Rick Wainschel, VP Data Science & Analytics

Rick has spent his entire career, including 25 years in the automotive industry, leading teams to develop analytics capabilities that address key strategic business challenges. He has a passion for finding narratives in the numbers that make analytics come to life in an accessible, understandable, and most importantly actionable way. Outside of work, Rick spends most of his time running or golfing.

New cars on dealership lot

3 min read

The Hidden Cost of Waiting: Getting Ahead of Model Year Changeovers

Model Year Changeover season is here. And for dealers, waiting to support 2026s could come with a significant price tag. We are officially entering MYCO season—the period when OEMs begin rolling out their next model year inventory and dealers begin...

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Young couple buying new car

4 min read

Labor Day Is Coming. Where Should Your Marketing Dollars Go?

Labor Day weekend—and the sales events that come with it—are right around the corner. For dealers, that means another opportunity to turn inventory...

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 The arrow graph automotive future growth plan with glowing points and vehicle blurred on background

3 min read

Record Prices Rise as Incentives Lose Influence

Dealers and OEMs are pulling back on incentives to protect profitability, but the expected impact on vehicle sales isn't showing up in the data....

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Young brother and sister help their mom unload the van in a parking lot when arriving at a park to go fishing with their uncle and cousin, during a summer visit in North Carolina.

3 min read

What 2026 Automotive Marketing Data Reveals About Minivan Demand

Discover what the surprising surge in minivan demand means for dealer merchandising, inventory, and advertising. As families settle into...

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Young couple looking at new car in dealership

2 min read

New Vehicle Prices Top $52,000 for the First Time. The Market Has Barely Blinked.

Today—just two days before the July 4th weekend that typically highlights the summer selling season—the average marketed price of a new vehicle has...

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Cars lined up on dealership lot

4 min read

Vehicle Prices Near Record Highs: 6 Strategies Dealers Need to Win

This post explains that new vehicle prices are approaching a record high—driven largely by core, high-demand segments like trucks and SUVs....

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Line of cars in automotive factory

3 min read

What's Driving New Vehicle Prices Up in 2026, and Is It Permanent?

This post breaks down why new car prices are climbing back toward record highs in 2026 and why this time the increases are baked into MSRPs rather...

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Young couple talking to car salesman in dealership

6 min read

What Changed in the Automotive Market in Q1 2026?

This post examines how buyer behavior shifted in Q1 2026, where demand strengthened and softened across the market, and what those shifts signal for...

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cars on dealership lot

2 min read

What a Rising Average Marketed Price Signals for the 2026 Auto Market

After hitting a 20-month high, the gap between vehicles that sell and those that sit is widening—precision is how you close it. At the start of this...

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car salesman looking through inventory

1 min read

How Dealers Can Adapt to Slowing Vehicle Demand

At the start of the year, Catalyst IQ predicted a tighter 2026 automotive market. Ten weeks in, the forecast is holding true, and it helps explain...

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Dealers are Seeing Real Results With Catalyst IQ

Discover how dealerships using Catalyst IQ are increasing sales, improving efficiency, and outperforming their markets. Our automotive digital marketing case studies highlight the strategies, data, and outcomes driving measurable success for our clients.

2 min read

How Ford Dealer Rebalanced F-150 Mix and Increased STX Movement 150%

A South Carolina Ford dealer had plenty of F-150 inventory, but local shoppers weren't buying every trim equally. While...
4 min read

How One Ford Dealer Increased F-150 STX Turn Rate by 11X

A Ford dealership in North Carolina was overstocked on higher-trim F-150s that weren't selling. Real-time market data...

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