People ask me why we're doing it again. Everest wasn't accomplished the first time, nor was the South Pole. It's a learning deal.

Last year I came face to face with a polar bear and while I was scared, I also felt a deep respect for the fact that I was in this bear's territory and that it was global warming that was forcing this magnificent creature toward the brink of extinction.

It's humbling to see this segment call out the importance of how dealers treat them since so many first-time buyers continue to feel their first vehicle purchase is all about getting what they want for an affordable price. The results are a reaffirmation that buyers in this stage in their life walk into showrooms with similar expectations as more seasoned vehicle buyers.

Manufacturers should not count on automatic loyalty among first-time buyers, even if their parents are current customers. Not only is it an uphill battle to get their attention, but traditional endorsements from family members don't appear to play a large factor, especially from a retailer view.

First-time buyers' dependence on Web-based media validates the need for an aggressive interactive strategy to court them on the manufacturer and retail level. The Internet's relevance in the 18-30 year age group has reached critical mass and is completely reconfiguring how car companies need to reach out to first-time buyers.

He never counted the favors he did or where he would cash in his chips. He has all these people who know him – heads of state, kings and queens, heads of corporations. He doesn't have a contact file. Muhammad ... didn't want something in return.