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Car Dealer Simulator Game Cover

About Car Dealer Simulator

Car Dealer Simulator is a single player open world shooter game. It was developed by Garage Monkeys and was released on May 29, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Turn your dream of selling used cars into reality! In Car Dealer Simulator, you’ll learn the ins and outs of running a business from its quirky owner, Little Sam. He’s not great at keeping things in order, so your task is to buy low, fix up, and sell high. Over time, as you master your initial challenges, you’ll have the chance to take over the business, and then… Everything will be in your hands!…

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Games Like Car Dealer Simulator

Looking for games like Car Dealer Simulator? Here are top open world shooter recommendations, selected from player-similarity data — start with Gas Station Simulator, Car Dealer Simulator: Prologue - Early Days or Car Service Together.

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Reviews

88%Audience ScoreBased on 4,406 reviews
gameplay215 positive mentions
grinding173 negative mentions

  • Addictive and fun gameplay loop combining car dealing, repair, and management with progression that feels satisfying.
  • Active and dedicated developers with frequent updates, fixes, and new content adding variety and improvements.
  • Relaxing and casual simulator suitable for car enthusiasts and those who enjoy chill, time-consuming games.
  • The game suffers from performance issues and optimization problems, causing lag and crashes on various systems.
  • Repetitive gameplay with limited endgame content; post-max progression becomes tedious and lacks meaningful activities.
  • Presence of various bugs and glitches, including crashes that can cause save data loss, frustrating some players.
  • gameplay

    726 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    30% positive mentions, 63% neutral mentions, 7% negative mentions

    The gameplay is centered around a satisfying and addictive core loop of buying, repairing, and selling cars, blending simple yet engaging mechanics from car mechanic and business simulation genres. While it offers enjoyable activities like bodywork, cleaning, and dealership management with progression and employee hiring adding depth, many reviewers note that the mechanical repair aspect is basic and repetitive, sometimes clunky, and the driving and towing mechanics are often criticized. Frequent updates add new content and improvements, but despite its charm and relaxing pace, the gameplay can become grindy and lacks the complexity and polish of more detailed mechanic simulators.

    • “The gameplay loop is incredibly addictive and satisfying—there's always something to do, whether it's finding deals, fixing up cars, managing the business, or expanding your dealership.”
    • “The gameplay is simple to learn, with all interfaces being user-friendly, making the experience accessible for both casual and dedicated players.”
    • “The core gameplay loop of repairing and selling vehicles is satisfying, and there’s definitely something addictive about it.”
    • “Boring asf no content, no endless gameplay, no tuning, no fun.”
    • “The core gameplay loop does not change and is as follows: set up meeting to buy car on PC; drive to location and haggle for the car (the NPCs you haggle with will never let you win); tow/drive car back to lot; wash car; do bodywork on car; repair exhaust/suspension/brakes/engine.”
    • “The gameplay quickly becomes repetitive and sluggish, with clunky mechanics and poorly designed menus that lack basic quality-of-life features.”
  • grinding

    185 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    2% positive mentions, 4% neutral mentions, 94% negative mentions

    Grinding in the game is often described as a necessary but repetitive and sometimes tedious process, especially in early stages where tasks like rust removal, washing, and repairs can feel slow and monotonous. However, progression unlocks automation and employee hires that alleviate some of the tedium, making the gameplay loop satisfying and enjoyable for players who appreciate grind-heavy simulators. While some find the achievement-related grinding and certain late-game mechanics frustrating, fans of the genre praise the balance of realism and automation that keeps the experience rewarding rather than overwhelming.

    • “The game loop is interesting enough to keep one focused and the tasks that can be undertaken are varied and not too tedious.”
    • “The progression feels just right—not too fast, not too grindy—which keeps it engaging.”
    • “It's not too grindy, it's fun to watch tangible growth to the business, and it's enjoyable.”
    • “Not to mention the base game had some sort of automation with workers you can hire to do jobs, but the DLC has none, so if you want the best price, reputation and fame for each sale you are forced to do a lot of tedious repetitive work.”
    • “The game gets very grindy and repetitive thanks to the 'reputation' system which requires you to raise it to unlock new features and upgrades, and since before getting NPC upgrades you have to do everything yourself you can only do 1-2 cars at a time; each car sold gives you a small amount of reputation.”
    • “The early game tasking is extremely tedious to the point of being not fun.”
  • graphics

    166 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    28% positive mentions, 64% neutral mentions, 8% negative mentions

    Graphics in the game are generally considered decent to good for an indie simulator, featuring realistic lighting effects and detailed car models, though not cutting-edge or highly polished. However, many users report poor optimization leading to lag, low frame rates even on high-end PCs, and occasional visual bugs or ghosting artifacts. While the visuals add to the experience, especially in car detailing, it remains a work in progress with performance and graphical refinement expected in future updates.

