Admin
Contributor
Published 04 Nov 2026
A car sells and the deal feels good. Then the smaller costs start to show up: the detail, the new tyres, the warranty work, the freight on an import. By the time you add it all up, is the margin what you expected? Plenty of dealers only find out at the end of the month, if they find out at all.
Motorcentral DMS keeps costs with the vehicle itself. You record the purchase cost, including overseas import costs in multiple currencies if you bring cars in from abroad. As the car moves through your yard, you add expenses, reconditioning and warranty costs against it. Nothing lives in a separate spreadsheet or in someone's head.
Because the costs are on the vehicle record, the system calculates the margin automatically. There is no number to chase and no sheet to keep in step. There is also a profit calculator, which is handy when you are weighing up an offer on a trade-in or deciding what price a car needs to sell at.
When the car sells, the sale record can include registration, insurance and accessories, along with finance details and insurance products such as GAP. It also shows the profit on the deal. So the figure you see at the end reflects the whole deal, not just the price on the windscreen.
You do not need to change everything at once. On the next vehicle you take in, add the costs as they happen and check the margin on its record. It is a simple habit, and it gives you a clear answer to the question every dealer asks: what did that car really earn us?
Want to see how it works? Book a free demo by calling us on 0800 623 687, or get in touch at motorcentral.co.nz/contact.