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The Smoke Break with Adrian The Car Guy

Adrian The Car Guy

Car salesmen and money don't always mix. Adrian Gonzalez, General Manager of Payne Edinburg CDJR, sits down with co-host Adriana and sales consultants Caleb and Kirby to talk about the worst money moves they've made: a $10K meme coin called Smoking Chicken Fish, a $12K Vegas run that ended at the baccarat table, and $48,000 gone in four hours that ended with a Lambo.

They also get honest about the biggest myth about car salesmen, what they've learned working at a car dealership, how Kirby got two managers fired, whether SRT is coming back, and a dealership rapid fire round.

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Yesterday · 24 min
Is Now the Best Time to Buy a Jeep or Ram? Employee Pricing Is Back
Stellantis brought back true employee pricing for November 2026, and it stacks with rebates on select Jeep and Ram models. Adrian Gonzalez, GM of Payne Edinburg CDJR, and co-host Adriana go through every deal: up to $17,400 off MSRP, 0% for 60 months on eligible 2026 Ram 1500s, and leases from $369 a month on a Jeep Wrangler. In this episode: - What employee pricing really is (6% under invoice) and why these discounts come with no hooks - Every lease payment, line by line: Jeep Wrangler $369 and $409, Cherokee Laredo $459, Cherokee Limited $489, Ram 1500 Laramie $549, Gladiator Sport $569, Gladiator Rubicon $619 - What "due at signing" really includes - What credit score you need to lease, and how negative equity changes your payment - Bonus: your tire comments, and where a tire can and can't be repaired See every deal with stock numbers: https://adrianthecarguy.com Watch the full episode on YouTube: @adrianthecarguy1 Chapters: 00:00 Coming up 00:25 Welcome to The Smoke Break 01:23 Stellantis employee pricing is back 03:01 Up to $17,400 off MSRP 03:58 No hooks, no gimmicks 05:01 0% for 60 months on the Ram 1500 05:18 Not seen in 2.5 years 06:16 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon lease: $619 07:56 Jeep Cherokee Laredo lease: $459 09:24 Jeep Cherokee Limited lease: $489 10:00 What "due at signing" really means 10:44 The $369 Jeep Wrangler 12:55 The $549 Ram 1500 Laramie 14:18 Jeep Gladiator Sport lease: $569 14:51 Every deal recapped 15:46 What credit score you need to lease 16:11 Negative equity and your payment 17:28 Get every deal at AdrianTheCarGuy.com 19:10 Bonus: the tire comments 24:05 Sign-off With approved credit. Leases: 42 months, 10,000 miles a year, $2,999 due at signing (first payment, taxes and fees), no trade. The Ram 1500 Laramie lease is for Texas residents. Offers end Nov 30, 2026, unless changed by Stellantis. See Payne Edinburg CDJR, Edinburg, Texas, for details. The Smoke Break with Adrian The Car Guy. Helping America Buy Smarter.
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Wednesday · 20 min· Video
He Didn't Hesitate When They Asked About 3 Foster Kids
Choosing foster care is a life-changing commitment. Hear an honest perspective on what it means to open your home to children. Building a family through the foster care system takes patience and a deep desire to share your life with those who need it most. We sit down to discuss the personal side of this journey, focusing on the emotional reality of providing a stable environment for kids who deserve to have things of their own. This conversation highlights the importance of long-term support in foster parenting. Whether you are considering becoming a foster parent or just want to understand the process, this discussion provides a grounded look at the commitment required. We cover the shift in priorities that comes with welcoming children into your home and why the timing of these life decisions is so critical. Understanding the foster care system is key to making an informed choice for your future. Subscribe to Adrian The Car Guy for weekly dealership insights and life advice. Let us know in the comments: what is the most rewarding part of your own personal journey? 00:00:00 Coming up 00:00:24 Welcome to The Smoke Break 00:02:14 The biggest myth about foster care 00:02:54 Why a pastor became a foster parent 00:04:33 Do foster parents do it for the money? 00:06:13 Twin girls, then a baby brother 00:08:56 Fostering is not adoption 00:10:02 Adoption day 00:12:03 "You feel all alone" 00:13:09 The Christmas mission 00:15:06 3 kids to 6 in 3 months 00:17:09 His son's prayer 00:18:28 Why this hits home for Adrian 00:21:04 The need is right here in Hidalgo County 00:21:50 What to have in place before you apply 00:23:02 A Christmas tree full of memories 00:24:17 How you can help 00:26:09 Sign-off
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October 30 · 20 min
Car Salesman vs. Service Advisor: Who Really Has It Harder?
