Merry Christmas From The Car Pro Show! End-of-Year Car Buying Tips, Jerry's Top Reviews of 2024, Plus 2024 Land Rover Defender and 2024 Lexus IS 500 Test Drives-National

December 20, 2024

Welcome to our special Christmas Edition of the Car Pro newsletter. We start today with our audio and written Salute to our Military, voiced beautifully by Kevin McCarthy and a heartfelt message to our first responders, and it is beautiful. May God watch over them all especially at this special time of year.

I will be live with you this Saturday on WBAP in DFW 820 AM/93.3 FM and at WBAP.com, 9-11 AM CST and my guest hosts will be Trey Russell, the GM at Five Star Ford in Carrollton, Dane Minor, the GM at Freeman Toyota and Mike Ward, the GM at Classic Chevrolet.

It is the time of year to lease or purchase, as it is every December, but this year is even better than usual. Don’t miss the important information in our DECEMBER BUYING GUIDE. I cover such topics as end-of-year buying tips, how to determine your trade-in value, how to have a great car-buying experience during this hectic time for dealers, our Tax Code 179 guide with all eligible vehicles, our incentives guide to see the factory rebates, etc. on your dream vehicles, and the $7,500 federal rebates that run out on December 31 on electric and hybrid cars.

Also below, my TOP CAR REVIEWS of 2024, Kevin’s Famous Holiday Recipes, and much-awaited full details on the all-new 2025 Toyota 4Runner. This week, I have not one, not two, but THREE videos of the week for you! I also share with you an email I received from a listener that really warmed my heart.

Don’t miss my special once-a-year Christmas message at the very bottom of the newsletter.

In vehicle reviews, I have a review of the stunning 2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance, plus the 2024 Land Rover Defender 110 X-Performance SUV.

If you’ve ever needed my FAQ page, it is probably between now and year-end. Be sure to take a look: FAQ.

We so appreciate all of you who take this newsletter and listen to the show every week. We know that without you, there is no Car Pro Radio Show. So always let us know when we can help you. If you have not been there lately, take a look at our website, www.carpro.com, it changes all the time!

Have a terrific week. See you on the radio!

I hope you will take a minute before Christmas to remember our troops AND their families, many of them are thousands of miles away. We are proud to bring to you a very moving rendition of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

From the Car Pro Show staff, thank you ladies and gentlemen of our military for a job VERY WELL DONE. We are thinking of you and wish you were home.

Click here for the best three minutes of audio you’ve heard in a while, narrated by the melodious tones of Mr. Kevin McCarthy:

Here are the written words to the Salute:

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,

IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,

AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,

NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,

ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,

A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,

I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,

CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,

NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?

CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,

OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,

AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,

BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,

ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,

I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,

'SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,

MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS.'

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,

I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL

AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,

THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,

WHISPERED, 'CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE.'

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT.

As you sit down to a beautiful Christmas dinner, when you say your prayer, remember our first responders. All around America, there are empty chairs reserved for first responders.

Crimes still happen on Christmas, people are trapped in vehicle crashes, ambulances are rolling to heart attack victims, and the list goes on. There is no Christmas vacation for the men and women who put a uniform on and protect and serve us.

Take a moment and watch this Christmas tribute to the women and men who keep us safe every day:

From all of us at the Car Pro Show, thank you for what you do, we appreciate you and dedicate this video to you at this wonderful time of year. Merry Christmas!

If you are used to buying a new vehicle just after Christmas, my advice is to start now. While vehicles are more plentiful this year than in the past few, sales are brisk and our dealers are pre-selling incoming cars, especially in the case of Toyota and Lexus. If you want to take advantage of Tax Code 179, take advantage of the HUGE December incentives, or want to grab an EV before the $7,500 rebate runs out, START NOW.

Communicate with one of our dealers. Tell them what you want, try to be flexible if possible, and let them do what they do best: make you happy.

BEWARE of BAIT and SWITCH ONLINE PRICES

It is worse this time of year than any other time. Dealers putting unrealistic pricing is rampant right now. They only have one vehicle at that price and guess what? It sold this morning. They use all sorts of rebates you won’t qualify for, but you’re already three hours into the deal before you find out. Some will keep you hostage only to tell you later that it is “plus add-ons” or the price didn’t include transportation charges. Stick with my Certified Dealers to avoid this waste of time nonsense.

