How Much to Start a Used Car Lot

Start a car dealership by following these 10 steps:

You have found the perfect business idea, and now you are ready to take the next step. There is more to starting a business than just registering it with the state. We have put together this simple guide to starting your car dealership. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Check out our How to Start a Business page.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?
• How much can you charge customers?
• What will you name your business?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What are the costs involved in opening a car dealership?

Becoming a car dealer isn't easy in most states. You will need a surety bond, proper licensing, and business experience to compete in this industry.

Auto dealers usually must file a surety bond with the resident state's DMV before they get an auto dealer license. The license allows them to sell vehicles in that state. Purchasing a bond can be very confusing. A surety bond is a form of insurance which is designed to protect consumers and the state from fraud.

There are several types of bonds you may need, depending on the kind of dealership you want to run. Some general bonds include:

• DMV bonds.
• Used car dealer bonds.
• Wholesale car dealer bonds.
• RV bonds.
• Motorcycle dealer bonds.

Bond premiums depend entirely on your unique situation, which makes it difficult to quantify exact costs to start a dealership. In general, the surety bonds you need are priced based on:

• The amount of the bond needed.
• Your financial credentials.
• Whether or not you choose to finance the premium.
• Your credit score.

If you have good credit, for example, your premium might be just 1% of the total bond amount. So, on a $10,000 bond, you would pay a $100 premium.

In addition to the bond, you will need licensing. The types of licenses needed depend on the state, county, and locale where you intend to conduct business.

Most states have several categories of dealer licenses, such as:

• New car dealer
• Used car dealer (retailers)
• Wholesaler licensing
• Rebuilder licensing
• Reconditioner licensing

The general process for getting into business is:

1. Fill out an application form.
2. Get a surety bond (states specify the minimum amount based on your line of business).
3. Buy liability insurance for your inventory (vehicles).
4. Get your sales tax number.
5. Establish your permanent business location.
6. Take photographs of your business sign and location and adhere to your state's specific photo and signage rules and regulations.
7. Pay the mandated fees.
8. Get your dealer's tags from the local county courthouse.
9. Get your sales license to sell vehicles (if you intend to be a salesperson in the business).

What are the ongoing expenses for a car dealership?

Dealer costs vary a lot by the type of dealership and the specific bonds and insurances needed. A dealership can be run for several thousand dollars per year in operating costs or $15 million for a franchise operation.

Who is the target market?

Dealers typically run advertisements locally for customers, but most of the business is generated by referrals through the salesforce. Friends, family, neighbors, and community members are the "target market" for a dealership.

Good customers usually have fair to good credit (minimum). Many customers will finance the purchase so they need the ability to qualify for a vehicle loan. Dealerships typically have a difficult time selling to individuals with poor credit. However, some dealerships specialize in hard money loans and "buy here, pay here" plans where customers with poor credit are able to finance a vehicle directly from the dealership through a special financing program, similar to "rent to own" payment schemes found in other industries.

How does a car dealership make money?

A dealership makes money by selling vehicles above the dealer's invoice price and by doing routine maintenance on vehicles sold. Customers typically pay commissions on vehicles they purchase (which is bundled into the total sales price of the vehicle) and pay hourly or a flat fee for maintenance.

How much can you charge customers?

Dealers usually charge the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for their vehicles. However, a dealer may discount their vehicles to entice prospects to buy. When this is done, a dealer may discount the vehicle to the dealer invoice price. Dealers often also receive incentives and "holdback" from the manufacturer. Pricing to the consumer is not transparent. Meaning, a consumer doesn't typically see the costs and profit for the manufacturer. Instead, consumers see total vehicle price.

How much profit can a car dealership make?

As with dealer operating costs, profit depends entirely on the dealer's wholesale pricing and cost for inventory, cost for bonds and insurance, and other overhead. In general, a dealer can make between 2% and 3% of the sticker or invoice price of the vehicle.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Making a dealership profitable isn't easy. Because there are so many laws and regulations governing the sale of vehicles, most dealerships rely on good customer service to fuel future growth. However, a dealer can increase the odds of making more money by specializing. For example, a Honda dealership may make more than a general used car dealership. Luxury dealers may also make more than dealers selling mid to entry-level brands.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don't already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Car Dealership Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability.

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your car dealership is sued.

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can start an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services. You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN for free through the IRS website, via fax, or by mail. If you would like to learn more about EINs and how they can benefit your LLC, read our article, What is an EIN?.

Learn how to get an EIN in our What is an EIN guide or find your existing EIN using our EIN lookup guide.

Small Business Taxes

Depending on which business structure you choose, you might have different options for how your business will be taxed. For example, some LLCs could benefit from being taxed as an S corporation (S corp).

You can learn more about small business taxes in these guides:

• LLC Taxes
• Sole Proprietorship vs LLC
• LLC vs Corporation
• LLC vs S Corp
• How to Start an S Corp

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Additionally, learning how to build business credit can help you get credit cards and other financing in your business's name (instead of yours), better interest rates, higher lines of credit, and more.

Open a business bank account

• This separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• It also makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank, credit union, business-loan friendly banks, one with many brick-and-mortar locations, and more.

Open net-30 accounts

When it comes to establishing your business credit, net-30 vendors are considered the way to go. The term "net-30," which is popular among vendors, refers to a business credit arrangement where the company pays the vendor within 30 days of receiving goods or services.

Net-30 credit terms are often used for businesses that need to obtain inventory quickly but do not have the cash on hand.

Besides establishing business relationships with vendors, net-30 credit accounts get reported to the major business credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business Credit). This is how businesses build business credit so they can qualify for credit cards and other lines of credit.

Get a business credit card

• This helps you separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• It also builds your company's credit history, which can be useful to raise money and investment later on.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

In most states, it is necessary to obtain a dealer's license. Applications for this license will vary by state. This article offers general advice on how to get one.

State specific licensing information can be found here.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

In addition, certain local licensing or regulatory requirements may apply. For more information about local licenses and permits:

• Check with your town, city or county clerk's office
• Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company's financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you're unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it's a great place to start for your business.

Learn more about General Liability Insurance.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers' Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it's a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners, we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a car dealership

Getting new customers can be difficult. Some new dealers hold a tent sale. This is a special sale conducted off-site (away from the primary business location) to attract new customers. Every state and county has different rules and regulations regarding tent sales. In some states, for example, you will be expected to give notice to the local authorities and pay a fee for a license to hold the sale.

How to keep customers coming back

Auto dealerships are relationship-driven. Many customers are past customers, so referral business and retaining customers through excellent customer service is key. Offer special incentives to customers, like special dealer financing or dealership perks (special deals on service) to attract new customers. Some dealers also go beyond sales and service to provide a unique experience for the customer. For example, a dealer might create a "play area" for children and offer day care services while parents shop.

Still unsure about what kind of business you want to start? Check out the latest Small Business Trends to help inspire you.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it's out of their reach because they don't have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn't delay building your website:

• All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
• Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
• Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don't need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Using our website building guides, the process will be simple and painless and shouldn't take you any longer than 2-3 hours to complete.

Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That's not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We've reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2021 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Nextiva

Nextiva is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

How Much to Start a Used Car Lot

Source: https://howtostartanllc.com/business-ideas/car-dealership

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