AutoManager Review: Streamline Your Dealership Operations and Boost Sales

Multiple systems causing dealership headaches again?

If you’re running an independent dealership, you’ve felt the pain of juggling inventory, customer communication, paperwork, and marketing all across different software that never really fit together.

But every day, the real problem is lost deals and wasted hours from all that re-work just trying to find information or finish a sale—because your software creates more steps than it removes.

That’s why I put AutoManager to the test—this unified DMS promises to connect your lead management, inventory, contracts, marketing, and even digital signings in one place, instead of scattered workarounds.

In the next sections, I’ll show you how AutoManager helps consolidate your dealership operations and where it, honestly, still has some limits.

So in this AutoManager review, you’ll discover how it handles daily car dealer needs, core features, pricing, and how it compares to industry alternatives—so you can make a true side-by-side call.

You’ll leave knowing the features you need to actually run your dealership, not just what looks nice in a demo.

Let’s get started.

AutoManager Overview

AutoManager has served independent auto dealers since 1984 from its California headquarters. Their entire mission is to help you boost profitability by unifying all your dealership’s essential technology.

I find their market position is squarely focused on independent used car dealerships, from small single-lots to larger multi-location groups. They provide an integrated DMS and marketing suite without the enterprise-level complexity or cost you’d find in tools built for giant franchise stores.

Through this AutoManager review, I think their recent acquisitions, including Selly CRM and AutoAp recall tech, clearly prove they are reinvesting heavily into expanding the platform’s value.

Unlike competitors that feel built for massive franchise groups, AutoManager seems designed by people who actually understand the independent dealer. They prioritize an affordable and user-friendly experience, so you can get started quickly without needing a dedicated IT support team.

They work with thousands of independent and Buy Here Pay Here dealers across North America, giving them an incredible amount of practical, real-world experience relevant to your specific operational challenges.

From my analysis, their current strategic focus is on delivering that single, all-in-one solution for your dealership. This directly addresses the growing demand from operators like you who want to simplify their tech stack and reduce vendor management headaches.

Now let’s examine their capabilities.

AutoManager Features

Struggling to manage your entire dealership on disconnected systems?

AutoManager provides an integrated suite of solutions, and these AutoManager features are designed to work together to offer a comprehensive approach to dealership operations.

1. DeskManager DMS

Tired of juggling multiple systems for dealership operations?

Using separate tools for inventory, sales, and forms often creates operational inefficiencies. This can lead to errors and wasted time, frustrating your team.

DeskManager DMS centralizes everything, providing a powerful, cost-effective cloud-based solution for used car dealers. From my testing, the robust reporting and unmatched security features truly shine. This core feature allows you to streamline sales processing, manage inventory, and automate essential paperwork.

This means you get improved operational efficiency and a single source of truth for all your critical dealership data.

2. WebManager

Is your online vehicle marketing falling flat?

A weak online presence and poor inventory syndication can lead to missed sales opportunities. This makes it tough to generate the leads your dealership needs to thrive.

WebManager provides a comprehensive website and digital marketing platform that builds a strong online presence. What I love about this approach is how it enables mobile-first, responsive, and secure websites while syndicating inventory effortlessly. This solution helps with SEO optimization and auto-posting to sites like Facebook Marketplace.

The result is your dealership can attract more leads and effectively showcase inventory, boosting your digital footprint.

3. Integrated CRM

Are customer interactions getting lost in the shuffle?

Disorganized lead management and inconsistent follow-ups can harm customer loyalty. This often means missing opportunities to nurture relationships and close deals.

AutoManager’s integrated CRM works with DeskManager and WebManager to manage leads more effectively. Here’s what I found: the lead assignment and automated follow-up tools make it easy to maintain comprehensive customer profiles. This feature streamlines communication through integrated email and SMS, ensuring no lead is forgotten.

So, you can foster better customer engagement and loyalty, turning prospects into repeat buyers with less effort.

4. Inventory Management

Struggling with real-time inventory tracking and market insights?

Outdated inventory data can lead to overstocking or missed sales opportunities. This makes it difficult to respond quickly to changing market demands.

AutoManager’s inventory management features provide seamless tracking with real-time updates and detailed vehicle information. This is where AutoManager shines, as it centralizes acquisitions, pricing, and stock levels across the entire platform. This capability helps dealerships optimize decisions using real-time data and market analytics, ensuring you always have the right vehicles.

This means you can quickly respond to market demands, reduce holding costs, and make smarter purchasing decisions based on solid data.

5. Finance & Insurance (F&I) Tools

Do financial processes slow down your sales cycle?

Manual credit checks, complex contract management, and disconnected financial portals can cause significant delays. This can frustrate customers and impact your dealership’s cash flow.

