How do you manage a used-vehicle stock when every day parked costs money?

Why do days in stock matter?

Days in stock is simply how long each vehicle has been waiting since it entered the lot. It is the quickest way to see which cars are getting old before they become a problem.

A long wait has a cost even when nobody sends a bill: the capital that stays tied up, the space, the insurance and the maintenance to keep the car in good shape. Many dealers set their own limit and review any vehicle that passes it.

Count the preparation cost

The real cost of a vehicle is not only what you paid for it. Add the repairs, the paint, the tires, the documents and the cleaning that made it ready to sell, and keep each of those costs on the record of that vehicle.

Without this, the margin of a sale is a guess. With it, you know the lowest price you can accept before you start negotiating.

How a vehicle loses value while it waits

Depreciation is the drop between what the vehicle was worth when you bought it and what it is worth today. Time, mileage, the arrival of newer models and changes in the market all push the current value down, even if the car has not moved.

Looking at purchase value, current value and the drop per month of each vehicle shows how much waiting is costing, and makes it easier to decide between holding the price and lowering it.

Compare the listed price with the market and with the current value

Two comparisons help. The first is the listed price against similar vehicles for sale online, looking at year, mileage and version. The second is the listed price against the current value of your own vehicle, which tells you whether the car still has room in the price.

A price far above similar listings explains a slow vehicle. A price below the current value means you are giving margin away, so check it before the next proposal.

Evaluating the customer's car in trade

Many sales depend on the car the customer brings. Asking for photos of the body, paint, tires and interior lets you give a first appraisal quickly, before the customer drives to the store.

Treat that number as a starting point. The final value is confirmed with the car in front of you, and it should enter the negotiation as the value of the trade, separate from the price of the vehicle you are selling.

Record each proposal and counter offer

A negotiation often goes back and forth several times in a chat. If the offers stay only in the conversation, nobody remembers later what was agreed, who offered what and when.

• Value, down payment, car in trade and conditions of each proposal
• Who made each offer and when
• The final result, with the cost and the sale price of the vehicle