We help auto dealers delete negative DealerRater reviews that are false, misleading, or damaging to sales and reputation.
DealerRater reviews often rank on page one of Google for dealership name searches, which means even a small number of bad reviews can influence buyer trust, lead volume, and closing rates.
This guide explains what DealerRater allows, what dealers can realistically do themselves, and when professional review removal becomes the smartest option.
- Overview
- DealerRater Review Policy
- What Dealerships Can Do Themselves
- Why DIY Removal Often Fails
- Professional DealerRater Review Removal
- FAQ
- Summary
Overview
DealerRater has become one of the most influential third-party review platforms in the automotive industry.
Buyers rely on it to evaluate pricing honesty, customer service, financing transparency, and post-sale support. As a result, negative reviews can cost dealerships real revenue, especially when they appear alongside Google reviews and other high-authority platforms.
While some negative feedback reflects legitimate customer dissatisfaction, we regularly see reviews that are exaggerated, factually incorrect, retaliatory, or written by individuals with unrealistic expectations.
Understanding how DealerRater handles reviews is essential before deciding how to proceed.
DealerRater Review Policy
DealerRater allows reviews from customers who claim to have interacted with a dealership, but reviews must comply with its content guidelines.
According to DealerRater’s published policies, reviews may be removed if they include:
- False statements presented as fact
- Threats, harassment, or hate speech
- Personal information or identifying details
- Irrelevant content unrelated to a dealership experience
- Allegations of criminal behavior without substantiation
You can review DealerRater’s official content standards here:
https://www.dealerrater.com/content/about-us/
It’s important to note that DealerRater does not remove reviews simply because a dealer disagrees with them or believes they are unfair.
What Dealerships Can Do Themselves
Dealerships have limited options when it comes to handling negative DealerRater reviews on their own.
Common DIY approaches include:
- Flagging reviews believed to violate policy
- Submitting documentation disputing factual errors
- Posting a public response to the reviewer
Flagging a review triggers an internal moderation process. If DealerRater determines the review violates guidelines, it may be removed. If not, it remains live.
Public responses can sometimes reassure future customers, but they do not remove the review and can unintentionally draw more attention to it.
Why DIY Removal Often Fails
In practice, most dealerships find that self-initiated review disputes fail.
This happens because:
- Policy violations must be clear and provable
- DealerRater errs on the side of publishing reviews
- Mixed opinion/fact reviews are rarely removed
Additionally, U.S. law provides broad protections to platforms that host user-generated content. The Federal Trade Commission has acknowledged that review platforms are generally not liable for user opinions unless clear deception or fraud is involved.
You can read more about consumer review protections from the FTC here:
https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/consumer-reviews-fair-use
This legal backdrop makes forced removals through legal threats expensive, slow, and often unsuccessful.
Professional DealerRater Review Removal
When internal disputes fail or the review is actively hurting sales, professional removal becomes the most practical solution.
We use a quiet, non-confrontational process designed to:
- Avoid alerting the reviewer
- Prevent retaliation or reposting
- Remove reviews permanently when successful
You only pay for reviews that are successfully removed.
In many cases, dealerships that pursue removal on DealerRater also address reviews on other platforms to fully stabilize their online presence.
Related services include removing reviews from Trustpilot, deleting entire Trustpilot profiles and Yellow Pages review removal.
These sites often appear alongside DealerRater in branded search results.
FAQ
Can dealerships delete DealerRater reviews themselves?
No. Dealers can request moderation, but DealerRater makes the final decision based on policy violations.
How long does DealerRater review removal take?
DIY requests may take weeks with no guarantee. Professional removal timelines vary by case but are typically faster.
Are DealerRater reviews permanent?
Reviews remain live unless removed for guideline violations or through successful professional intervention.
Will removing reviews improve sales?
Removing false or damaging reviews often improves trust and conversion rates, especially for high-intent buyers.
Do you guarantee removal?
Yes. You only pay for reviews that are actually removed.
Summary
DealerRater reviews play a major role in how car buyers evaluate dealerships, and not all negative reviews are accurate or fair.
While DealerRater offers a dispute process, it frequently fails when violations are subtle or disputed. In those cases, professional review removal provides a faster, cleaner, and guaranteed alternative.
If negative DealerRater reviews are costing you sales, contact us for an affordable solution.