A viral TikTok video has reignited hypothesis that the U.S. automotive market is heading towards a crash.
Brandon (@the1mr_gratitude), who frequently shares monetary and life recommendation along with his 376,000 followers, claims dealership heaps are overflowing with unsold automobiles, financing charges are unusually low, and consumers might rating reductions as excessive as 40%.
However whereas his video shortly unfold throughout TikTok and X, consultants and on a regular basis commenters stay divided, elevating the query of whether or not these are actual warning indicators or simply one other case of viral monetary fearmongering.
In his latest trending video, Brandon, who claims to “work with sellers nationwide”, informed 460,000 viewers what he believes are the important thing indicators {that a} automotive market crash is underway.
First, he defined that throughout the nation, automotive dealership heaps have gotten overfilled as a result of automobiles aren’t promoting, signalling the most important decline in a minimum of 5 years. “They’re sitting on heaps a median of over 120 days and we’ve got not seen that since pre-Covid,” he clarified.
Secondly, he went on to clarify that producers have been providing 0 to 2% finance on automobiles proper now—once more, a document quantity since COVID. He then urged his viewers to examine automotive combination websites, comparable to Automobile Gurus and Automobile Edge, to see how lengthy automobiles have been sitting unsold on heaps, and use this to barter reductions as excessive as 40%.
“That approach once you get to the dealership you possibly can name them out on their BS,” he concluded.
Commenters have been divided of their responses, with many expressing disbelief at Brandon’s takes.
“What crash? They’re asking 50 to 60 thousand for a Tacoma,” wrote EskimoinOhio.
“Is perhaps overflowing however the costs will not be happening,” added another person.
Others expressed that prices of dwelling have been so excessive that even enthusiastic about shopping for a extra primary automotive was out of the query—and even those that might afford it will not do it on finance.
“Ppl can’t afford meals and electrical energy, a lot much less new automobiles,” stated reddogforge.
The discourse continued over on X, the place a repost of Brandon’s video from Sept. 24, 2025 obtained over 563K views. Right here, folks have been equally unimpressed—calling into query the self-declared professional’s murky credentials.
“If there are such a lot of automobiles on the lot how come they maintain begging me to promote them my used automotive?” Bobby Made Birdie requested.
“He has no knowledge. We’re supposed to only imagine a dude ranting in his automotive in a baseball hat?,” questioned another person.
@ilpadrinopacino through X
This isn’t the primary time Brandon has raised eyebrows over his automotive recommendation. In 2024, one other of his movies went viral after he informed viewers by no means to make a down fee when buying a car—recommendation that the Day by day Dot reality checked and located to be well-meaning however flawed. We additionally discovered no direct info linking him to a automotive dealership community.
We’ve executed the identical once more concerning Brandon’s newest claims to supply correct info for anybody considering shopping for a automotive within the present market.
Brandon’s take 1: Tons at automotive dealerships have gotten overfilled with unsold automobiles throughout the nation at charges not seen for the reason that pandemic. That is proof that the market is in decline. Brandon says the common period of time automobiles are sitting unsold is 120 days.
Truth examine 1: In keeping with knowledge from Black Ebook, through CarandDriver, fashions from premier manufacturers like Lincoln, Volvo, and Mercedes-Benz are sitting on sellers’ heaps for a median of 110 days or longer— which means there’s an excellent probability a lot are exceeding Brandon’s 120-day declare.
Black Ebook additionally says that gross sales are constantly down versus 2017-19 numbers. Nonetheless, correlation isn’t essentially causation. Automobiles can stay unsold for a large number of causes, from producers dumping giant inventories on dealerships to client behaviors.
For instance, there could also be a mismatch in demand for some automobiles in areas the place they aren’t as widespread, or customers might need to look forward to newer fashions to drop, inflicting a lag in gross sales of older automobiles.
Brandon’s take 2: Brandon claims that producers are more and more providing automobiles on 0-2% finance, signalling declining gross sales. As soon as once more, he claims this hasn’t been since Covid.
Truth examine 2: Automobile Edge does present that, as of Sept. 2025, some corporations together with GM, Jeep, and Nissan, are providing automobiles on 0% finance. Nonetheless, these offers appear to be extra widespread on electrical automobiles than common fashions.
When conducting our reality examine, we discovered that typically, it was far more widespread for rates of interest to sit down at round 4-6%, although they do differ by lender. That is nowhere close to as near Covid ranges, both, the place phrases have been additionally longer—sometimes extending as much as 84 months—whereas now most appear to sit down at round 36 to 60 months.
So, though Brandon is correct to some extent, his claims appear to be barely sensationalized.
Brandon’s take 3: If you wish to learn the way lengthy a automotive has been sitting in lots, you possibly can examine a automotive combination website like Automobile Gurus or Automobile Edge. These websites present info on how lengthy automobiles have been on the dealership. You may then use this info to cut price for a greater deal.
Truth examine 3: Automobile combination websites do present approximate estimates, however with a caveat. On CarEdge, every itemizing shows a “Days on Market” quantity, detailing how lengthy the automotive has been there. Nonetheless, there may be some confusion over when this quantity is calculated from, with an admin stating that generally it consists of car manufacturing and transit time, earlier than it has even arrived on the lot. This might unfairly have an effect on import fashions particularly, resulting from longer transit instances.
Wealthy Barger through CarEdge
So be at liberty to make use of automotive combination websites to get a tough concept of timings, with the understanding that this won’t be completely exact. And as for whether or not this can be utilized to leverage, it can rely on the dealership, however at all times come ready with as a lot info as attainable to assist your case.
As for whether or not Brandon was proper a few broader market crash being underway, the information isn’t 100% clear but. Whereas issues are actually slowing down, 2025 was nonetheless one of many higher years for automotive gross sales since 2019.
There are additionally different elements at play that Brandon doesn’t cowl. For instance, Kelley Blue Ebook factors out a slowing in EV gross sales particularly, as early adoption reaches saturation, which could possibly be impacting the general traits. So whereas Brandon has the proper concept, it’s value remembering that the automotive market is advanced, and may’t be decreased to only two or three elements.
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