Vehicle Acquisition Network (VAN) vs. LeadLocate

Vehicle Acquisition Network (VAN) is a purpose-built vehicle sourcing platform that enables car dealerships to acquire high-margin, fast-turning used vehicles directly from private sellers—bypassing auctions, reducing acquisition costs, and accelerating inventory turn. Today’s automotive market is more competitive than ever. Wholesale prices are climbing, auction fees are rising, and reconditioning delays eat into profitability. VAN solves this by giving dealers the tools and talent they need to target, engage, and acquire for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) vehicles in their local market with speed and efficiency. With VAN, dealers can: Access thousands of local private-party listings in real time Use AI-powered filters to find the most profitable cars Automate personalized outreach and follow-up with sellers Track communications, tasks, and acquisition progress in one unified CRM Eliminate auction fees, transport delays, and wholesale surprises For stores that lack time or staff to do this work in-house, VAN also offers a Managed Buyer program—a turnkey service where VAN’s expert acquisition team works on your behalf to find, contact, and negotiate with private sellers. It’s like hiring a full-time buyer without the overhead. Whether you're a single rooftop looking for more control or a large group scaling a private-party acquisition strategy, VAN adapts to your dealership's workflow and goals. Dealers using VAN regularly see faster turn times, higher front-end grosses, and more predictable inventory pipelines. Trusted by over 250 rooftops across the U.S. and Canada, VAN is how modern dealers compete with Carvana, CarMax, and other direct-to-consumer disruptors—by sourcing smarter, not just spending more.

LeadLocate is an all-encompassing platform tailored for generating automotive leads and managing customer relationships, empowering car dealerships and sales professionals to efficiently capture, evaluate, and convert exclusive leads from both buyers and sellers in real-time. The platform guarantees that leads from inbound inquiries and sellers are delivered immediately within designated geographic regions, utilizing a distinctive three-point quality evaluation that verifies locality, authentic contact details, and active intent to purchase to boost conversion effectiveness. Featuring sophisticated automation tools, it streamlines the prospecting and follow-up process across various communication channels, including SMS, email, ringless voicemail, and phone calls. Furthermore, its integrated CRM functionality provides customizable lead capture forms, marketing templates, referral programs, mobile push alerts, and an AI-enhanced follow-up assistant to improve user engagement. The system also facilitates seamless compatibility with existing CRM platforms through standard XML ADF, while tailored account settings modify lead streams to cater to the unique needs of local markets. This adaptability ensures that dealerships can swiftly adjust to evolving market dynamics and customer demands, ultimately leading to enhanced operational efficiency and increased sales opportunities.