Extra, Extra....Read All About It!

[THil08]

Here's a good summary of the history and status of the DTC sales in South Carolina and mention of Scout Motors. It's also an interesting read for consumers in other states battling the same issues. It's unfortunate that the average consumer is unaware that these franchise laws are firmly seated and supported by auto dealer lobbyists who continue to heavily contribute to our lawmakers' campaign funds.

Surprisingly, the article states "In states that were open to at least one EV manufacturer, franchise dealerships saw their sales revenue increase nearly 80% between 2012 and 2021" based on a report from the NADA itself.

South Carolina’s Direct-to-Consumer Car Sales Bill Ran Out of Time in 2025. Should it be revived in 2026?

As the American automotive industry continues to evolve, several new manufacturers have pursued an alternative go-to-market strategy to the traditional franchised dealer model by creating their own retail operations and selling directly to customers. That list includes Tesla, now one of the...

palmettopromise.org

Grandfathered Laws are impossible to get rid of. Same reason why you can't buy a car on a Sunday. It's grandfathered in from way back when, dealership owners would rather have their operation opened 7 days a week but they legally can't.

 

[OleScout]

New Nissan Patent Reveals Interesting Split Roll-Up Tailgate for Trucks

Nissan’s idea not only splits the tailgate in two but also allows it to roll up into the cargo box.

www.motortrend.com

 

[speedrye]

New Nissan Patent Reveals Interesting Split Roll-Up Tailgate for Trucks

Nissan’s idea not only splits the tailgate in two but also allows it to roll up into the cargo box.

www.motortrend.com

I can't think of any practical use for this.

 

[OleScout]

I can't think of any practical use for this.

Same, and if used for indended purposes for "truck stuff" I imagine over time debris may impact the sliding rails.

 

[robothero]

I could see a use if it gave the ability to adjust the tailgate depth, but I don't really get the point of the roll up.

 

[speedrye]

Wait, I changed my mind. This would look pretty cool if you could mount the spare tire to the back of the tailgate, but then move it up into the bed pre-runner style. It'd only be about the looks, but they're probably going to stick this thing in a useless 4' long bed anyway, so looks are going to be important.

 

[cyure]

I hope SM does something similar.

https://riviantrackr.com/news/rivian-and-caruso-expand-partnership-with-150-plus-fast-chargers-and-two-new-showrooms-in-southern-california/

 

[jeremydunworth]

Same, and if used for indended purposes for "truck stuff" I imagine over time debris may impact the sliding rails.

I remember people use to remove the tailgate on their small trucks. I always thought it was a superstition about improved fuel economy. Also, people would remove the tailgate and use a net instead, like this:

Covercraft Pro Runner Tailgate Net | RealTruck

Get the Covercraft Pro Runner Tailgate Net from RealTruck fast with rapid shipping in the lower 48 United States. Our team of product experts, extensive image galleries, and legendary customer service make it easy to get the right part the first time.

realtruck.com

So maybe somebody at Nissan had the idea to stow the tailgate like a partial tonneau cover and this is what they ended up with when the lawyers were done extracting the patent application from the engineers.

Also, as far as I can tell, this is only a patent application, not yet a granted patent

Result #	Document/Patent number	Display	Title	Inventor name	Publication date	Pages
1	US-20260109410-A1	PDF Text	TRUCK BED ASSEMBLY	FRANCUS; Neil Andrew	2026-04-23	13

 

[bwdavis7]

I totally agree with you both. I watched the legislative hearing last year and it was obvious that those knuckle heads had already made up their minds to support the lobbyist$ and not the SC consumers. What I can't figure out is which candidates for governor support DTC. Not that it matters, because McMaster was in support but not enough power to convince the legislators.

Post in thread 'Extra, Extra....Read All About It!'

Today at 7:30 AM

Here's a good summary of the history and status of the DTC sales in South Carolina and mention of Scout Motors. It's also an interesting read for consumers in other states battling the same issues. It's unfortunate that the average consumer is unaware that these franchise laws are firmly seated and supported by auto dealer lobbyists who continue to heavily contribute to our lawmakers' campaign funds.

Surprisingly, the article states "In states that were open to at least one EV manufacturer, franchise dealerships saw their sales revenue increase nearly 80% between 2012 and 2021" based...

• LastDayScout

• 
• 

Post in thread 'Extra, Extra....Read All About It!'

Today at 8:00 AM

Here's a good summary of the history and status of the DTC sales in South Carolina and mention of Scout Motors. It's also an interesting read for consumers in other states battling the same issues. It's unfortunate that the average consumer is unaware that these franchise laws are firmly seated and supported by auto dealer lobbyists who continue to heavily contribute to our lawmakers' campaign funds.

Surprisingly, the article states "In states that were open to at least one EV manufacturer, franchise dealerships saw their sales revenue increase nearly 80% between 2012 and 2021" based...

• THil08

•