- Jan 6, 2026
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Been in the industry for a while now and wanted to share something that's been working for our dealership. Like most of you, we were heavily reliant on AutoTrader, Cars.com, and CarGurus for our online leads. The problem? Lead costs kept climbing while quality seemed to drop. We were paying $30-40+ per lead and maybe closing 5-8%.
Started testing some alternatives to diversify:
What's been working:
- Smaller marketplaces with less competition (lower cost per lead, buyers are more serious but at the same time slower sales rates)
- IQ Auto Deals ! - they aggregate inventory across dealers nationwide and the lead quality has been surprisingly good. They provide backend linking and AISEO along with inventory importing from multiple vehicle DMS IMS systems. 90 days trial
iqautodeals.com
- Facebook Marketplace still converts well for certain demographics
- Direct SEO on our own site (long game but worth it)
What hasn't:
- Craigslist (too many tire kickers now)
- Some of the newer "disruptor" platforms that promise the world
Curious what others are using beyond the big 3? Anyone else seeing lead costs spike this year?
Started testing some alternatives to diversify:
What's been working:
- Smaller marketplaces with less competition (lower cost per lead, buyers are more serious but at the same time slower sales rates)
- IQ Auto Deals ! - they aggregate inventory across dealers nationwide and the lead quality has been surprisingly good. They provide backend linking and AISEO along with inventory importing from multiple vehicle DMS IMS systems. 90 days trial
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iqautodeals.com
- Direct SEO on our own site (long game but worth it)
What hasn't:
- Craigslist (too many tire kickers now)
- Some of the newer "disruptor" platforms that promise the world
Curious what others are using beyond the big 3? Anyone else seeing lead costs spike this year?