Sales or service: who really has it harder? Co-host Adriana sits down with Sam (sales consultant) and Eric (service advisor) from Payne Edinburg CDJR to settle it. > > They get into whether dealerships overcharge for service, the service specials running in October 2026, the young techs taking whole engines apart, how Eric finds parts faster for his customers, the salesman who used to run his own mobile brake business, whether a $15K repair is worth fixing or trading, and the great Hellcat vs. Corvette debate. > > Chapters > 0:00 Sales vs. service: who has it harder? > 0:30 Welcome: Sam and Eric > 1:43 "Eric is my guy" > 3:10 Do dealerships overcharge for service? > 5:05 Service specials > 5:59 Inside the shop: young techs, big jobs > 8:33 Getting parts faster > 9:03 Who has it easier: sales or service? > 10:41 Could Sam work in service? > 12:00 Regulars and "Sam the Ham" > 13:22 The salesman who ran a brake business > 15:12 Who would survive without a manager? > 15:59 Fix it or trade it? > 17:20 Hellcat or Corvette? > 20:11 Part 2 and goodbye > > Watch the full video episode on YouTube: @adrianthecarguy1 or go on www.adrianthecarguy.com > > Payne Edinburg Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, Edinburg, TX. Service specials change, so ask the service department for current offers.
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October 28 · 16 min
Toyota GM vs Jeep GM: Why Your Dealer's Online Price Isn't Real (with Adrian Burone)
Why does the price you saw online change once you get to the dealership? I run a Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram store, and my friend Adrian Burone is a Toyota general manager. We walked a golf-course path at sunrise and compared how both sides price cars. We get into the $2,000 add-on package some buyers find after driving out of town for a $500 better deal, the trade-in and residency fine print behind some online prices, Toyota's MAP rule on advertised prices, what a $90-a-month Tacoma lease with $13,000 down really costs, why he says 5 or 6 of the top 10 resale-value vehicles on Edmunds are Toyotas, and how to get salespeople posting on social media. Plus a sunrise meditation that turned out to be live, and a pull-up challenge. Recorded March 9, 2026 in the Rio Grande Valley. 0:00 Cold open 0:20 Toyota vs Stellantis 1:43 The online price and the fine print 2:52 How Toyota gets you in the door 3:45 The $2,000 package 5:05 Sunrise meditation (were we live?) 6:12 Friends at rival stores 8:18 The $90 Tacoma lease 9:34 Why Toyotas hold their value 10:45 Tech vs reliability 12:59 Social media sells cars 16:00 The pull-up challenge Watch the full video on YouTube: @adrianthecarguy1 Shopping for a new or used vehicle, or want your numbers sent over by video? DM me on TikTok or Instagram, or leave a comment on the YouTube video.
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October 21 · 26 min
Car Salesmen Reveal the Biggest Car Buying Mistakes (Old School vs. New School)
What do car salespeople wish every buyer knew? General Manager Adrian Gonzalez and co-host Adriana sit down with Miguel Orta and Sam from Payne Edinburg CDJR, with Kirby joining in the second half, to talk about the biggest car buying mistakes and how selling cars has changed: > - How to build trust with a car buyer, and what a fair deal looks like. > - "I can't afford it": wants vs. needs, and why a $600 payment with $18K of negative equity doesn't add up. > - First-time car buyer tips: budget, insurance, features, credit and down payment. > - Rebates vs. special financing. > - "I need to talk to my wife" and the 3 M's. > - Trading in too soon, Kelley Blue Book vs. a real appraisal, and a customer $41,000 upside down. > > Watch the full episode on YouTube: @adrianthecarguy1 > Follow Adrian The Car Guy: @adrianthecarguy > > 00:00 What salespeople wish buyers knew > 00:33 Welcome: Miguel Orta and Sam > 01:14 Harder to sell cars six years ago? > 03:44 Customers who don't know what they want > 05:19 How to build trust with a car buyer > 06:59 Are customers harder to close today? > 08:35 TikTok: salespeople or influencers? > 10:32 What it takes to sell 20 cars a month > 12:25 "I can't afford it": wants vs. needs > 14:25 First-time car buyer? Start here > 16:52 Rebate or special financing? > 17:30 Rapid fire > 19:10 "I need to talk to my wife" > 21:10 The biggest car buying mistakes > 22:20 Trading in too soon > 24:36 $41,000 upside down > 25:17 Kirby's tip: always cover your taxes > > Payments, rates, rebates and trade-in values depend on the vehicle, your credit and the programs available when you buy. This episode is general information, not financial advice.
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October 17 · 16 min
How to Buy a Car in Your Business Name (Section 179 and Business Credit Explained)
Part 2 of our car financing Q&A. Hector, finance manager at Payne Edinburg CDJR, and General Manager Adrian Gonzalez answer business owners' questions: > - Buying a vehicle in your business name vs. your personal name. > - Section 179 and the 6,000-lb rule. > - How a personal guarantee works. > - Whether a business auto loan builds business credit. > > Plus why good-credit customers still miss out on deals, checking your insurance before you buy, total cost of ownership, and what to know before you walk into the finance office. > > Missed Part 1? Listen to "How to Buy a Car With Bad Credit". > Watch the full episode on YouTube: @adrianthecarguy1 > Follow Adrian The Car Guy: @adrianthecarguy > > 00:00 Welcome back to The Smoke Break > 01:54 Good credit and still missing out? > 03:43 Section 179: the 6,000-lb rule > 05:32 Check your insurance before you buy > 06:22 Total cost of ownership > 07:18 Business name or personal name? > 10:32 How business owners buy a vehicle > 11:45 Does a business loan build credit? > 14:08 Selling the car vs. getting it funded > 15:09 What frustrates a finance manager > 15:46 Before the finance office > > We're a finance manager and a general manager, not CPAs. This episode is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Section 179 and depreciation depend on the vehicle's GVWR, business use and current IRS limits, so check with your CPA. As a personal guarantor, you're still responsible if the business can't pay.
