Why I built DealerVLO

I run Simon's Service and Sales — a small used-car lot in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. I close maybe a deal a week on a good week. And for most of the last few years, the thing that slowed me down the most wasn't the inventory, the customers, or the deals.

It was the software.

What I was using

A Windows desktop DMS that's been running on dealer lots since before I was born. A laptop with a USB dongle to authenticate. A printer that only worked half the time. Three folders per deal. A spreadsheet on the side because the software couldn't show me what I actually needed.

When I sold a car, I'd spend forty-five minutes printing forms, hand-writing the parts the software couldn't fill, and re-typing the customer's name onto the FTC Buyers Guide because the integration didn't work.

Every minute of that is a minute I'm not selling the next car.

What I wanted

A DMS that:

• Works on any device. Phone in the lot, laptop at the desk, iPad in the showroom.
• Fills out every form from the deal data. Bill of Sale, FTC Buyers Guide, Federal Odometer Disclosure, MA RMV-1, Damage Disclosure.
• Comes with a dealer website. My inventory is online the moment I add a car.
• Doesn't cost $200/month + per-seat fees + a setup charge + a training session.
• Doesn't require a Windows install or a dongle.

I couldn't find one. So I built it.

What's in DealerVLO today

• Inventory with VIN auto-decode (paste VIN, the form fills itself from NHTSA).
• Customer CRM. DL numbers encrypted at rest.
• Deal jacket with live totals — cash or finance, trade-in support, tax math.
• Federal forms — Bill of Sale, Buyers Guide, Odometer Disclosure.
• Massachusetts forms — RMV-1, Damage Disclosure.
• A public dealer website per dealership. Bring your own domain.
• Lead inbox from the website contact form.

It runs my lot. Now I'm letting other dealers try it.

What's next

The roadmap is driven by what I need for my own deals. Right now that's: better mobile photo capture, a CSV import for dealers leaving the old DMS, and more state forms (PA, OH, TX, FL).

If you're a dealer and there's something blocking you from switching, tell me. I read every email.

— Chris