The verdict in three sentences
A 5.8 s LCP on mobile means a fleet manager looking for a used tractor unit waits almost six seconds before seeing the vehicle photo, and many leave the page first. Fixing Core Web Vitals costs between 3,200 and 15,500 EUR excluding VAT, depending on whether you stop at technical optimizations or rebuild the vehicle page template. Since one tractor unit sold brings 8,000 to 15,000 EUR of margin, a single extra sale per year covers most of the project.
Typical diagnosis of a truck dealership website
Dealership sites combine three classic flaws: vehicle photos served at full resolution (3 to 6 MB each), a stock feed pulled from the DMS or a listings platform without caching, and a vehicle page template loaded with scripts (chat, comparison, finance, tracking). The result is a slow page and poorly indexed listings, sometimes duplicated because of filter URL parameters.
| Metric | Measured value | Google "good" threshold 2026 | Main cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile LCP | 5.8 s | under 2.5 s | Uncompressed hero photo, no preload |
| INP | 380 ms | under 200 ms | Third-party scripts (chat, tracking, carousel) |
| CLS | 0.24 | under 0.1 | Images without dimensions, cookie banner |
| Vehicle page weight | 7.4 MB | 1.5 MB target | 20 full-size photos loaded upfront |
| Indexed listings / actual stock | 140 / 260 | 95% target | JavaScript pagination, no stock sitemap |
| Server time (TTFB) | 1.4 s | under 0.8 s | DMS feed called on every visit |
The three levels of work and their 2026 cost
The right order is to measure, fix what pays back fastest, then decide whether the template needs rebuilding.
| Level | Scope | 2026 budget (excl. VAT) | Timeline | Expected LCP gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical audit | Field data (CrUX), Lighthouse, crawl, costed action plan | 1,200 to 2,500 EUR | 1 to 2 weeks | none, diagnosis |
| Images and caching | WebP/AVIF, responsive sizes, lazy loading, CDN, stock feed cache | 2,000 to 4,000 EUR | 2 to 3 weeks | 5.8 s to 3 to 3.5 s |
| Vehicle page template | New template, deferred third-party scripts, stock sitemap, Vehicle structured data | 4,000 to 9,000 EUR | 4 to 6 weeks | to 1.8 to 2.4 s |
| Levels 1 + 2 total | Optimization without rebuild | 3,200 to 6,500 EUR | 3 to 5 weeks | partial |
| Full total | Audit, optimizations, new template | 7,200 to 15,500 EUR | 6 to 9 weeks | target reached |
| Quarterly monitoring | Score checks, regression alerts | 300 to 600 EUR / quarter | ongoing | maintained |
For a site with fast-moving stock, the template is often the decisive lever: as long as the page loads 20 photos and four third-party scripts at startup, image optimization plateaus around 3 s.
What changes for sales
Case studies published by Google and automotive platforms point the same way: going from a 5 to 6 s LCP to under 2.5 s lifts conversion by 10 to 25% depending on the sector. On a dealership site, conversion means callback requests, calls and trade-in offer requests. Full stock indexing adds an SEO effect: every properly indexed listing can capture precise searches such as "used DAF XF 480 for sale".
Mini case study
Nadia, manager of a truck dealership in Bordeaux, receives 90 qualified leads a month from the website, with a 4% close rate, about 3.6 vehicles a month. She commits to the full project for 11,000 EUR. With a cautious 12% lift in leads, she gets 11 more leads a month, about 0.43 extra sales a month, or 5 vehicles a year. At an average margin of 10,000 EUR, that is 50,000 EUR of annual margin, with payback in under three months.
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FAQ
Do Core Web Vitals really affect search rankings?
They are part of the page experience signals, with moderate weight compared to content relevance. Their main effect is commercial: a site under 2.5 s LCP converts 10 to 25% better than one at 5 s.
Can we keep our current platform?
In most cases, yes. The audit and image levels, between 3,200 and 6,500 EUR, work on the existing platform, and only the new template may require custom development.
Why are only 140 of 260 vehicles indexed?
JavaScript pagination and the lack of a dedicated stock sitemap prevent Google from discovering the listings. A sitemap regenerated nightly often brings indexing above 90% within 4 to 6 weeks.
Do the chat and finance scripts have to go?
No, they should load after the main content or on click. Deferring them is usually enough to bring INP from 380 ms to under 200 ms.
How long before the new scores show in Search Console?
Google's field data covers a rolling 28 days. Allow 4 to 6 weeks after release for the assessment to turn green.
Let's scope your project. We audit your dealership website and price the fix, from 3,200 to 15,500 EUR depending on scope, delivered in 3 to 9 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
