Automotive: Car Buying Hits a Wall: Credit Crunch and Lagging Times Drive Down Consumer Satisfaction in June 2025

Why it is the topic trending: Unprecedented Decline in Buyer Satisfaction

• Historic Drop in Ease of Purchase: The CDK Global Ease of Purchase survey saw an unprecedented decline in June 2025, marking the steepest drop in three years and the lowest score since tracking began. This dramatic shift highlights significant underlying issues.

• Credit Challenges Intensify: A major driver of this decline is the increasing difficulty for consumers to apply for and secure credit, indicating a tightening financial landscape impacting a major purchase.

• Compounding Frustrations: It's not just one issue; multiple pain points across the buying journey—from finding the right car to agreeing on price and completing paperwork—are simultaneously worsening, creating a highly frustrating experience.

• Impact on Dealership Operations: The challenges directly affect dealership efficiency and customer flow, making it a critical topic for the automotive retail industry to address.

• Consumer Experience Erosion: In an era where seamless digital experiences are expected, the car buying process is moving in the opposite direction, leading to significant consumer dissatisfaction and potential long-term impacts on brand loyalty.

Overview:

The car buying experience in June 2025 became significantly more difficult for consumers, as revealed by CDK Global's latest Ease of Purchase study. The overall satisfaction score plummeted, driven primarily by a tightening credit market that made it harder for buyers to apply for financing. This credit crunch, combined with ongoing challenges in vehicle inventory, difficulties in agreeing on final prices and trade-in values, and longer transaction times at dealerships, created a widespread "friction point avalanche." The study highlights that consumers are increasingly settling for alternative vehicles and spending more time navigating a frustrating process, signaling a critical erosion of the car buying experience that demands immediate attention from the automotive industry.

Detailed findings: A Cascade of Car Buying Challenges

• Overall Satisfaction Plummet: The CDK Global Ease of Purchase Score dropped sharply from 90% in May to 77% in June, the largest monthly decline in three years and the lowest score recorded.

• Credit Application Difficulty: Only 53% of buyers found it easy to apply for credit in June, a significant decrease from 67% in May. This figure is below the typical baseline of 60% and marks a historic low.

• F&I Process Frustrations: Beyond credit, other finance and insurance (F&I) steps also became harder:

  • Selecting additional F&I products: Ease dropped to 57% (from 66% in May).

  • Filling out paperwork: Ease dropped to 68% (from 74% in May).

• Price and Trade-in Disagreement:

  • Agreeing on the final price: Ease fell to 56% (from 65% in May).

  • Agreeing on trade-in value: Ease fell to 48% (from 55% in May), despite a generally strong used car market.

• Inventory Still a Hurdle: Only 67% of buyers found it easy to find the vehicle they wanted (down from 74% in May).

• Consumers Settling for Alternatives: Fewer buyers ordered from the factory (15% in June vs. 20% in May) or bought in-transit vehicles (19% vs. 22%). Instead, more people (15%, up from 9%) picked an alternate car already in stock.

• Increased Transaction Time: A growing number of buyers (36%, up from 31% in May) reported that the process took longer than they expected, one of the highest numbers recorded for this category.

Key success factors of product (trend): Streamlined Finance, Transparent Pricing, and Efficient Experience

• Simplified Credit Process: The ability for consumers to easily apply for and secure favorable credit terms is paramount. This includes clear communication of eligibility and interest rates.

• Transparent and Fair Pricing: Agreeing on the final price and trade-in value without significant friction or perceived unfairness is crucial for buyer satisfaction.

• Efficient F&I Operations: Streamlining the selection of F&I products and the completion of paperwork to minimize time and complexity for the customer.

• Accessible Desired Inventory: Ensuring that consumers can easily find the specific vehicle they want, or being able to offer highly appealing alternatives if their first choice isn't available.

• Expedited Transaction Time: Reducing the overall time spent at the dealership to complete the purchase process, as longer waits significantly detract from the experience.

Key Takeaway:

Car buyer satisfaction plummeted in June 2025 due to a severe credit crunch, compounded by persistent inventory issues, pricing disagreements, and lengthy dealership processes, creating an unprecedentedly difficult purchasing experience.