    • “The lighting and visuals are unreal — the shadows, the way the exposure adjusts when you move from inside the garage to outside, the sun glare/lens flare through windows and glass… it genuinely looks and feels incredibly realistic.”
    • “The mechanics are solid, the graphics are beautiful, and the gameplay was exactly what I needed when I needed it.”
    • “The graphics are solid, the gameplay is fun, and one of the best parts is that the creators keep improving it with new content and updates.”
    • “How can a game be this unoptimized to not run with a 7800x3d and a RX 9070 XT on max graphics?”
    • “First and most important, how can this game be in the category 'great on deck' when it can't play at a stable 30fps without melting the device with 99% GPU usage at the lowest graphic settings?”
    • “I have a Ryzen 5 7600x and 9060 XT 16GB RAM and in the game I get a mere 50 FPS on medium settings, but considering the appearance of the graphics, it seems very poorly optimized.”
  • optimization

    159 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    18% positive mentions, 57% neutral mentions, 25% negative mentions

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many users reporting significant performance issues such as frame rate drops, stuttering, and lag, especially as the game progresses or when dealing with many vehicles. Despite some improvements from developers and regular updates, the overall experience is marred by unstable performance across various systems and platforms, making the game feel unpolished and sometimes unplayable. Users emphasize the need for a thorough optimization pass to improve stability and smooth gameplay before adding further content.

    • “Since I started playing Garage Monkey, the dev team has improved performance, improved graphics, and added FSR3 and DLSS, and added new vehicles.”
    • “I am running it at 4K max (including the lumen options) with DLSS at 70% scaling on a 5800x3d & 4090 (averaging around 100fps with this setup), so your performance mileage may vary depending on your PC & the settings used.”
    • “Performance has been smooth, and the updates show the devs are listening to the community.”
    • “How can a game be this unoptimized to not run with a 7800x3d and a RX 9070 XT on max graphics?”
    • “I liked the game at the start, but after every update it's getting worse in my opinion, and I am not only talking about features like hard capping profit to 30% if you don't want to haggle, but also performance is getting worse on my machine; after selling a car my game even just freezes every 10 seconds for like a minute or so making the game unplayable (again).”
    • “It's badly optimized mess - despite having R7800x3d, 3060 12 GB, 48 GB DDR5, it still runs not as good.”
  • story

    145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    19% positive mentions, 77% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions

    The story in the game is generally seen as short, simple, and primarily a progression framework rather than an engaging narrative, with many users describing it as minimal or forgettable. While the premise of rebuilding a car dealership offers some interest, progression beyond early levels lacks depth, and many feel the game relies heavily on grinding rather than storytelling. Numerous bugs and soft locks in quests hinder the experience, and players widely request more missions, side quests, and content to enrich the story and maintain long-term engagement.

    • “I absolutely love this game, even with some of the minor bugs; nothing is game breaking, it's all just little quirks that add character to the game and story.”
    • “The premise of the story is that you have inherited a run-down car dealership in Hicksville, USA and as is the way with this type of game, have to work your way up to a glitzy car dealership by buying, renovating, and then selling cars for the max value possible.”
    • “After putting in about 60 hours into the game, I essentially completed the story arc.”
    • “There is no solid story, just grinding and growing.”
    • “The progression system is unfulfilling as there is no real story or incentive to continue the game past level 10.”
    • “When combined with the generic, uninspiring task-based storyline in-game (seems directly lifted from other simulators) forcing you to progress in these upgrades, you will face a growing financial burden with almost zero benefit.”
  • stability

    116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    6% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 94% negative mentions

    The game is frequently described as buggy and unstable, with common issues including frequent freezing, crashes, long load times, and frame rate drops—especially after updates and with the DLC. However, many users acknowledge active developer support and regular patches that gradually improve performance, making the game still enjoyable despite technical flaws. Overall, while the core gameplay is addictive, the stability problems currently hinder a smooth experience.

    • “Great game, very satisfying and not buggy.”
    • “I would highly recommend it and it runs great on Steam Deck.”
    • “Game runs great, no real lag or stutters on a decent system.”
    • “During racing (the DLC), the FPS drops so low the game just freezes and stutters constantly.”
    • “Ever since the new DLC, this game freezes constantly.”
    • “The game is completely unplayable, full of bugs. The more stuff and cars you have, the more bugs appear. Every auto-save the game freezes, and it even started to freeze without auto-save. Good idea for a game but very bad execution.”
  • music

    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    25% positive mentions, 68% neutral mentions, 7% negative mentions

    The game's music is generally well-liked, featuring a calming and catchy soundtrack with decent rock and country influences, though some find the radio stations repetitive and limited. Players appreciate the ability to listen to music while playing but desire more variety, customizable options, and better integration throughout the game world beyond the portable radio. Occasional bugs causing the radio to stop playing and lack of in-shop music detract somewhat from the experience.

