Comparison
AutoRelay vs Cars.com
Cars.com charges $30-$60 per shared lead plus a monthly subscription. AutoRelay delivers exclusive leads for a flat monthly fee — no per-lead charges.
Cars.com is a listing marketplace — customers are browsing inventory from every dealer in the area. By the time a lead reaches you, the customer has already contacted 2-3 competitors. AutoRelay flips the model: instead of competing for shoppers, you're capturing your own service customers before they ever start browsing.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Lead Exclusivity
AutoRelay
Exclusive — your own service customers
Cars.com
Shared marketplace leads
Monthly Cost
AutoRelay
Flat monthly fee — unlimited leads
Cars.com
$399-$1,299/mo + $30-$60 per lead
Lead Intent
AutoRelay
Service customer → acquisition opportunity
Cars.com
Shopper comparing multiple dealers
AI Follow-Up
AutoRelay
AI replies in under 5 seconds, 24/7
Cars.com
No AI — manual BDC follow-up
Campaign Automation
AutoRelay
Built-in service reminders, recall notices, trade-in offers
Cars.com
No outbound campaign tools
DMS Integration
AutoRelay
XTime, MyKaarma, Tekion
Cars.com
Limited dealer integrations
Channel
AutoRelay
SMS (98% open rate)
Cars.com
Email + phone leads
Free Trial
AutoRelay
30 days free, no credit card
Cars.com
No free trial
Why Dealers Switch to AutoRelay
- 1
Cars.com leads are expensive and shared — you're paying $1,000+/month in subscriptions plus per-lead fees for customers who are also talking to the dealer down the street.
- 2
Your service lane is the largest untapped acquisition channel. These customers already trust your brand and their vehicles are already on your lot.
- 3
AutoRelay's AI handles outreach 24/7 while your BDC focuses on closing — no more scrambling to be first to respond to a shared lead.
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