Main trend: The "Car Buying Conundrum"

Description of the trend: A Multi-Faceted Erosion of the Car Purchase Experience

The "Car Buying Conundrum" describes a significant and widespread downturn in the ease and satisfaction of purchasing a vehicle, driven by a complex interplay of factors. This trend is characterized by a tightening credit market that makes financing more challenging and impacts final pricing. Simultaneously, consumers continue to face hurdles in finding their desired vehicles, often leading to compromises on their preferred choice. These issues are exacerbated by lengthy and cumbersome finance and insurance (F&I) processes and an overall increase in the time spent at the dealership. The "Conundrum" highlights a disconnect between evolving consumer expectations for a seamless, efficient transaction and the current reality of a process fraught with friction, resulting in widespread buyer frustration and dissatisfaction.

What is consumer motivation: Affordability, Efficiency, and Choice

• Financial Feasibility: The primary motivation is to secure a vehicle at an affordable price, which is heavily reliant on accessible and favorable credit terms.

• Time Efficiency: Consumers are motivated to complete the car-buying process quickly and efficiently, minimizing time spent on paperwork and negotiations at the dealership.

• Desired Vehicle Acquisition: A strong motivation to find and purchase the exact make, model, and features they want, without having to compromise.

• Transparency and Simplicity: A desire for a straightforward and clear purchasing process, free from hidden fees or complex, opaque financial discussions.

• Fair Value: Motivation to receive a fair and agreeable value for their trade-in vehicle.

What is motivation beyond the trend: Control, Trust, and Seamless Integration

• Sense of Control: Beyond efficiency, consumers are motivated by a desire to feel in control of the purchasing process, from online research to in-dealership interactions, rather than feeling overwhelmed or pressured.

• Building Trust: A deeper motivation to build trust with dealerships and financial institutions, which is eroded when processes are difficult, opaque, or lead to unexpected outcomes.

• Seamless Digital-to-Physical Transition: The underlying motivation for many modern buyers is a desire for a truly integrated experience where online research and pre-work seamlessly transition to efficient in-person completion, without repetition or data loss.

• Reduced Stress: A fundamental motivation to minimize the stress and anxiety typically associated with a large financial transaction like buying a car.

• Post-Purchase Satisfaction: The desire for the positive experience of owning a new vehicle not to be overshadowed by a difficult buying journey.

Description of consumers article is referring.

Consumer Summary: The Stressed, Compromising, and Time-Sensitive Car Buyer

The article refers to a broad base of car buyers in June 2025 who are facing unexpected and significant hurdles in their purchase journey. While specific demographics aren't detailed, the issues (credit, pricing, time) suggest a widespread impact across various segments. These consumers are characterized by their pre-existing expectations for a relatively smooth process, which are now being severely challenged, leading to frustration and a willingness to compromise on their ideal vehicle.

• Who are them:

  • General Car Buyers: The survey reflects a broad sample of consumers who purchased new vehicles within the last three months, indicating a wide demographic impact.

  • Credit-Dependent Buyers: A significant portion of buyers relying on financing, who are now facing unexpected difficulties in securing loans.

  • Time-Sensitive Individuals: Consumers with busy schedules who are particularly frustrated by longer-than-expected dealership visits.

  • Value-Conscious Buyers: Those who are sensitive to final pricing and trade-in values, and are now finding it harder to reach agreeable terms.

• What kind of products they like:

  • The article doesn't specify preferred car types, but implies a desire for specific makes/models/trims that they are now having to compromise on.

  • They like transparent financial products and a clear understanding of costs.

• What is their age?: Not specified, but car buyers typically span a wide age range, predominantly adults from young professionals to retirees. The impact on credit suggests a broad financial challenge.

• What is their gender?: Not specified, likely gender-neutral.

• What is their income?: Not specified, but the "credit crunch" implies challenges across various income brackets, particularly for those who might have qualified for better terms previously.

• What is their lifestyle:

  • Busy & Demanding: Expect efficiency and convenience in major transactions.

  • Financially Prudent/Aware: Concerned about interest rates, overall cost, and trade-in value.

  • Research-Oriented: Likely to have researched vehicles and financing options online before visiting the dealership.

  • Pragmatic: Willing to settle for an in-stock alternative if their ideal car is too difficult to obtain.

• What are their shopping preferences in the category (Car Buying):

  • Efficiency: Prefer a quick and streamlined process.

  • Transparency: Desire clear communication on pricing, credit terms, and F&I products.

  • Digital Integration: Likely to start their process online and expect seamless transition to in-store.

  • No Redundancy: Frustrated by having to repeat information or steps.

  • Desire for Choice: Want to find the exact vehicle they want without significant compromise.

