Auto & Bike Blog
Tuesday, 12 May 2026
Single-Cylinder Serenity: Roninsu’s Yamaha SR400 Chopper
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Monday, 11 May 2026
American Muscle, Reimagined: Our Favorite Indian Scout Customs
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Showstoppers: The Most Viewed Custom Motorcycles of April 2026
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Car Buyers Turn to Former Dealer as Markups and Financing Pressure Continue
Buying a new vehicle in the United States still feels expensive in ways unrelated to MSRP. Dealer add-ons remain common, financing pressure never disappeared, and some stores still attach inflated pricing to sought-after models. Hyundai Ioniq 5 buyers dealt with those practices after the C-19 period faded, while Toyota GR Corolla shoppers faced similar situations. Public databases even appeared online to track dealerships linked to aggressive price increases.

Federal regulators attempted tighter oversight through the CARS Rule before court action removed the measure. The FTC still watches dealerships closely and continues issuing threats tied to investigations or financial penalties. Meanwhile, average new-car pricing in the U.S. already sits above $50,000. Financing departments know that figure well. Cash buyers no longer receive special treatment in many stores, so some customers move loans through credit unions for lower APR rates, then clear dealer financing almost immediately after delivery. Early payoff penalties still hurt less than dragging a $50,000 purchase into roughly $80,000 after years of payments.
Tomislav Mikula capitalized on those frustrations to turn a business. In 2023, the 30-year-old at the time, six years ago now, eschewed the traditional negotiation-course path and began to work directly for buyers. He is known as delivrdtome on social media. His flat fee is $1,000, even for the cheaper deals like the Hyundai Venue. The article reports that average savings have been more than $6,000 and demand ramped up quickly. In all of 2025, Mikula made approximately 2,300 deals.

Not every part of his operation looks complicated. Most of the work happens over the phone. He contacts sales staff directly, negotiates pricing, pushes dealerships to remove markups or unnecessary extras, and compares competing stores against each other. Sometimes multiple dealerships receive calls about the same vehicle on the same day. Trade-ins also fall under his service. He negotiates out-of-the-door pricing, then buyers handle paperwork and inspect the vehicle before taking delivery.
Mikula repeatedly states he does not accept dealership money. Dual compensation would destroy trust in the business model. He also avoids acting like a nationwide broker searching every corner of the country for inventory. Shipping arrangements rarely enter the conversation.
Some dealership practices still frustrate him, especially paint protection or watermark packages pitched heavily in states like Arizona, where UV exposure matters more than tree sap or dirty rain. Kia dealers also received criticism after attempts to charge extra money for the new Telluride.

Now 33 years old, Mikula runs the business from home and generates more than $2 million annually. He even streams dealership negotiations live on TikTok and Instagram, showing viewers each step of the process. Not everybody appreciates the attention. Certain dealerships already accuse him of wasting sales staff time or working against dealer interests, especially while Volkswagen moves toward direct-to-consumer sales through Scout Motors.
Car Dealerships & More – Photo Gallery






















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Sunday, 10 May 2026
Local Heroes: 5 Custom Choppers from the La Espada Chopper Show
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Saturday, 9 May 2026
Heritage in the Mojave: Jason Chinnock’s 1971 Ducati 450 R/T Desmo
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Friday, 8 May 2026
Ford and Carhartt Built a Super Duty for Buyers Who Already Own Both Brands
It looks like Ford is expanding its truck lineup, as it is constantly developing state-of-the-art models that would take on the world`s most powerful trucks.
In that matter, the new Carhartt-themed version of the 2027 Super Duty, aims squarely at buyers who already live in work boots, heavy jackets, and heavy-duty pickups. The package lands on XLT Crew Cab single-rear-wheel 4×4 models and mixes styling details from both companies into one truck.
At first glance, the collaboration sounds almost inevitable. Ford trucks and Carhartt clothing already target much of the same crowd. Toughness, durability, blue-collar image, job-site practicality. The overlap is obvious. Still, the companies spent nearly a year developing this edition.

The exterior receives a dark-painted grille, spray-in bedliner, textured off-road running boards, all-terrain tires, special graphics, and a set of 20-inch wheels. Oddly enough, designers reportedly drew inspiration for those wheel patterns from manhole covers outside Carhartt’s Detroit flagship location. Yes, actual manhole covers.
The truck itself avoids flashy styling. Paint colors stay muted, trim pieces remain dark, and the graphics are restrained compared with some appearance packages currently on the market. There is a consistent look across the whole build, which helps.
Inside, Ford leaned heavily into Carhartt branding without using genuine Carhartt Duck Canvas materials. Triple-stitch details appear throughout the cabin, embroidered logos sit on the seats, and the all-weather floor mats were inspired by Carhartt tool bags.

Ford explained why authentic workwear fabric never made the jump into the interior. According to a company spokesperson, “automotive standards have to pass different tests than apparel, notably around abrasion resistance and soil repellency.” So the cabin borrows the look rather than the material itself.
The collaboration also raises a strange little question. Who exactly is this truck supposed to convince? Somebody walking into a dealership because embroidered Carhartt logos appeared on the seats? Maybe not. Then again, maybe Ford never intended this package to win over skeptical shoppers.
The whole thing feels more like reinforcement than conquest. If you already own a Super Duty, several Carhartt jackets, steel-toe boots, and spend weekends hauling trailers around, this edition probably makes immediate sense. Less of a dramatic lifestyle statement, more of a matching accessory. A work-truck version of coordinated gear, almost.

Ford described the project as an effort centered around authenticity, durability, and recognition of skilled tradespeople. Even with the slightly unusual wheel inspiration story, the package stays fairly grounded. No oversized graphics. No luxury-truck theatrics pretending to belong on a construction site. And honestly, that restraint helps.
Some brand tie-ins feel random, slapped together in a conference room after somebody noticed matching customer demographics on a sales chart. This one feels more cohesive than most. Even if the truck and the jackets already occupied nearly identical territory before the partnership started.
2027 Ford F-350 Super Duty Carhartt – Photo Gallery

















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