AutoManager’s DMS includes specialized F&I functions that streamline the financial aspects of a sale. The platform offers integrated credit checks and low-cost credit card processing. This feature also connects with major financial portals like RouteOne and Dealertrack, supporting Buy Here Pay Here (BHPH) operations, making the entire process efficient and accurate.

So, you can accelerate transaction times, ensure compliance, and provide a smoother, more professional experience for your customers.

You’ll appreciate how these AutoManager features work together to create a cohesive dealership management ecosystem that simplifies operations and boosts profitability.

AutoManager Pricing

Wondering about AutoManager’s hidden costs?

AutoManager pricing primarily involves custom quotes, meaning you’ll need to contact sales for a personalized plan, but they do offer a free version and trials for various products.

1. Pricing Model & Cost Factors

Understanding their pricing model.

AutoManager’s pricing structure is mainly custom-quoted, but what I found is a clear starting point for DeskManager Online at $50/month. The final cost depends on which integrated solutions you need, such as DMS, CRM, or WebManager, and your dealership’s scale. This modular approach ensures your budget reflects only the tools essential for your operations.

From my cost analysis, this means your monthly costs can be tailored, helping you avoid paying for unnecessary features.

2. Value Assessment & ROI

How does this pricing deliver value?

AutoManager offers a comprehensive, integrated solution specifically for independent auto dealers, aiming to consolidate your tech stack and boost profitability. What stood out about their pricing is how the free version includes key features like DAT licenses and numerous integrations, providing immediate value to smaller dealerships.

This helps you evaluate core functionality without upfront investment, proving ROI before committing to a paid plan.

3. Budget Planning & Implementation

Planning your AutoManager budget.

While specific pricing requires a quote, the availability of free trials for DeskManager, WebManager, and their CRM significantly reduces your initial evaluation risk. Budget-wise, what I found is that implementation costs are typically bundled or minimal, as the system is designed for ease of use.

So for your business, you can expect a transparent path to assessing value before making a substantial financial commitment.

My Take: AutoManager pricing prioritizes flexibility and value for independent dealers, offering entry-level options and custom quotes that scale with your specific needs.

The overall AutoManager pricing reflects scalable value tailored to your dealership’s needs.

AutoManager Reviews

What do real AutoManager users say?

I’ve dived into numerous AutoManager reviews to bring you an unbiased look at customer experiences, evaluating what actual users think about this dealership software.

1. Overall User Satisfaction

Users seem quite satisfied overall.

From my review analysis, AutoManager boasts a “great” 83% user satisfaction rating, according to a recognized software review site. What I found in user feedback is how its value proposition often stands out, with users noting extensive features for a fraction of competitors’ costs.

This indicates you can expect a solid return on investment from this software.

2. Common Praise Points

Its ease of use consistently impresses.

Users repeatedly highlight AutoManager’s intuitive interface and comprehensive features, especially for inventory management. Review-wise, I’ve seen many mention exceptional customer service and responsiveness, making support interactions smooth and helpful for you.

This means your team will likely find it easy to adopt and get support when needed.

3. Frequent Complaints

Some glitches can be frustrating.

While generally positive, several AutoManager reviews mention occasional glitches, particularly with paperwork processing and the mobile app’s photo functionality. What stands out in customer feedback is how the interface sometimes feels less modern compared to newer competitors, for some users.

These issues appear to be minor inconveniences for most, not major deal-breakers.

Overall, AutoManager reviews reveal high user satisfaction, especially concerning value, despite some minor technical hiccups.

Best AutoManager Alternatives

Considering your AutoManager alternatives?

The best AutoManager alternatives offer varying strengths, helping you decide based on your dealership size, budget, and specific operational priorities. Let’s explore some top contenders.

1. Frazer

Prioritize simplicity, support, and affordability?

Frazer is a strong choice for independent used car dealers who need a straightforward, easy-to-use DMS with excellent customer support and an affordable price point. From my competitive analysis, Frazer offers superior user satisfaction for simplicity, though it may lack AutoManager’s extensive CRM follow-up.

Choose Frazer when you value a no-headaches experience and dedicated support for essential DMS functions.

2. CDK Global

Operating a larger franchise dealership?

CDK Global works better for larger franchise dealerships requiring a highly integrated system with robust financial management and extensive accounting capabilities. What I found comparing options is that CDK Global provides deeper financial reporting and broader integration for complex multi-department operations than AutoManager.

Consider this alternative when your dealership needs enterprise-level financial controls and a highly integrated operational suite.

3. DealerSocket

Need advanced data mining for customer retention?

