Three days of education, dealership tours, and peer-led problem-solving gave independent finance dealers a clearer path through rising costs, tighter capital, and closer regulatory scrutiny.
Buy here, pay here has never been an easy business. Right now, it might be harder than ever. Costs are up, capital is tighter, and regulators are paying closer attention to how dealers sell, finance, and collect.
That reality set the tone for the 2026 NIADA Buy Here, Pay Here Dealer Forum, held Nov. 1–3 at the JW Marriott Austin. Nearly 150 dealers and industry partners spent three days comparing notes, touring working dealerships, and leaving with ideas they could put to work right away.
The Forum is built for the whole leadership team, not just owners. General managers, finance and collections managers, sales managers, and service managers filled the sessions, and many dealerships brought several staff members so they could split up and cover more ground.
Opening Panel: “BHPH at a Crossroads”
The Forum opened Sunday afternoon with a general session panel titled “BHPH at a Crossroads: Navigating Today’s Challenges. Preparing for What’s Next.” NIADA Director of Education Brent Carmichael moderated a conversation with three dealers running very different operations:
- Nick Markosian, President, Markosian Auto (Salt Lake City, Utah)
- Jack Carter, Owner, Turn & Burn Motors (Conyers, Georgia)
- Blake Ingram, CEO, Auto City (Dallas, Texas)
Three BHPH operators with very different footprints agreed on one thing: 2026 is a grind. Business is flat to slightly down, inventory costs and customer affordability are squeezing deals, and staying even requires more effort than it used to. But the panel also saw slow times as a chance to get lean, and pointed to dealership acquisitions, a return of affordable new cars, and lower fuel prices as reasons for optimism.
Breakouts: Eight Sessions, Two Rounds
After the opening panel, attendees chose two of eight breakout sessions across two rounds, covering everything from fraud prevention to portfolio analytics.
Sunday wrapped with a happy hour with sponsors, followed by an off-site reception at Electric Shuffle hosted by the Forum’s Signature and Premier sponsors.
Dealers competed throughout the night while enjoying delicious bites. When all was said and done the top three winders of the evening were Jack Marshall of North Main Motors, Brandt Emery of Markosian Auto, and Jack Carter of Turn & Burn Motors.
New for 2026: Behind the Scenes at Austin Dealerships
Monday morning brought the Forum’s newest addition — dealership site visits. Attendees boarded buses to tour four working Austin-area BHPH operations: Texas Auto Center, Third Coast Auto Group, Discovery Auto Sales, and Chacon Autos.
Rather than hearing about best practices in a ballroom, dealers saw them in action, getting an up-close look at merchandising and lot appearance, sales operations, finance and collections, and service department efficiency.
Roundtables: Dealers Teaching Dealers
Monday afternoon belonged to the Forum’s signature feature — three hours of dealer-led roundtables. Attendees were seated with peers matched by dealership size and business model, so the conversation stayed relevant to the realities of their own operations.
Moderated by fellow dealers and NIADA 20 Group moderators, the groups set their own agendas. Underwriting, collections, inventory management, reconditioning, employee management, and access to capital were among the topics on the table.
Each table was also charged with identifying its best idea of the afternoon — setting up the Forum’s closing session.
Closing Double Header: TikTok and the Best Idea Contest
Tuesday morning’s closing general session opened withthe Best Idea Contest, led by Brent Carmichael. Winning ideas from each of Monday’s roundtables were presented to the full room, and attendees voted on the best of the best.
Russell Moore of Top Notch Used Cars in Conroe, Texas, won with his idea of using AI bots as “digital employees.” Moore said he’s bad at following up, so he built a bot that tracks his ideas and checks in with staff to make sure they get done. He now has five bots covering sales, collections, marketing, and buying, and they’re connected to his DMS, QuickBooks, phone system, and CRM.
He cited a specific use to help prevent repossessions. “I wanted to figure out an early trigger warning for repos,” Moore stated. One bot compares his past repos against his current portfolio, flags the accounts most likely to default, and sends that list to his collection manager every morning. At the end of the day, it checks whether she followed up and reports back to him. Moore said that in just three weeks this early-warning system has saved about 10 repos. He was clear that the goal isn’t to replace employees but to give them time back. “I’m trying to give them a day off during the week—I’m trying to buy back some time for them.”
Moore won two registrations to the June 2027 NIADA Convention & Expo at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, plus a three-night stay, courtesy of AutoZone.
The Forum closed with “Different Animal, Same Opportunity: TikTok for BHPH,” led by Ryan Copacia, principal at TikTok Automotive. Copacia showed how dealers can use the platform to reach the shoppers who are already spending time there. The top three takeaways from his presentation:
1. Authenticity beats polish. The dealers winning on TikTok are being themselves.
2.Going viral means nothing unless locals see it. Boosting your best organic posts in your own market is one of the most efficient media buys available.
3. Track the leads you’re already getting. The best TikTok sales happen in DMs and comments, so make sure those leads reach your CRM.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
The Forum would not be possible without the support of its sponsors, including Signature Sponsors Buckeye Risk Services, Ituran USA, National Lenders General Agency, Neo Verify, Park National Bank, PassTime GPS, Solera, TRS TaxMax, and TrueRe. A full list of Premier and Select sponsors is available at niada.com/bhphdealerforum.
Looking Ahead
NIADA CEO Jeff Martin closed the event by thanking attendees, moderators, sponsors, and the NIADA team for a successful few days in Austin.
“The success of the Buy Here, Pay Here Dealer Forum comes down to our dealers. You all showed up ready to take part, share ideas, and learn from one another. Those peer conversations are what make this event so valuable, and everyone is heading home with some ideas they can put to work in their own dealerships.”
Martin wrapped up by inviting everyone to the NIADA Convention & Expo next June in Nashville, Tennessee.
For dealers who couldn’t make it to Austin, the takeaways are clear: the challenges facing BHPH are real, but so are the solutions — and many of them are coming from dealers willing to share what works.
