How Much Do Car Dealers Make On Used Cars?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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On average, how much do make on used cars? The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) reports that the

average gross profit for a used car is $2,337

.

What is the average profit margin for a car dealership?

Front-end gross profit is usually described as the difference between dealer invoice and the selling price. That percentage tends to be somewhere around

20%

. If a vehicle was sold with a $1,000 front-end profit, the salesperson would earn somewhere around $200.

How much profit does a car dealer make on a car?

“We make money on everything though, and that includes parts, service and the car sale.” Industry estimates put dealership per-car profits at

just over $2,000 per vehicle sold

, even though dealers tend to lose about $200 per car over their cost to purchase it. How can that be?

How long is too long for a used car to sit on a lot?

The longer a car sits, the larger the interest cost grows. Dealers typically don't mind paying interest for 30 or even 60 days, but when the car has been sitting on the lot for

3 months

, that's when they really start getting nervous. They start worrying about losing money on the car if they don't sell it soon.

What is a dealer margin?

A dealer margin, or dealership profit margin, is

the monetary difference between the invoice price

, which is the amount that a dealership pays to acquire a vehicle, and the MSRP, which is the manufacturer suggested retail price – also known as the sticker price.

What should you not do at a car dealership?

  1. Don't Enter the Dealership without a Plan. …
  2. Don't Let the Salesperson Steer You to a Vehicle You Don't Want. …
  3. Don't Discuss Your Trade-In Too Early. …
  4. Don't Give the Dealership Your Car Keys or Your Driver's License. …
  5. Don't Let the Dealership Run a Credit Check.

How do dealerships make money?

Car dealerships make money from three primary areas of their operation;

Sales, Service, and the Finance and Insurance (F&I) departments

. If you're in the market for a new car, simply interested in learning more about how car dealerships operate, or ended up here by accident, you're in luck!

Do car dealership owners make a lot of money?


The salaries of Car Dealership Owners in the US range from $18,902 to $495,413 , with a median salary of $90,593

. The middle 57% of Car Dealership Owners makes between $90,596 and $225,300, with the top 86% making $495,413.

Are car dealerships profitable?

As per the study,

most automakers in India offer less than 5 per cent of the average fixed dealer margins

, basically, it ranges from 2.9 to 7.49 per cent on Ex-showroom price across all categories. In India, MG Motors and Maruti Suzuki offers the highest average dealer margins at 5.22% and 5.07% respectively.

What margins do car dealerships work on?

New cars tend to have a profit margin between the invoice price and what the dealership actually pays for the vehicle of

between 8% and 13%

. There may be some higher and lower margins, but the overwhelming majority fall somewhere in between those figures.

What should you not say to a car salesman?

  • “I really love this car” …
  • “I don't know that much about cars” …
  • “My trade-in is outside” …
  • “I don't want to get taken to the cleaners” …
  • “My credit isn't that good” …
  • “I'm paying cash” …
  • “I need to buy a car today” …
  • “I need a monthly payment under $350”

What is a long time for a car to be on a lot?

The numbers suggest that most dealerships get serious about turning vehicles after about

60 days

: 58 percent of dealerships reviewed had no used vehicles on the lot 100 days or more. But at 2 percent of the stores reviewed, more than half of their used inventory was 100 days or more old.

How long is too long for a car to sit?

If you have not taken the steps to prepare it for long term dormancy, you should never let your car sit for longer than

a month

without starting it up for at least 10 minutes. If you let your car sit, parts of your car will start breaking down and will eventually cause issues.

How much will a dealership come down on price on a new car?

Focus any negotiation on that dealer cost. For an average car,

2% above the dealer's invoice price

is a reasonably good deal. A hot-selling car may have little room for negotiation, while you may be able to go even lower with a slow-selling model. Salespeople will usually try to negotiate based on the MSRP.

How do car dealerships get their cars?

Used car dealers get their inventory from a number of sources, which include

trade-ins, auctions, rental companies, fleets, finance companies, private sellers, ex-demonstrators and pre-registered new vehicles

.

What is a good net profit margin for a car company?

What is a Good Profit Margin in the Auto Industry? Between 2015–2020, the average profit margin for major automotive companies worldwide was nearly

7.5%

. Profitability varies from company to company, but generally, premium car brands, like BMW, will observe higher profit margins than general and budget brands.

How do you trick a car dealership?

  1. Don't Be a Monthly Payment Buyer.
  2. Don't Be an Impulse Buyer.
  3. Don't Let the Negotiation Drag On Forever.
  4. Use Dealer Cost as the Baseline for Your Negotiation.
  5. Stick To Your Guns.
  6. Get Something to Eat Before Shopping.
  7. Don't Go to the Dealership By Yourself.
  8. Don't Be Afraid to Walk Away.

What score do you need to buy a car?

In general, you'll need at least prime credit, meaning a credit score of

661 or up

, to get a loan at a good interest rate. If you have poorer credit, you can still get a loan, but you will probably have to pay more for it or else find a cosigner.

When should you walk away from a car deal?

Understand what is a fair price for the new vehicle and your trade. The dealer has the right to make money, but not to take advantage of you.”

If the salesperson won't budge

, just walk away – but at a measured pace.

What car dealership makes the most money?

Why do car dealerships make you wait?

Fewer people work there and each customer might be talking to one of the finance managers for 30 minutes or so. While all this is going on, your new car is being washed, gassed and prepped for final delivery.

If that process doesn't sync up exactly, you might have to wait a while longer for the car to be ready

.

How much does it cost to start a car dealership?

While you could get started with your dealership at minimal costs of 10 lakhs for securing a contract besides the GSTIN registration, you should have

at least Rs. 50 lakhs

in securing inventory for the same. Also, individual car manufacturers charge different price amounts for their dealership.

How much do independent car dealerships make?

The reality is car dealers make

an average of around seven per cent on new cars

. Dealer group bosses we spoke to said gross profit on new cars ranged between five and seven per cent. The used car market is a lot stronger with profit margins for dealers around 12 to 15 per cent.

Do dealers count as owners?


Dealers don't count toward the # of previous owners

. Even 2nd hand car dealers, so long as they got the paperwork right.

Why do dealerships want you to finance?

Car dealers want you to finance through them because

they often have the opportunity to make a profit by increasing the annual percentage rate (APR) on customers' auto loans

. But they also have relationships with multiple lenders and car manufacturers.

Ahmed Ali
Author
Ahmed Ali
Ahmed Ali is a financial analyst with over 15 years of experience in the finance industry. He has worked for major banks and investment firms, and has a wealth of knowledge on investing, real estate, and tax planning. Ahmed is also an advocate for financial literacy and education.