• Are they low, occasional or frequent category shoppers: Car buying is typically an occasional purchase (every few years). The frustration indicates that even infrequent, high-stakes purchases are becoming problematic.

• What are their general shopping preferences-how they shop products, shopping motivations): Their general shopping preferences are driven by a desire for convenience, efficiency, transparency, and value in high-consideration purchases. They are motivated by the need for reliable transportation and the aspiration of owning a specific vehicle, but are increasingly encountering friction that undermines these motivations.

Conclusions:

The car buying landscape in June 2025 is marked by an unprecedented decline in consumer satisfaction, primarily due to a severe credit crunch that complicates financing and impacts pricing. This, coupled with persistent inventory issues, F&I frustrations, and longer transaction times, creates a highly challenging and dissatisfying experience for buyers. Dealerships and the broader automotive industry must urgently address these systemic friction points to restore consumer confidence and streamline the purchase journey.

Implications for brands: Adapt Finance, Optimize Inventory, and Enhance Transparency

• Re-evaluate Financing Strategies: Automotive brands and their captive finance companies must adapt their credit offerings to current economic realities, potentially exploring more flexible terms or targeted assistance programs for buyers facing challenges.

  • Detail: This could involve working with a wider range of lenders or adjusting lending criteria where feasible.

• Optimize Inventory Management: Brands need to refine their production and distribution to ensure that popular models and configurations are available in dealerships, minimizing the need for buyers to settle for alternatives.

  • Detail: Predictive analytics can help align inventory with real-time consumer demand.

• Prioritize Transparency in Pricing: Ensure that final vehicle prices and trade-in valuations are clearly communicated and justified, reducing friction and distrust during negotiations.

  • Detail: Implement tools that allow for real-time, transparent pricing adjustments based on credit approvals.

Implication for society: Economic Strain and Eroding Consumer Confidence

• Reduced Mobility Access (Potential): If car buying remains difficult due to credit challenges, it could impact individuals' access to reliable transportation, affecting employment, education, and overall quality of life.

  • Detail: This could particularly affect lower-income segments or those with less established credit.

• Increased Household Debt Burden: For those who do secure loans, higher interest rates due to credit tightening could lead to increased financial strain and contribute to broader household debt.

  • Detail: This could have ripple effects on consumer spending in other sectors.

• Erosion of Trust in Major Purchases: A consistently difficult car-buying experience could lead to a broader erosion of consumer trust in large-ticket purchases and the financial systems supporting them.

  • Detail: This might make consumers more hesitant to engage in other significant investments.

Implications for consumers: Heightened Stress, Compromise, and Longer Journeys

• Increased Financial Stress: Consumers will face greater anxiety and stress related to securing financing and negotiating prices, potentially leading to less favorable loan terms.

  • Detail: This can make the car-buying process a mentally taxing experience.

• Forced Compromises: Buyers may frequently need to compromise on their desired vehicle specifications (color, trim, features) due to limited inventory or financial constraints.

  • Detail: This means not getting the "perfect" car they envisioned.

• Extended Time Commitment: Consumers should anticipate spending significantly more time at the dealership, navigating various departments and waiting for processes to complete.

  • Detail: This impacts personal schedules and adds to overall inconvenience.

Summary of Trends:

• Core Consumer Trend: The Financially Strained & Compromising Buyer. Consumers are increasingly facing credit challenges and are being forced to settle for less-than-ideal vehicle choices, leading to significant dissatisfaction.

• Core Consumer Sub Trend: The Time-Sensitive & Frustrated Shopper. Buyers are experiencing longer transaction times and more friction points, directly impacting their overall satisfaction and perception of the purchase process.

• Core Social Trend: Economic Headwinds Impacting Big-Ticket Purchases. Broader economic conditions, particularly tightening credit, are directly translating into difficulties for consumers making major investments like car purchases.

• Social Drive: The Pursuit of Financial Stability & Efficiency. A fundamental desire to manage personal finances effectively and complete necessary transactions with minimal hassle, which is currently being challenged in the automotive sector.

• Core Trend: The Deterioration of the Car Buying Experience. The overall ease and satisfaction of purchasing a vehicle have seen an unprecedented decline due to a confluence of credit, inventory, pricing, and time-related challenges.

• Core Strategy: Crisis Management & Customer Experience Recovery. For dealerships and OEMs, the core strategy must shift from optimizing sales to actively mitigating consumer frustration and recovering the eroded customer experience through targeted improvements.

