A WhatsApp AI agent for new car dealerships: answer model, spec and price-list questions, book test drives and service appointments, collect trade-in details, and route hot buyers to a salesperson
A dealership's WhatsApp lead is a buyer comparing three brands at 10 pm. The first showroom that answers with the spec, the price and a Saturday test-drive slot gets the visit. The one that answers at 9 am the next day gets a polite "already decided".
Quick answer
Give a WhatsApp AI agent your model range with variants, key specs, list prices, current promotions, colours and stock status, financing basics in general terms, test-drive availability per model, service menu and workshop hours, and a trade-in intake script, and it answers buyer questions in seconds, books test drives and service appointments into real slots with reminders, collects trade-in details and photos, and hands hot buyers and all negotiation to a salesperson. ReplyKit runs several numbers on the Growth and Pro plans, one per salesperson or department.
Sales enquiries
- Model range as a table the agent can quote: model, variant, engine, key features, list price, colours, stock status (in stock, arriving {month}, order).
- Promotions with dates and conditions, in exact words.
- Financing basics: that plans exist, typical terms in general, what documents a finance application needs; the agent never quotes a monthly payment unless your note has a published example.
- The agent answers, asks which model and variant interests the buyer and when they want to visit, and books a test drive into that model's availability with a reminder.
- The lead lands in the CRM with model, variant and timeline, assigned to a salesperson. The qualification approach is in lead qualification questions.
Trade-in intake
The agent collects make, model, year, mileage, condition in the owner's words, and photos of the exterior, interior and odometer, then hands over for a valuation. It never estimates a value. Buyers appreciate being asked for everything at once rather than over three days; the dealership appreciates a complete file. The used-car side of the business is covered in used car dealers.
Service and aftersales
- Service menu with prices for standard services by model, and workshop hours.
- Booking into real workshop slots with a reminder the day before and drop-off instructions; see car workshop templates.
- Status questions answered from a daily note ("Vehicles ready: ABC123, DEF456").
- Recall and warranty questions answered in general terms, with the specific case handed to the service adviser.
- A separate number for service on the Growth plan keeps sales and workshop chats apart.
What the sales floor keeps
What stays with a person:
- Negotiation, discounts and trade-in values.
- Finance applications and approvals.
- Allocation of scarce stock.
- Complaints and warranty disputes.
- Delivery scheduling.
Everything else the agent handles, and when it is unsure it says so and offers a human rather than guessing; see why the agent says it is not sure.
One honest note before the setup. ReplyKit connects to your number by QR pairing, the same linked-device mechanism as WhatsApp Web. It is live in minutes and needs no Meta approval, but Meta does not sanction automation this way, so a number can be restricted. We enforce limits of 30 replies an hour and 200 a day per number with a warm-up ramp for new numbers, reply to inbound messages only, and recommend a dedicated number rather than your main line. The full picture is in our ban guide.
Starter at $29 a month covers one number, one agent, one website assistant and 1,000 AI replies; Growth at $49 adds two more numbers, five agents and follow-up nudges; the 7-day free trial needs no card. Only the agent's own messages count; replies you receive and messages you send yourself are free. Pricing is in USD and the service works wherever WhatsApp does. What it costs in practice.
Frequently asked questions
Can the agent quote prices?
List prices and published promotions from your range table, in your exact words. Discounts and negotiation are handed to a salesperson.
Can it book test drives?
Yes, into availability per model, with a reminder the day before.
Does it value trade-ins?
No. It collects details and photos and hands over for your valuation.
Can it book service appointments?
Yes, into workshop slots, with drop-off instructions and a reminder.
Can each salesperson have their own number?
Yes, on the Pro plan, with leads routed by number and one shared inbox for management.
First showroom to answer, first to get the test drive
Specs, prices, test drives, trade-ins and service bookings handled; negotiation stays yours. 7-day free trial, no card.
Sources and further reading
- Harvard Business Review, The Short Life of Online Sales Leads (Oldroyd, McElheran, Elkington, 2011) · firms that responded within an hour were about seven times more likely to qualify the lead
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy · opt-in, opt-out and prohibited-use rules every business must follow
- ReplyKit, Will WhatsApp ban my number for automation? · our own account of the risk and the limits we enforce
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. This article is general guidance for running a small business, not legal, financial or regulatory advice.