How to Choose a DMS for an Independent Car Dealer: A Buyer's Checklist

A dealer management system (DMS) ends up running most of your day: stock, sales, paperwork and your team's work. Switching later is painful, so it pays to check the details before you sign. This checklist covers what a UK independent dealer should look for, whichever system you choose.

Start with how your dealership actually works

Before you look at any demos, write down the jobs that take your team the most time each week: getting stock advertised, building invoices, chasing keys and paperwork, arranging deliveries, following up enquiries. A good DMS should take time out of those jobs, not just store data about them.

Stock and advertising

• Does it add a car from its registration and fill in the spec?
• Does it sync with AutoTrader both ways, so changes don't have to be made twice?
• Can it feed your website and other channels from the same record?
• Does it handle photos well, including background removal and consistent branding?

Sales, VAT and paperwork

• Does it handle margin scheme and VAT-qualifying cars correctly on every invoice?
• Can it produce finance-company invoices without retyping VINs and engine numbers?
• Can customers sign documents electronically, with signed copies stored against the car?
• Will it give your accountant what they need without re-keying?

If you need a refresher, see our guide to the VAT margin scheme for used cars.

Leads and customers

• Do enquiries from your website, AutoTrader and other sources land in one inbox?
• Is there a history on every lead, so anyone on the team can pick it up?
• Will staff be told about new leads on their phones?

The forecourt work most systems skip

Advertising and invoicing are the baseline. The hours often disappear elsewhere, so ask whether the system covers:

• Key management, so keys never end up on the wrong hook
• PDIs and appraisals with photos, done on a phone
• Delivery and collection jobs for drivers, with ID checks and signatures
• After-sales complaints and warranty claims, with a full record

Phones, users and pricing

• Is there a proper iOS and Android app, or just a website on a phone?
• Are you charged per user? Per-user pricing can make adding staff expensive.
• Is there a setup fee, and how long is the minimum contract?
• Is the price fixed, or does it grow with every add-on?

Moving over and support

• Will they move your stock and records across for you?
• How long until you're live?
• Is support UK-based, and how do you reach it?
• Can you get your data out if you ever leave?

Questions to ask on every demo

1. Show me how you add a car and get it onto AutoTrader and my website.
2. Show me a margin scheme invoice and a finance-company invoice.
3. Show me what my staff see on their phones.
4. What exactly is included in the monthly price?
5. What happens to my data if I leave?

Where DealerGate fits

DealerGate was built for UK independent dealers, from small traders to multi-site groups. It covers stock, two-way AutoTrader sync, margin VAT invoicing, e-signatures and a leads inbox, plus the forecourt work: keys, PDIs and appraisals, deliveries and in-house warranty. There are unlimited staff users, no setup fee and no long-term contract, with plans from £79 a month.

Frequently asked questions