AutoFire tools / Inventory & profit
Free Car Dealer Profit & Max Bid Calculator
Calculate vehicle deal contribution, break-even resale, margin, and the maximum auction bid that meets your profit target.
Your work stays yours.
Local processing. Free exports.
No login or email required.
Your numbers
After direct F&I costs.
Your estimate
- Estimated deal contribution
- $2,700.00
- All-in vehicle costs
- $17,300.00
- Break-even sale price
- $17,300.00
- Maximum bid at target
- $14,700.00
- Contribution / sale price
- 13.5%
Your worksheet
| Days held | Holding cost | Deal contribution |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | $150.00 | $2,850.00 |
| 30 | $300.00 | $2,700.00 |
| 60 | $600.00 | $2,400.00 |
| 90 | $900.00 | $2,100.00 |
For informational use only. Figures are planning estimates based on your inputs, not accounting, tax, or financial advice. Unentered costs, taxes, and overhead can change the result. Verify your records and do your own research before making a purchase or pricing decision.
How to use this tool
- 1Enter purchase, auction fees, transport, and recon costs.
- 2Add an expected sale price, holding costs, and optional F&I.
- 3Compare the deal contribution with your target and export the figures.
How the result is built
Deal contribution = sale price + F&I contribution − purchase − fees − transport − recon − holding costs. Max bid works backward from your target contribution. Full dealership overhead and taxes are excluded unless you enter them as costs.
An example from the lot
A $15,000 purchase with $2,000 in other costs sold for $20,000 produces $3,000 contribution before unallocated overhead and tax.