• Core Industry Trend: Finance as the Primary Friction Point. While inventory has been a past issue, the finance and insurance (F&I) department has emerged as the leading source of friction and dissatisfaction in the car-buying process.

• Core Consumer Motivation: Seamless & Affordable Acquisition. Consumers are motivated by the desire for a straightforward, transparent, and financially feasible process to acquire their desired vehicle.

Strategic Recommendations for brands to follow in 2025: Prioritize Finance, Streamline Processes, and Empathize

• Re-engineer the Credit Application Process: Work with lenders to simplify and expedite credit applications, potentially integrating more pre-approval tools online and providing clearer communication on credit decisions and available options.

  • Detail: Focus on reducing the "easy to apply for credit" score from 53% back above 60%.

• Enhance F&I Transparency and Efficiency: Develop digital tools and training for F&I managers to clearly explain products, streamline paperwork, and offer flexible options, reducing the perceived pressure and complexity.

  • Detail: Aim to improve "ease of selecting F&I products" (currently 57%) and "ease of filling out paperwork" (currently 68%).

• Proactive Price & Trade-in Communication: Implement systems that allow for more transparent and dynamic pricing, and provide clearer, more consistent trade-in valuations early in the process to manage expectations.

  • Detail: Address the low satisfaction with "agreeing on final price" (56%) and "agreeing on trade-in value" (48%).

• Optimize Dealership Flow & Time Management: Analyze and re-engineer in-dealership processes to significantly reduce waiting times and overall transaction duration, particularly in F&I.

  • Detail: Acknowledge and address the 36% of buyers who experienced longer-than-expected waits.

• Invest in Customer Empathy Training: Provide comprehensive training to all dealership staff on how to empathize with and effectively assist customers facing credit challenges, inventory compromises, or lengthy waits.

  • Detail: Focus on problem-solving and maintaining a positive attitude throughout difficult conversations.

Final Conclusion: The Road Ahead Demands Empathy, Efficiency, and Financial Clarity.

The June 2025 CDK Global Ease of Purchase study paints a stark picture: the car buying journey has become unexpectedly arduous, dominated by credit challenges and pervasive friction. This is not merely a blip; it's a critical moment demanding a fundamental re-evaluation of how the automotive industry serves its customers. The road ahead for brands and dealerships is clear: it requires an unwavering commitment to empathy, radical efficiency in all processes, and absolute financial clarity. Only by addressing these core pain points — particularly in the F&I office — can the industry hope to restore consumer confidence, shorten the transaction lag, and ensure that purchasing a car once again becomes the exciting, rather than exasperating, experience it should be.

Core Trend Detailed: The "Friction Point Avalanche" in Car Buying

The core trend dominating the car buying experience in June 2025 is the "Friction Point Avalanche," a significant and widespread increase in difficulties across nearly every stage of the vehicle purchase journey. This trend is characterized by a plummeting overall ease of purchase score, driven primarily by a tightening credit market, but exacerbated by issues in inventory, F&I processes, pricing, and transaction times. Unlike previous dips often tied to single factors like inventory shortages, this "avalanche" represents a confluence of compounding challenges. Consumers are finding it harder to secure financing at favorable rates, leading to dissatisfaction with final prices. They are also spending longer at dealerships, often settling for alternative vehicles not initially desired, and encountering more frustrations with paperwork and selecting F&I products. This trend signifies a substantial erosion of the customer experience, moving away from the streamlined, digital-friendly process many buyers now expect, and posing a critical challenge for dealerships.

Key Characteristics of the Core trend: Widespread Difficulty and Eroding Trust

• Sharp Decline in Overall Ease: The CDK Global Ease of Purchase Score plummeted from 90% in May to 77% in June, marking the steepest decline in the survey's three-year history and the lowest score recorded. This indicates a severe and rapid deterioration of the customer experience.

• Credit Crunch at the Forefront: Only 53% of buyers found it easy to apply for credit in June, a significant drop from 67% in May and well below the typical baseline of 60%. This is described as a historic low, highlighting significant barriers to financing.

• F&I Department Frustrations: Beyond credit applications, other F&I (Finance & Insurance) processes also saw significant drops in ease. Only 57% found it easy to select additional F&I products (down from 66%), and paperwork completion ease fell to 68% (from 74%). These figures point to growing complexity and dissatisfaction within the final stages of the purchase.

