www. PowersportsBusiness. com

Powersports Business • August 2025 • 13

BY SUSAN MEDRANO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Summer vacation season has begun, and as Americans gear up for adventure, the high cost of air travel is fueling a road trip renaissance. According to a survey from GSTV,“ 83 % of people said they plan to drive to their summer vacation destination, and 54 % said they will drive instead of fly due to the rising cost of airfare.”

For powersports enthusiasts, a summer road trip may include trailering their ATVs and other on- and off-road vehicles to explore new trails, such as Iron Mountain Resort in Dahlonega, Georgia, Ride Royal Blue Resort in Pioneer, Tennessee, or Badlands Off-Road Park in Attica, Indiana. That is, of course, if their vehicles are up to the challenge.

Before hitting the dirt, riders need to ensure their vehicles are road-ready, and that can be costly. A rule of thumb in the powersports industry is that for frequent riders, an ATV should be tuned up every three to six months, and these costs can add up. For example, a tune-up for an ATV can cost between $ 100 and $ 400, while regular oil changes typically range from $ 30 to $ 55.

And let’ s not forget those items not covered in a tune-up. For example, new tires, shocks, and batteries. According to ATVTires. com, some entry-level tires are priced from nearly $ 81 to $ 148 per tire, and for some highperformance tires, the prices go up to nearly $ 214 to $ 414 per tire. And remember to maintain those brakes. The price tag adds up quickly if you’ re hitting the trails often and / or are covering the cost for the whole family. Keep in mind that maintenance and repair costs have surged in recent years, driven by rising prices across the economy.

For many, the upkeep costs may be too steep to handle without financing. The same applies to purchasing a new vehicle. According to the University of Michigan’ s consumer sentiment index, anxiety about inflation, tariffs, and economic uncertainty is pushing consumer sentiment to its second-lowest level since the pandemic. Since January, sentiment has dropped by nearly 30 percent, with many Americans cutting back on discretionary spending.

But all hope of a powersports-filled summer isn’ t lost. Like consumers, many dealerships may be feeling the squeeze as inflation rises and discretionary spending dips. However, many continue to be valuable resources for customers by showing them how, through financing, their services team can breathe new life into their existing vehicles. This includes financing everything from essential repairs and tune-ups to upgrades, new accessories, and even gas.

For small businesses that are not offering financing from companies such as Synchrony, this is the time to take action. For businesses with existing programs, there is a good chance that many of your current and prospective customers are unaware that they can finance the upkeep of their vehicles. That means it’ s time to begin promoting the full extent of these programs online and onsite in the dealership— in store windows, on the store floor, and more.

From there, educate your sales and services teams on the financing options. Make them your store’ s financing experts, helping your customers understand how they can use these loans to maintain their current vehicles( and in doing so extend their lifespan) and upgrade accessories that may need replacement. For those riders with relatively new vehicles, be sure to educate them on the benefits of regular maintenance. For example, by financing more frequent tuneups and replacing worn parts, riders can avoid more significant, and far more costly, repairs down the road. Financing can turn these proactive steps into easy-to-manage monthly payments, saving money and stress over the long haul.

This summer, powersports dealerships have the opportunity to be more than just a place to buy a new vehicle. They can become trusted partners in helping customers extend the life of the equipment they already own, allowing them to embark on their next getaway adventure and generate lasting memories.

Susan Medrano is the senior vice president and general manager at Synchrony Outdoors. With over 25 years of financial services experience, she leads Synchrony Outdoors within the Lifestyle platform. In this role, she provides general management and P & L accountability for Synchrony’ s consumer business within the outdoors industries which includes powersports and lawn and garden.

Po wersports enthusiasts gearing up for summer road trips should ensure their vehicles are up to date on maintenance.