DealerSocket excels when your dealership requires more extensive data mining for customer retention and a platform optimizing the entire vehicle lifecycle, including service and financing. Alternative-wise, DealerSocket offers advanced equity mining tools to identify sales opportunities beyond what AutoManager’s core CRM provides.

Choose DealerSocket if enhancing customer loyalty through comprehensive data insights and lifecycle management is your priority.

4. DealerCenter

High user satisfaction and a large user community?

DealerCenter offers a very high user satisfaction rating and a significantly larger user community, which can be beneficial for peer support and shared insights. From my analysis, DealerCenter boasts excellent user satisfaction ratings from a vast user base, potentially offering a more tried-and-tested experience than AutoManager for some.

Choose this alternative if community reputation and very high user approval are key decision factors for your DMS.

The best AutoManager alternatives depend on your dealership’s specific size, budget, and operational focus to find the ideal fit.

AutoManager Setup

Is AutoManager implementation straightforward or complex?

AutoManager implementation is designed to be user-friendly, offering a relatively low barrier to entry for basic functionalities and a mostly straightforward deployment process.

1. Setup Complexity & Timeline

Starting with AutoManager is surprisingly quick.

AutoManager setup can be up and running in as little as three minutes for basic functionalities due to its user-friendly design. What I found about deployment is that deeper features and integrations might extend initial configuration, requiring a bit more dedicated time, but not extensively.

You’ll want to plan for some initial configuration for advanced features, but core functionality is nearly instant.

2. Technical Requirements & Integration

Expect minimal local IT burdens.

Since AutoManager offers cloud-based solutions and mobile apps, your technical requirements are largely centered on internet access and existing devices. From my implementation analysis, integration with third-party applications will require some technical setup to ensure smooth data exchange.

Plan for compatibility checks with your accounting software and financial portals, but avoid major hardware investments.

3. Training & Change Management

User adoption should be quite manageable.

AutoManager’s intuitive interface often reduces the learning curve, making training on core features relatively quick. What I found about deployment is that success hinges on leveraging their training resources like documentation and live online sessions for maximizing capabilities.

Invest in personalized training to ensure your team fully utilizes the software’s extensive features and automation tools.

4. Support & Success Factors

Reliable support is a cornerstone of AutoManager.

The company prides itself on personalized technical support, treating customers as partners and responding promptly to inquiries. From my implementation analysis, responsive and helpful customer service is a key success factor throughout your deployment and ongoing use.

For your implementation to succeed, lean on their readily available support for any setup challenges or learning curve issues.

Overall, AutoManager setup is quite accessible, offering strong support for a smooth implementation, particularly for independent dealers.

Bottom Line

Is AutoManager the right DMS for your dealership?

This AutoManager review provides a definitive final assessment to help you understand who best benefits from its comprehensive features and robust support.

1. Who This Works Best For

Independent used car dealerships of all sizes.

AutoManager is the ideal choice for independent dealerships, from small lots to expanding operations, including those selling RVs, boats, or airplanes. From my user analysis, businesses prioritizing an all-in-one, user-friendly solution for inventory, sales, and online marketing will find it invaluable for streamlining operations and enhancing customer relationships.

You’ll succeed if you need an affordable, comprehensive DMS that grows with your business and offers strong customer support.

2. Overall Strengths

Comprehensive features and exceptional user-friendliness stand out.

The software excels by offering an integrated DMS (DeskManager) and online marketing platform (WebManager), covering inventory, sales, CRM, and F&I in one user-friendly system. From my comprehensive analysis, its strong reputation for customer support and mobile accessibility significantly boost daily operational efficiency and customer engagement for your team.

These strengths translate directly into streamlined workflows, reduced errors, and a stronger online presence, driving your dealership’s profitability.

3. Key Limitations

Interface modernity and occasional software glitches are concerns.

While reliable, some users may find AutoManager’s interface less modern than newer competitors, and occasional glitches, particularly with paperwork or app photos, have been reported. Based on this review, the lack of a dedicated Buy Here Pay Here user option might be a drawback for certain dealership models or specific business contexts.

I’d say these limitations are manageable trade-offs for the proven reliability and extensive feature set, rather than deal-breakers for its target audience.

4. Final Recommendation

AutoManager is highly recommended for its target market.

You should choose this software if you’re an independent used car dealership seeking an all-in-one, scalable platform to manage your business effectively and enhance your digital footprint. From my analysis, your success depends on valuing comprehensive functionality and strong support over a cutting-edge interface.

My confidence level is high for independent dealers needing a reliable, feature-rich system to drive productivity and customer engagement.

This AutoManager review demonstrates strong value for the right business profile, while also offering crucial insights to confidently guide your decision.