Here are some tips to help you make the Car Pro process quicker and easier:

First, be sure to start the process by emailing our dealers as prescribed below. Tell the dealer when you are going to visit them, and what you are looking for. It is a good idea to spend some time on the dealership’s website and if you find your dream car, include the stock number or VIN number.
If you have a bank or credit union, find out the best interest rate you can get. If the dealer can match or beat that rate, you can get everything done at one time, in one visit.
If you have frozen your credit files, unfreeze them in advance if you are going to finance.
If you have a trade-in, go through the vehicle and remove all personal items. Try to have it clean and the tires dressed. Leave all service records in a folder on the front seat.
If there is money owed on your trade-in, call and get a 10-day payoff from your lender. If your trade-in is paid off, take the title with you and both sets of keys. Take your current insurance card and driver license.

Using our system is easy, but MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS IS A PROCESS and it needs to be followed to reap the rewards of it, and this is true more now than ever.

You can go CarPro.com to any of our affiliates from our website, all you have to do is click Certified Car Pros near the top of the website. Email that dealer from our website, and you’ll get a Car Pro VIP Certificate right back in your email. Be sure to enter your correct address to get the certificate. You are welcome to email as many dealers as you wish from our list. Here is a link to find all our dealers coast-to-coast:

Find A Certified CarPro →

A car for most people is the second largest purchase you will ever make. It is always a good idea to “know someone” in the business. The sheer volume of business I send our dealers gives you a HUGE advantage and best of all it is FREE!

If you have a trade-in, don't head to the dealership this holiday season without reading this. It's an article I've referenced numerous times on the show. Before you visit ANY CarPro dealership, it's always a good idea to know where you stand in your trade-in vehicle. Do you have equity you can cash in on? Or are you upside down (negative equity)? It's a crucial question to have the answer to before setting foot in a dealership There's no more awkward moment for the consumer or the dealer than when the moment of truth comes when you find out what your vehicle is worth versus the amount of money you owe on it.

With many car shoppers waiting until December to buy new wheels, it can lead to busy dealerships. But don't let that deter you from getting a great deal during the best time of the year to buy. These tips will help you have a great experience .

My Trusty Sidekick Kevin McCarthy may have retired this fall, but that doesn't mean we're going to retire his famous holiday recipes! So with Christmas coming up next Wednesday, we're sharing them like we've done over a decade.

Back from the days when Kevin had a Monday through Friday show, he had three recipes he gave out every holiday season and still to this day gets many requests for them.

There are the famous Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes, David Wade’s “turkey in a bag” and last, but not least, David Wade’s Rock Salt Prime Rib! Bon appétit!

Kevin's Holiday Recipe's →

I just had to share this one, because to me, it exemplifies the Christmas spirit and it is a reminder of why I do what I do.

Jerry,

You’ve helped me with a few car questions over the years. I’ve used your system a few times and bought my Expedition from Donnie at Five Star Plano a few years back.

Last week, a close friend confided that her son had totaled his car and was in desperate need of a replacement. He had only limited funds and wasn’t sure what to do next. He had spent some time on the internet and had found a preowned Audi that looked okay. I suggested to his mother that he stop right there and go find the Car Pro site, send you a note with his details and a request for help. Then use the site to find a car.

I don’t know the man personally, but it was relayed back to me that you answered his email immediately along with a review of the car he had in mind. As it turns out, that Audi was the right choice and he worked with your contact, Kelly, at Sewell Audi. I was sent a photo of the happy man standing by his car with a big Christmas bow on top.

So, this is my thanks to you for doing what you do so well. What you don’t know is that his mother, our friend, is a very special lady who has devoted her life to helping others. She can’t give a lot financially but gives her time and herself to anyone in need. We are overwhelmed at times by how much she actually does.

So, by helping her son in his crisis, you lifted a heavy burden of worry from a woman who carries many folks’ burdens.

Again, you have our deepest thanks for making things much easier for people who really needed a lift at this time of the year.

Ron

#1: I shared with you the annual Chevrolet Christmas video for this year a few weeks ago and admitted that I had tears in my eyes watching it. It made me think that Chevy had one a few years ago that I had a similar reaction to. When we sit down for our Christmas meal, there is likely someone you’ve lost who is not there. This moving video is based on that premise. Please take the time to watch another masterpiece by Chevrolet, titled: “Holiday Ride”.

