Artificial intelligence is showing up in dealerships in plenty of ways, from chatbots to automated marketing. But Abod Aduan, owner of CarNova in Aurora, Colorado, is putting AI into several parts of his independent used-car operation — including how the dealership evaluates vehicles to buy, helps shoppers find the right vehicle and works through financing options.
CarNova is the next chapter of an established used-car business. Aduan previously operated Denver Car Choice, which served the Denver market for more than a decade before moving its sales and service operation to the new CarNova facility in August. The dealership had it's grand opening on Sept 19.
The 18,400-square-foot facility at 890 S. Havana St. in Aurora now carries more than 200 vehicles, including used cars, trucks and SUVs. The dealership also offers online shopping, financing, trade-in tools, same-day pickup and delivery in the Denver area, as well as nationwide delivery.
The move represents more than a larger physical footprint. CarNova is building A.I into several parts of the dealership's operation, from inventory acquisition to the way customers search for vehicles.
AI starts with the inventory
CarNova says it is using AI and market data to analyze vehicle acquisition opportunities, evaluate large numbers of potential purchases and identify market trends. That puts the technology on the buying side of the business, not just on the dealership's website.
For a used-car dealer, the ability to analyze a large pool of potential vehicles can help identify which cars fit the dealership's inventory strategy before a buyer makes an acquisition decision. CarNova says the technology is designed to help the dealership evaluate purchasing opportunities and build inventory while supporting competitive pricing.
AI meets the customer
On the retail side, CarNova has an AI-powered sales assistant that can interact with shoppers around the clock. A customer can provide information such as budget, preferred payment, mileage, body style, features and intended use. The system then helps narrow the dealership's inventory to vehicles that fit those criteria.
That means a shopper can begin the process outside normal dealership hours rather than waiting for a salesperson to become available.
“Customers often begin shopping outside traditional business hours, and they shouldn’t have to wait until the next day to start getting useful answers,” said Alex Roseland, marketing director at CarNova.
The dealership's strategy is to use AI for some of the initial information gathering and vehicle matching, then connect the customer with the CarNova team.
“The purpose isn’t technology for its own sake,” Roseland said. “It’s to remove friction, identify better solutions, and give every customer a more responsive and informed car-buying experience.”
Financing is another layer
CarNova also uses AI-assisted analysis to help customers explore financing possibilities. The system evaluates customer and vehicle information against available financing programs to help identify potential options. Final approvals, rates, down payments and other financing terms remain subject to lender requirements and individual qualifications. The expanded dealership is using a retail model designed to connect its online and in-store experiences.
CarNova is putting AI into the actual workflow of a used-car dealership, beginning with what vehicles to consider buying and continuing through the customer's search and financing process. For independent dealers, the interesting part isn't AI as a buzzword. It's seeing where the technology can fit into the everyday operation of a dealership.
