CDK Global vs DealerCenter

What to check before you choose

Ask each vendor what a typical store like yours pays per month with every module you need. Get an answer on what conversion looks like, how long it takes and who supports you during the first close, and how accounting, floor plan, titling and reporting are handled, and whether state forms are kept current.

For DealerCenter, ask about buy-here-pay-here collections if you use them. For CDK, ask which manufacturer reporting is included.

Check what you keep and how you export if you leave.

CDK serves franchise and enterprise dealers with a full platform, while DealerCenter targets independent dealers with an all-in-one system that includes inventory, CRM, websites and credit tools. The right comparison starts with your type of store.

A franchise store must meet manufacturer reporting rules, while an independent needs low cost and ease of use. Ask each vendor for references in your own segment and check what the monthly price includes.

Look at cost over three years, not the first month. Ask both vendors for the total of setup fees, monthly charges, payment processing, forms, integrations and training, and what changes at renewal.

A system built for independents may cost less per month but charge for add-ons a franchise system includes. Add the staff time needed to run each system to the comparison.

Include the cost of leaving.

Ask about the support model too. A franchise platform usually comes with account managers, training teams and a long list of manufacturer certifications, and an independent-dealer system may offer phone support and a customer portal instead.

Neither is better in general. Decide how much help your team needs, what it will cost and how quickly a problem is solved when a deal is stuck on a busy Saturday.

Get the response times in writing and call a reference to check them.

Check the migration path as well. A store that outgrows an independent system, or a franchise that wants to simplify, will move one day, so ask each vendor what leaving looks like: which data you can export, in what format and at what cost.

Ask for the export of a real customer file and a real deal file before you sign. Keep both.

Inside the shared categories, CDK Global fields 12 named lines against it (CDK Dealership Xperience, CDK Drive, CDK CRM, CDK Service, and others); DealerCenter fields 4 named lines against it (DealerCenter DMS, CRM, Websites, Digital Retailing).