Technology
What does your tech stack cost per car?
List the software your store pays for each month. See the total, the cost per car retailed, where the money goes, and where you’re paying twice for the same job.
How we work it out
The total is the sum of your monthly costs. Cost per car divides it by the cars you retail a month. A category is flagged when it has more than one tool; listing sites and Other are left out, since several of those is normal.
Website tools are the ones that load on your site: the website platform, digital retailing, trade-in, chat, identity resolution, call tracking and service scheduling.
What moves the number
- Give every tool one jobWrite down the job each tool does and who owns it. Two tools with the same job is where savings usually are.
- Check what runs on your websitePasch Group’s website inspections found 4 to 30 Google Tag Manager containers on dealer websites, against a target of under 5.Read the field guide
- Compare before you renewThe Vendor Directory checks vendors in each category against the same points, so you can see what else is out there.Browse the Vendor Directory
Questions
Why measure tech cost per car?
It’s a simple yardstick that moves with your volume. Track it month to month and across your stores, and ask whether each tool earns its share.
What’s a normal tech cost per car?
We don’t publish an average: stacks vary too much by store size, brand and how much the OEM pays for. Track your own number over time and against your other stores.
Should service tools count?
Yes, if you want the whole picture. If you’d rather judge sales tools by cars retailed and service tools by repair orders, run the calculator twice.
Sources
- Automotive CDP Vendor Questionnaire and Integration Checklist, Pasch Group (2024)
- How Many Vendors Are Accessing Your 1st Party Data?, Pasch Group (2025)
Updated October 11, 2026
Go deeper
More tools
- AdvertisingCost per sale calculatorCost per lead and cost per car sold for every ad source, side by side.Open the tool
- Customer dataDMS data decay calculatorThe out-of-date records in your DMS, the marketing spent on them, and the reach a cleanup gets back.Open the tool
- Benchmarks2026 Dealership BenchmarksThe figures from Pasch Group research dealers quote most, from answer rates to CRM use, each with its source.See the benchmarks
Want a second pair of eyes on your numbers?
Tell us what you’re seeing and we’ll help you find what’s worth fixing first. No pitch.