• Pricing and Trade-in Discontent: Agreeing on the final price became more difficult (56% found it easy, down from 65%), and agreeing on trade-in value also dropped below half (48% found it easy, down from 55%), despite a generally strong used car market. This indicates a disconnect between consumer expectations and dealer offers.

• Lingering Inventory Challenges: While not the sole driver, finding the desired vehicle remained an issue, with only 67% finding it easy (down from 74%). More buyers (15%, up from 9%) opted to settle for an alternate car in stock rather than ordering or waiting, suggesting ongoing supply-demand mismatches for specific models.

• Increased Transaction Time: A significant portion of buyers (36%, up from 31%) reported that the car-buying process took longer than expected, one of the highest numbers recorded for this metric. This prolonged process adds to buyer frustration and inconvenience.

Market and Cultural Signals Supporting the Trend: Economic Headwinds and Evolving Expectations

• Tightening Credit Markets: Broader economic factors are leading to a tightening of consumer credit across various sectors, impacting the ability of consumers to secure favorable car loans and interest rates. This is the primary market signal driving the current difficulty, making financing a significant hurdle for many.

• Inflationary Pressures (Implied): While not explicitly detailed, a generally inflationary environment likely contributes to higher vehicle prices, making the "final price" negotiation a more sensitive point for consumers already facing budget constraints and potentially higher living costs.

• Post-Pandemic Inventory Flux: Although vehicle inventory has improved from peak shortage periods, it's still not consistently meeting specific consumer desires for particular models, trims, or features. This leads to compromises and extended search difficulties for buyers.

• Rising Consumer Expectations for Efficiency: Consumers, increasingly accustomed to seamless and efficient digital experiences in other retail sectors (e.g., online shopping, banking), have higher expectations for the speed and ease of the car-buying process. When confronted with delays and complexities, their satisfaction plummets quickly.

• Shifting Dealer Focus (Implied): While many dealerships have focused on speeding up sales in recent years, the current confluence of challenges, particularly in F&I, suggests that previous gains in efficiency are being overshadowed or new bottlenecks are emerging, possibly due to increased complexity in lending or product offerings.

• David Thomas's Statement: The observation by CDK industry analyst David Thomas, "We've never seen one like this," underscores the severity and unique nature of the current challenges compared to past market fluctuations.

How the Trend Is Changing Consumer Behavior: Settling, Frustration, and Longer Waits

This trend is dramatically altering consumer behavior in the car-buying process, pushing buyers towards compromise, increased patience (often unwillingly), and heightened frustration. Faced with persistent credit challenges and difficulty securing their desired vehicles, a growing number of consumers are settling for alternative cars that may not perfectly match their preferences in terms of color, trim, or features. The process is increasingly perceived as taking longer than expected, leading to significant dissatisfaction and potentially impacting their willingness to recommend dealerships or return for future purchases. Consumers are spending more time navigating complex credit applications, discussing F&I product selections, and completing extensive paperwork, resulting in a more arduous and less satisfying experience overall. This behavioral shift implies that the "perfect purchase" is becoming rarer, often replaced by a more pragmatic, yet frequently disappointing, transaction.

Implications Across the Ecosystem (For Brands and CPGs, For Retailers, For Consumers): Re-evaluate, Streamline, and Empathize

• For Brands and CPGs (Automotive OEMs/Finance Arms):

  • Re-evaluate Finance Programs: OEMs and their captive finance companies need to urgently review and potentially adjust credit approval processes, lending criteria, and incentive programs to better align with current consumer credit realities and reduce friction points in financing.

  • Support Dealerships with Training & Tools: Provide enhanced training and sophisticated digital resources to dealerships, particularly F&I departments, to navigate complex credit scenarios, communicate effectively, and streamline paperwork for struggling buyers.

  • Optimize Inventory Allocation: Continue to refine inventory allocation strategies to ensure desirable models and trims are readily available where demand is highest, minimizing the need for buyers to settle for less-preferred options.

• For Retailers (Dealerships):

  • Streamline F&I Processes: Dealerships must immediately identify and address bottlenecks in the finance and insurance office. This includes simplifying credit applications, improving the clarity and transparency of F&I product explanations, and accelerating paperwork completion through digital solutions.

  • Enhanced Communication & Expectation Management: Proactively communicate potential challenges (e.g., credit difficulty, longer waits, inventory limitations) to buyers upfront. Managing expectations around transaction times and vehicle availability can significantly reduce in-the-moment frustration.

