Car Clutch
An automotive dealership needed a marketplace that reflected the quality of their inventory — not a generic template their competitors were also using.
Car Clutch is an independent automotive dealership specializing in quality pre-owned vehicles. They needed a digital storefront that could showcase inventory dynamically, compete with larger franchises online, and give buyers the information they needed to make confident decisions before stepping on the lot.
The previous website used a generic automotive template that looked identical to dozens of other dealerships. Inventory updates required manual uploads. There was no way to filter by the criteria buyers actually used. Financing information was buried or absent. The site was losing buyers to competitors with more capable online experiences.
- Display live vehicle inventory with real-time data from their inventory system
- Build search and filter by make, model, year, price, mileage, and features
- Integrate financing tools and monthly payment estimates
- Create a design that positioned Car Clutch as a premium independent dealership
- Improve mobile experience for on-the-go car shoppers
- Reduce manual inventory management time to zero
How we built it.
The project centered on a live API integration with their inventory management system — every vehicle listing pulled in real time, with photos, specifications, pricing, and availability updated automatically. No more manual uploads, no more stale listings.
The search and filter system was custom-built in PHP and JavaScript to handle multiple simultaneous filter conditions without a page reload. Buyers could filter by price range, mileage, transmission, color, and specific features — and see results update instantly.
A financing calculator was integrated directly on vehicle detail pages, letting buyers estimate monthly payments with their own down payment and credit assumptions before contacting the dealer. This kind of transparency builds the confidence that drives buyers to visit in person.
Design-wise, the goal was to look like the inventory warranted the attention. Dark, editorial photography treatment. Clean typography. None of the visual noise that clutters most automotive sites.
What changed.
Inventory management time dropped to near zero after the API integration. Buyers arrive on the lot already knowing which vehicles they're interested in and what financing might look like — improving conversation quality and deal close rates. The dealership now has an online presence that competes with franchise operations.
"The API integration was the interesting part here — mapping their inventory system's data model to a clean, consistent front-end took more schema work than it looks like. The car buying experience online is usually terrible, and I wanted to build something that actually helped someone decide. The financing calculator in particular was something they didn't ask for but that made an immediate difference."
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