Dealer True Landed Cost Calculator

What does a vehicle really cost to land?

Your broker quotes you a price. But by the time that vehicle is on your lot, the true cost is often hundreds of dollars higher. This calculator surfaces every hidden layer — broker markup, floor plan interest, auction storage, admin time, and arbitration risk.

▦

5 Hidden Cost Layers

The costs that don't appear on your transport invoice — but show up on your P&L.

◆

True Landed Cost

See the full picture — per vehicle, weekly, monthly, and annually.

◤

Your Numbers

Enter your own data. No assumptions beyond industry benchmarks where noted.

Powered by Auto Hauler Exchange · All calculations are local — no data is collected or transmitted.

Step 2 of 7

Transport Basics

Start with your monthly volume, average purchase price, and what you currently pay per vehicle. Industry data shows that ~25% of a typical broker quote goes to broker margin — the carrier receives the other ~75%. That margin is built into the price you see, not added on top.

Monthly Vehicles Transported

All auction-purchased units you arrange transport for

Average Vehicle Purchase Price

$

Floor plan interest starts accruing at auction purchase

Average Transport Quote Per Vehicle

$

The price on your transport invoice per vehicle

Cost Breakdown — Per Vehicle

Carrier receives (~75% of invoice) —

Broker margin within your invoice (~25%) —

Monthly transport spend —

            Annual transport spend
            —
          

Step 3 of 7

Floor Plan Interest

Floor plan interest starts the moment the hammer falls at auction — before the vehicle has moved an inch. Every day in transit is a day of interest you're paying with no vehicle on the lot to show for it.

Floor Plan Interest Rate (annual)

%

Annual floor plan rate — check your floorplan agreement

Average Days in Transit (door to door)

From auction purchase date to lot arrival

Calculated Costs — Per Vehicle

Daily floor plan cost per vehicle —

Floor plan interest accrued during transit —

            Monthly floor plan cost during transit
            —
          

Step 4 of 7

Auction Storage Fees

Storage fees start accumulating after the auction's grace period expires. When a carrier isn't assigned quickly, your vehicle sits — and those extra days come directly out of your margin.

Auction Grace Period (days)

Free storage days before fees begin — often 7 days

Average Days Until Carrier Pickup

Days the vehicle waits at auction before a carrier picks it up

Storage Fee After Grace Period (per day)

$

Industry range: $10–$45/day depending on auction

% of Shipments Exceeding Grace Period

50%

Calculated Costs — Per Vehicle

Days exceeding grace period —

Storage cost per affected vehicle —

Blended storage cost per vehicle (all units) —

            Monthly auction storage spend
            —
          

Step 5 of 7 · Optional

Manager Time

Every VIN requires someone to post the load, chase updates, and reconcile the GL. With a broker, carrier vetting, insurance confirmation, and check-cutting are handled for you — but you're still paying for the time you do spend, plus the broker margin.

Time Spent Per Vehicle (minutes)

Broker handles carrier vetting, insurance & payment — typical range: 15–25 min

Manager Hourly Cost (fully loaded)

$

Salary + benefits + overhead — typical range: $50–$75/hr

Calculated Costs — Per Vehicle

Labor cost per vehicle —

            Monthly labor cost (all vehicles)
            —
          

Step 6 of 7 · Optional

Arbitration Risk

NAAA rules give buyers 7–10 calendar days to file a claim. Slow transit eats into that window — and when it closes, undisclosed defects become your problem. A single missed window typically costs $2,000–$4,600 in repairs, return transport, and lost gross.

% of Vehicles with Undisclosed Defects

%

Industry benchmark: 1–3% of vehicles have qualifying issues

Avg Out-of-Pocket Cost Per Missed Window

$

Repair + return transport + lost gross — range: $2,000–$4,600

Calculated Risk Exposure — Per Vehicle

Risk-adjusted arbitration cost per vehicle —

            Monthly arbitration exposure
            —
          

Auto Hauler Exchange — Dealer True Landed Cost Calculator

Results

Your True Landed Cost

Here's what each vehicle actually costs to land on your lot — broken down by cost layer and totaled across every time period.

Per Vehicle

—

Weekly

—

Monthly

—

Annual

—

Cost Category	Per Vehicle
Transport Invoice	—
~25% broker margin (within invoice)	—
Floor Plan Interest (in transit)	—
Auction Storage Fees	—
Manager Time	—
Arbitration Risk	—
True Landed Cost	—

Transport invoice total includes an estimated ~25% broker margin — this is extracted from your quoted price, not added on top. Arbitration risk is a probability-weighted exposure based on your inputs.

Estimated Savings with AHX

~20% Less Per Vehicle

Dealers using AHX typically reduce their total true landed cost by around 20% — by eliminating broker markup, cutting transit to an average of 4 days, and replacing manual logistics work with an automated platform. On your numbers, that could look like:

—

per vehicle

—

per month

—

per year

Estimated savings based on industry benchmarks. Actual results vary by lane, volume, auction source, and current transport setup.

Talk to AHX About Reducing Your Costs →

The cost pattern

Your transport invoice is only the starting line. Broker margin, daily interest, storage fees, admin hours, and arbitration risk compound on every vehicle — and most of it never appears in a single view. The gap between your quoted price and your true landed cost is consistent, predictable, and worth understanding.