#2: If you were online last week at any time, you saw a disgruntled dealership customer drive his car through the plate glass front of a dealership. It is a miracle that nobody inside the dealership, including the receptionist was not hurt or killed. Remember what I always tell you: Used cars are bought “as-is” and AS-IS really means as-is. If by some odd chance of fate you did not see this video, here you go:

#3: The follow-up to #2, the manager of the dealership gives his side of the story, the customer is arrested, police are interviewed, and you’ll find out exactly what the man was charged with. Guessing the man wishes he could do it all over again, but the damage is done and his temper will cost him a lot of money. Here is the rest of the story:

As we close out 2024, there are some people who need to be thanked. In the day-to-day hustle and bustle, sometimes we forget to thank those people who make our blessings possible.

First, I want to thank our dealer affiliates across America for living up to the promises I make on the air. Without them, there would be no Car Pro Show. You guys and gals do a great job fulfilling the dreams of my listeners to get a new vehicle, and you do it with grace and honesty. Thank you.

Next, there are a lot of people behind the scenes of the show who produce, direct, coach, edit, keep our website running smoothly, and the list goes on and on. Many thanks to the staff at Acuity Strategy who handle the business side of the show. Our Executive Producer, car reviewer and task master, Amy Plemons, is incredible and amazing at what she does. Also, thanks to Tom Wilson, my pro bono proofreader who helps to make me look smarter.

Our producers and call screeners do an awesome job. Many thanks to Lee Riza, Duane Sedge, Garrett Harris, and our alternate call screener, Sean Chastain who is often called on at the last minute. At my home station WBAP for 23 years, I thank Bruce Collins and Dan Bennett of Cumulus for giving me space to record commercials every week, and to broadcast the national show from their studios.

2024 brought the retirement of my Trusty Sidekick for almost 23 years, Kevin McCarthy. I had the vision back in 2001 to see the need for a radio show like ours, and Kevin gave me the courage to make it happen. I will never forget what he did for me. I also need to thank my long-time talk radio coach, Tommy Kramer. He has taught me so much.

The last weekend of September is when I introduced you to Todd Chambless, my new co-host. We’ve worked together now for close to 20 years and although everyone loved Kevin, Todd has been very well received based on feedback I've gotten. I am happy to have him sitting in the studio with me, taking some load off my voice for five straight hours every Saturday. So, here’s to a good number of years in front of us, giving good information to our audience, and hopefully bringing a smile or two, and helping you make good car buying decisions.

I thank our radio affiliates across the country and the people there who put us on the air every weekend. We are blessed to be on some of the top stations in the country.

I want to thank our Military, Veterans, our police and fire, EMTs, and all those who keep us safe and help us maintain the freedoms we enjoy, but too often take for granted. We’ve lost a couple of young officers in North Texas recently, and those families will never be the same, especially this Christmas.

I want to thank our listeners and newsletter subscribers, our facebook and X friends, for without all of you, there is no show. The trust and faith you put into the things I tell you is awe-inspiring.

Last, but certainly not least…my family, especially my wife Kelly who has stood with me through the loss of a child, cancer, and congestive heart failure in the past.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and get to spend time with your loved ones. Mend riffs, cherish your time together, hold your family a little tighter and a little longer. Check on your neighbors, love your pets, and if you don’t have one, adopt one. Be thankful for your blessings, no matter how big or small.

Remember, too, no matter what your problems may be, somebody has it worse off.

This is not the year to wish for presents, this is the year to count your blessings!

Thank you for listening to the Car Pro Show.

Sincerely,

Christmas Salute To Our Military

Our Heartfelt Thanks to First Responders

Join Me LIVE TOMORROW!

It's Last Call for the Best Deals of the Year!

My Top Reviews of 2024!

Last Call! Kevin's Famous Holiday Recipes!

Kevin's Holiday Recipe's →

We Have Info On The All-New 2025 Toyota 4Runner!

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2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport

Why Jerry says the 2024 Lexus IS 500 F Sport isn't your typical Lexus.

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You just can't go wrong with a Land Rover Defender, as proven by its popularity.

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