How Much Does It Cost To Buy A Car Dealership?

If you focus on automobiles and want to have your car dealership, you need to know many things behind the scenes.

Being aware of them will help you make a better decisions while cutting corners on many costs. It is not something many people think about doing, but if you plan to move ahead with this dream, then knowing every detail about them will certainly help your case.

In this article will go through all the major and minor elements of a car dealership to inform you critical information about them.

First of all, you will need to know about the type of car dealership you are interested in running. After that, other important details such as set-up cost, location, inventory acquisition, and staffing requirements will become more critical than ever.

The first step will be to choose between a new car dealership, franchise and used car dealership.

A new car dealership will cost a lot compared to a used one, as a used car dealership is supposed to run on a smaller scale and function as a small business, partly due to its operating cost.

Cost Of A New Car Dealership

If you are eyeing a new car dealership franchise, the initial franchise fee can range from $30,000 to $500,000. Adding other expenses capital for building, purchasing inventory, or equipment will cost up to $150,000.

The laws are set up only to allow the sale of automobiles through a franchised dealership. The prices for this dealership will not be the same for all, and you will encounter different prices.

As the price for a Ford dealership could round up to $30,000, other dealership deals can hit a million easily.

The initial cost of any dealership you are interested in will be expensive. So be prepared to face some hefty charges here at this level. Set up a budget on how much you are looking to spend here, and spend it accordingly.

Cost of Used Car Dealership

This version of the dealership differs a lot from a new car dealership. If you have a tighter budget, you can look at this option for a better set-up plan.

The deals are in the affordable zone without going outside the price barrier. Individuals looking to sell used cars do not have to go through official documents to get the sale done.

Here you will stay away from any manufacturer charges. You don’t have to hit necessarily big; focusing on a small inventory of vehicles will help you set up the business.

Taking out the cost for manufacture leaves you with other expenses that could become very helpful in the end.

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Business Formation fee

Here you need to form a business entity and register for a business license. This process will then get taken to the state revenue department for the next step.

Legal fees for setting up an LLC will vary from one state to another. The price tag will get close to $1000. The type of business entity will also play a server role in the prices. The prices will vary. For example, in Texas, the fee can range from $300 to $750.

Start-up cost

One of the essential bits about start-up costs is the range they vary from one to another. They differ from state to state and from one area to another, and a lot in play can easily hike the prices up for a start-up stage.

Independent business owners carry out the start expenses in the planning stage rather than complicating affairs in the future, and sorting these issues out at first leaves plenty of perfect execution in the long run. 

Breakdown of start-up costs

  • renting property for displaying vehicles 
  • inventory
  • essential equipment such as computers, printers, phones
  • employee and their three-month salary.
  • advertising
  • business liability insurance

Here you are spending well over $100,000 to get the project started. Again the prices here will vary on the different options the owner has chosen for the dealership. Adding more to the inventory could raise $100,000 or more. Other elements such as salary, equipment, advertising can hit $10,000 depending on getting quality equipment for a smooth sail.

Essential costs For a Car Dealership

These elements play a constant role in the car dealership business. If you plan to open your business, you need to prioritize these options before anything else.

1.Dealer License

The average cost for a dealer license costs between $100 to $200, But in states such as Texas the amount sits at $700.

Dealer license will allow you to permit each type of vehicle you decide to sell through the establishment. The permit covers the car, truck, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, new or used.

2.Surety Bonds

It provides a safety net for consumers, allowing them to be confident in protecting their interests with your company. In addition, most dealers are required to get a $25,000 surety bond.

3.Dealer plates

Test drives need an attached dealer license plate, costing between $90 to $100.

The cost of these elements will vary based on the dealership’s location. Proper research into the subject in our local neighborhood will help you learn more about the accurate cost in your area.

Always invest time in researching the law established on dealerships in your area. Some of the costs might be minimal but can break the bank in another state. Looking at new information can help you set up a different budget and option for your project.

Conclusion

Buying a dealership comes with lots of responsibility, but it will not go down smoothly without a hiccup if you are unprepared for the task. There are a lot of spinning plates with dealership projects that can raise the cost to a significant degree. Knowing about the options certainly helps create a better budget for the project. You can read about them online and get the information you will need about dealership programs and the cost attached to them. However, walking into this subject blindly will not help you build a solid project with an essential process.