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October 17 · 28 min
How to Buy a Car With Bad Credit (A Finance Manager Explains)
> How do you buy a car with bad credit? Hector, finance manager at Payne Edinburg CDJR, and General Manager Adrian Gonzalez answer your car credit and financing questions: what credit score you really need, why it can be easier to get approved after a repo than with a past-due payment, how to "buy your credit back" with money down, whether a co-signer helps, $0 down vs. money down, 96-month car loans, negative equity, and dealership financing vs. your own bank. > > Watch the full episode on YouTube: @adrianthecarguy1 > Follow Adrian The Car Guy: @adrianthecarguy > > 00:00 Bad credit? How financing works > 00:33 Welcome to The Smoke Break > 02:06 What credit score do you need? > 05:49 500 score or a repo: approved? > 08:19 Should you pay cash for a car? > 10:43 Does a co-signer help? > 11:59 Collections and late payments > 13:10 Pay off your debt first? > 15:43 Can you buy a car with $0 down? > 17:55 The monthly payment trap > 20:06 What it costs to charge an EV > 21:10 How to lower your payment > 24:01 Negative equity on a trade-in > 25:15 Dealership vs. your bank > 27:08 Part 2 questions > > This episode is general information about car financing, not financial advice. Every approval depends on the lender and your full credit history.
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October 16 · 30 min
Car Salesman Pay: Can You Really Make Six Figures? A GM Answers
> Do car salesmen really make six figures? Adrian Gonzalez, General Manager of Payne Edinburg CDJR in Edinburg, Texas, answers on The Smoke Break: how car salesman pay plans change between a high-volume store and a Stellantis store, why minis and volume bonuses matter, and how many cars it takes to make a good check. > Co-host Adriana sits down with Adrian and salesmen Sam and Kirby for an honest look at dealership life: who owns a customer when there are no notes in the CRM, the worst excuses for not selling a car, how social media puts salespeople in front of buyers, and what a GM would do with $10,000 to market himself. > Watch the full episode on YouTube: @adrianthecarguy1 > Follow Adrian The Car Guy: @adrianthecarguy > Chapters > (00:00) Coming up > (00:38) Welcome to The Smoke Break > (01:24) Deals: 25% off Rams, 0% on Cherokee > (03:41) Better salesman: Kirby or Sam? > (06:59) Filming content at the dealership > (08:29) A car business movie? > (09:57) The power of social media > (11:03) Biggest diva? Sam's two phones > (12:51) Who owns the customer? No CRM notes > (16:25) The worst excuse for not selling a car > (18:15) Who is Adrian's favorite salesman? > (19:29) Can car salespeople make six figures? > (21:22) GM for a day > (22:58) $10,000 to market yourself > (27:52) What stops you from selling more cars? > Offers discussed were current when we recorded on Oct. 14, 2026, and are subject to change. Restrictions apply; see Payne Edinburg CDJR for details.
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October 14 · 46 min· Video
Car Salesmen Reveal Their Worst Money Moves ($48K Gone in 4 Hours)
Car salesmen and money don't always mix. Adrian Gonzalez, General Manager of Payne Edinburg CDJR, sits down with co-host Adriana and sales consultants Caleb and Kirby to talk about the worst money moves they've made: a $10K meme coin called Smoking Chicken Fish, a $12K Vegas run that ended at the baccarat table, and $48,000 gone in four hours that ended with a Lambo. They also get honest about the biggest myth about car salesmen, what they've learned working at a car dealership, how Kirby got two managers fired, whether SRT is coming back, and a dealership rapid fire round. Chapters 0:00 Coming up 0:30 Meet the squad 1:10 How they got into car sales 4:57 Kirby's meme coin money 9:06 Caleb's Vegas trip 11:04 $48K gone in 4 hours (and a Lambo) 12:58 The biggest myth about car salesmen 19:39 What they learned at the dealership 26:17 Kirby got 2 managers fired 30:18 Is SRT coming back? 31:53 Dealership rapid fire 34:50 The customer who left mid-deal 41:08 Who quits the car business first? 44:16 Final words Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ktTBqPHrjbA?si=xksIbm1mVoejXkJW Shopping for a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Ram? Visit Payne Edinburg CDJR in Edinburg, Texas. Follow along: TikTok: @thesmokebreakpod and @adrianthecarguy Instagram: @adrianthecarguy1
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