partnering with them to drive their continued success.”

“For more than 100 years, Pep Boys has earned the trust of drivers across the country by delivering quality service with honesty and care,” said Joe Auriemma, Chief Executive Officer of Pep Boys. “Mavis shares these values and, as part of the Mavis family, Pep Boys will have the scale, footprint, and operational and technological strength to continue building on its legacy as it enters a new chapter of growth.”

“We believe that the combined businesses will benefit greatly from the inevitable economies of scale and from the great experience of the Mavis team in this industry. We welcome the Mavis acquisition and are thankful to all of the employees of Pep Boys who made this transaction possible,” said Carl C. Icahn, Chairman of IEP.

“Icahn Enterprises acquired Pep Boys in 2016 because of its exceptional fundamentals – a storied brand, a loyal customer base, and a footprint that needed the right stewardship to realize its full potential,” said Ted Papapostolou, Chief Executive Officer of IEP. “Over the past decade, we have worked closely with the Pep Boys team to grow the company and strengthen its competitive position while maintaining best-in-class customer service. I look forward to watching Pep Boys continue to grow and succeed as part of Mavis.”

Midas recently announced it is modernizing its retail presence with two new national store design concepts — Contemporary Industrial and Urban Modern — that will reshape how customers experience the brand at more than 1,200 locations across the U.S. and Canada.

The rollout, which was effective Wednesday, applies to all new builds and renovations, and marks a significant milestone in the company’s five-year strategic growth plan launched in 2023, according to a statement from the company. The announcement comes as Midas also recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of its acquisition by Mavis Tire Express Services Corp.

“Driven by customer and franchisee insights, the new store designs are the next step in the company’s national brand evolution and honors our 70-year legacy as one of the leaders in the auto care industry,” said Lenny Valentino, Jr., President and COO of Midas International. “These designs offer better bay visibility, larger waiting areas, cleaner flow — all intentional features built around how people experience a Midas store.”

The two concepts are designed for different real estate contexts. Contemporary Industrial suits high-traffic suburban or highway-adjacent locations with its bold signage, high-contrast branding, and functional layout. Urban Modern suits denser, more walkable markets with its large storefront windows, warm accents, and retail-inspired interior. Both of the new designs include a six-bay, in-line layout with a dedicated Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS) bay.

The new concepts also include refreshed exterior architecture, updated showrooms, and larger customer waiting room areas, improved service bay visibility, and modern signage that still honors the unmistakable Midas name. Midas will work closely with all franchisees to ensure future building projects meet new brand guidelines and maintain cohesion standards nationwide. You can view more photos of both renderings here.

This year alone, Midas said it has opened a record number of stores nationwide—its most significant growth and market expansion in decades. The first store featuring the new Contemporary Industrial design is expected to open early next year in Irmo, South Carolina. Gus Herlong, CEO and Co-owner of Palmetto Garage Works, which operates Midas franchise locations across South Carolina, the Greater Washington, D.C. region, and North Florida, will construct the first ground-up location featuring the new design, marking his 36th Midas location.

The store designs are the latest chapter in a broader brand refresh that began this spring with Midas’ “Midas is The Best” national campaign—a 70th anniversary celebration starring William Zabka as a master technician, bringing discipline into the service bay. Since launch, the campaign has driven double-digit direct traffic and topped 18 million YouTube views. You can watch the commercial video here.

Midas has more than 1,200 locations in the U.S. and Canada. The company is focused on continued franchise growth, with plans to expand into key priority markets which you can find here.