  • Customer-Centric Training: Train all staff, from sales to F&I, on empathy, active listening, and problem-solving, especially for customers facing credit challenges or having to compromise on vehicle choice. The focus should be on making the overall experience as positive and supportive as possible.

  • Seamless Digital Integration: While the article alludes to data transfer issues, dealerships should redouble efforts to ensure digital tools (online applications, virtual trade-in valuations) truly streamline the entire in-store process rather than creating redundant steps or data entry.

• For Consumers:

  • Increased Due Diligence: Consumers need to be even more prepared before visiting a dealership, including thoroughly checking their credit score, understanding their personal budget limits, and researching available inventory very thoroughly.

  • Flexibility and Patience: Buyers should be prepared to be more flexible on vehicle specifications (e.g., color, trim, minor features) and mentally ready for potentially longer transaction times and more complex, detailed financing discussions.

  • Advocacy for Themselves: Consumers should be prepared to ask more probing questions about credit terms, F&I products, and pricing, and be willing to walk away or seek alternatives if the process becomes too frustrating, opaque, or financially unfavorable.

Strategic Forecast: Sustained Headwinds and a Push for Transparency and Efficiency

The strategic forecast suggests that the challenges observed in June 2025 – particularly surrounding credit, F&I processes, and transaction times – are likely to persist throughout the summer and potentially longer. The CDK analyst, David Thomas, indicates these "unprecedented results might be an aberration, but the issues surrounding credit, a tightening of captive finance deals, and other factors will remain throughout the summer, if not longer." This implies that dealerships will be under continued and increasing pressure to improve efficiency and customer experience amidst these economic and procedural headwinds. There will be a sustained and growing push for greater transparency in pricing and credit terms across the industry, as well as a more seamless and truly integrated approach to online and in-person processes to reduce friction points. The market may see a continued shift in how buyers acquire vehicles, with more settling for immediately available, in-stock options, and a heightened focus on the entire customer journey from initial inquiry to final delivery.

Areas of innovation (implied by article): Streamlining the Sticking Points

• Automated Credit Pre-Qualification & Application:

  • Detail: Developing and integrating more robust and secure online tools that allow buyers to complete a significant portion of their credit application process, including secure document uploads and receiving preliminary approvals or rejections, before they step into the dealership. This aims to dramatically reduce in-store time and credit-related friction.

• Transparent F&I Product Configurators:

  • Detail: Creating intuitive, digital platforms or interactive in-store kiosks where customers can independently explore, compare, and select F&I products (like extended warranties, service contracts) with clear, straightforward pricing, detailed benefits, and transparent terms. This would reduce perceived pressure and improve customer understanding.

• Dynamic Pricing & Deal Structuring Tools:

  • Detail: Implementing advanced software that allows sales and F&I teams to quickly and accurately model various payment scenarios, interest rate impacts, and real-time trade-in valuations. This helps buyers understand and agree on the final price and financing structure more easily and efficiently.

• Enhanced Inventory Visualization & Alternative Search:

  • Detail: Improving online inventory systems with highly detailed photos, 360-degree virtual tours, and AI-powered recommendations for alternative in-stock vehicles that closely match a customer's original preference. This minimizes the need for physical visits to multiple lots and helps manage expectations if the exact desired vehicle isn't available.

• Concierge-Level Transaction Management:

  • Detail: Implementing a customer-centric model where a single point of contact or a dedicated "deal coordinator" guides the buyer through every step of the purchase process, from initial inquiry and credit application to vehicle delivery. This ensures data consistency, minimizes redundant paperwork, and significantly reduces waiting times at various touchpoints.

Final Thought (summary): The Imperative of Empathy in a Challenging Market.

The plummeting car buyer satisfaction in June 2025, as revealed by CDK Global, serves as a stark warning: the automotive purchase journey is facing significant systemic friction, primarily driven by a tightening credit landscape. This is not merely an an isolated inconvenience; it's actively eroding the fundamental ease of a major consumer transaction and risking long-term brand loyalty. The ultimate imperative for dealerships and brands moving forward is empathy – understanding the increasing pressure and frustration consumers face. Success will hinge on a proactive commitment to streamlining processes, enhancing transparency across all stages, and providing compassionate guidance through what has become an an unexpectedly challenging and lengthy process. The market demands not just cars, but a significantly improved, more efficient, and ultimately more human-centric buying experience.

 Source: https://www.autonews.com/retail/finance-insurance/an-cdk-finance-office-challenges-june-0722/