    • “Surprisingly, this game has a killer soundtrack too.”
    • “The music in the game is actually very nice and I listen to it every time I play; it's kinda cool.”
    • “The other two [radio stations] fall somewhere between rock and country and are much better than you would expect from a game like this; if you played Road 96 and liked that soundtrack, you will be very happy with this one.”
    • “I turned the radio off; it just plays the same songs over and over.”
    • “Only bug I seem to have is the car radio and radio in your dealership just doesn't play music, making the game very quiet at times.”
    • “Radio randomly stops playing any music / same songs played over and over again.”
  • humor

    42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game is widely praised for its quirky, lighthearted humor, including hilarious NPC interactions, funny voice lines, and amusing driving physics. Players enjoy the game's goofy charm, funny bugs, and entertaining negotiation mechanics, which contribute to an overall chill and enjoyable experience. While some note the humor could be enhanced with more NPC interactions, the comedic elements remain a strong, appreciated aspect of the game.

    • “Throughout the game you'll find junk cars for free, amazing deals being sold by NPCs who don't know what they have, and a flawed (but hilarious) negotiation system that lets you take NPCs for thousands more than they want to pay you.”
    • “The good; buying and haggling is very fun and the character voices are hilarious and awesome, the game is kinda goofy and they should lean into it more.”
    • “Absolutely great game with a lot of subtle humor.”
  • monetization

    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 5% neutral mentions, 95% negative mentions

    Users perceive the game's monetization as overly aggressive and cash-grabby, criticizing expensive DLCs that add content they believe should be free updates. Many feel the base game is incomplete and repeatedly updated with minor fixes while pushing paid add-ons and new similar-sim titles reusing the same assets. Despite enjoying the gameplay, players are frustrated by intrusive in-game ads and a perceived lack of value, viewing the monetization strategy as rushed and exploitative.

    • “When they announced the DLC, it immediately felt greedy due to the insane cost of $17. You're basically buying a fairly empty base game and then spending another $20 on a DLC that should have been a standard update. The game is overpriced and the DLC ridiculously overpriced, making it feel like a full-on cash grab.”
    • “The developers are a cash grab bunch charging for car customization and racing DLCs. They reuse the same engine, assets, and city to sell more games with similar mechanics under new titles. It's essentially the same game with minor changes and a new price tag.”
    • “Putting showroom/office customization inside a DLC is a cheap, typical, corporate cash grab.”
  • replayability

    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    35% positive mentions, 47% neutral mentions, 18% negative mentions

    Replayability in the game receives mixed but generally positive feedback, with many players appreciating ongoing updates and new content that keep the experience fresh and engaging. While some note limitations due to a smaller variety of cars and features, the overall sentiment highlights a strong, if sometimes uneven, replay value enhanced by frequent developer support.

    • “Amazing game, there is so much to do and a lot of replayability.”
    • “Another thing I really like is the flow and rhythm that you can get into, which makes it very replayable. I come back often to check out the new features and car models.”
    • “This game checks every box: immersive, creative, and endlessly replayable.”
    • “This game has no replayability.”
    • “2) As I initially mentioned, the replayability is pretty low.”
    • “Overall I liked this game and felt I got lots of value for what I paid, despite it having a real lack of replayability.”
  • emotional

    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game evokes a mix of feelings, from low emotional strain despite grindy gameplay to humorous attachment affecting in-game decisions. While generally engaging and motivating, certain visual elements can cause mild discomfort. Overall, the emotional impact is varied but compelling.

    • “I used to come home from work and immediately queue into the emotional torture chamber known as Call of Duty: Warzone.”
    • “It's grindy but not at all in a way that made me feel like I wanted to stop; if anything, it kept me going!”
    • “Car Dealer Simulator is the rare game that lets you live out the dream of buying low, selling high… and then immediately doing the opposite because you got emotionally attached to a badly specced hatchback.”
  • atmosphere

    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly immersive and captivating, with a chill and relaxed pacing that encourages extended play without feeling rushed. Detailed background sounds and effects effectively create a compelling mood, making it easy for players to lose track of time.

    • “I’ve never had a game hook me this hard purely off atmosphere and immersion — I grinded so much that I hit around 1.5 million in basically two real-life days because I just didn’t want to stop playing.”
    • “The atmosphere is chill, the pacing is relaxed, and it never feels like it’s rushing you — which makes it very easy to lose hours without noticing.”
    • “Everything from the background sounds, the SFX, to the object sounds really set the mood and atmosphere in this game really well.”
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Play Times

21h Median play time
51h Average play time
9-45h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 68 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Car Dealer Simulator is a open world shooter game. Common tags for Car Dealer Simulator include first-person, indie, trading, life sim, family friendly and others.

Car Dealer Simulator is available on PC, Steam Deck and Windows.

On average players spend around 51 hours playing Car Dealer Simulator.

Car Dealer Simulator was released on May 29, 2025.

Car Dealer Simulator was developed by Garage Monkeys.

Car Dealer Simulator has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked Car Dealer Simulator for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Car Dealer Simulator is a single player game.

Similar games include Gas Station Simulator, Car Dealer Simulator: Prologue - Early Days, Car Service Together, Supermarket Simulator, Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 and others.