Organization and Operations	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization and Operations	Autobytel Inc. (“Autobytel” or the “Company”) is an automotive marketing services company that assists automotive retail dealers (“Dealers”) and automotive manufacturers (“Manufacturers”) market and sell new and used vehicles through the Company’s programs for online lead referrals (“Leads”), Dealer marketing products and services, online advertising programs and consumer traffic referral programs and mobile products. The Company’s consumer-facing automotive websites (“Company Websites”), including its flagship website Autobytel.com®, provide consumers with information and tools to aid them with their automotive purchase decisions and the ability to submit inquiries requesting Dealers to contact the consumers regarding purchasing or leasing vehicles (“Vehicle Leads”). For consumers who may not be able to secure loans through conventional lending sources, the Company Websites provide these consumers the ability to submit inquiries requesting Dealers or other lenders that may offer vehicle financing to these consumers to contact the consumers regarding vehicle financing (“Finance Leads”). The Company’s mission for consumers is to be “Your Lifetime Automotive Advisor®” by engaging consumers throughout the entire lifecycle of their automotive needs. The Company was incorporated in Delaware on May 17, 1996. Its principal corporate offices are located in Irvine, California. The Company’s common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol ABTL. On October 1, 2015 (“AutoWeb Merger Date”), Autobytel entered into and consummated an Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among Autobytel, New Horizon Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Autobytel (“Merger Sub”), AutoWeb, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“AutoWeb”), and Jose Vargas, in his capacity as Stockholder Representative. On the AutoWeb Merger Date, Merger Sub merged with and into AutoWeb, with AutoWeb continuing as the surviving corporation and as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Autobytel. AutoWeb was a privately-owned company providing an automotive search engine that enables Manufacturers and Dealers to optimize advertising campaigns and reach highly-targeted car buyers through an auction-based marketplace. Prior to the acquisition, the Company owned approximately 15% of the outstanding shares of AutoWeb, on a fully converted and diluted basis, and accounted for the investment on the cost basis. See Note 4. In connection with the AutoWeb acquisition, Autobytel obtained AutoWeb’s Guatemalan website, software development and operations, which were provided as a contract service provider organization through Endine Enterprises Corp., a British Virgin Islands business company effectively controlled by AutoWeb. The Company currently plans to terminate this arrangement and maintain the forgoing services and operations directly under a wholly-owned, indirect Guatemalan subsidiary of Autobytel with employees located in Guatemala. On May 21, 2015 (“Dealix/Autotegrity Acquisition Date”), Autobytel and CDK Global, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“CDK”), entered into and consummated a Stock Purchase Agreement in which Autobytel acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock in Dealix Corporation, a California corporation (“Dealix”) and subsidiary of CDK, and Autotegrity, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Autotegrity”) and subsidiary of CDK (Dealix and Autotegrity are collectively, “Dealix/Autotegrity”). Dealix provides new and used car Leads to automotive dealerships, Dealer groups and Manufacturers, and Autotegrity is a consumer Leads acquisition and analytics business. See Note 4.

Organization and Operations

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Autobytel Inc. (“Autobytel” or the “Company”) is an automotive marketing services company that assists automotive retail dealers (“Dealers”) and automotive manufacturers (“Manufacturers”) market and sell new and used vehicles through the Company’s programs for online lead referrals (“Leads”), Dealer marketing products and services, online advertising programs and consumer traffic referral programs and mobile products.

The Company’s consumer-facing automotive websites (“Company Websites”), including its flagship website Autobytel.com®, provide consumers with information and tools to aid them with their automotive purchase decisions and the ability to submit inquiries requesting Dealers to contact the consumers regarding purchasing or leasing vehicles (“Vehicle Leads”). For consumers who may not be able to secure loans through conventional lending sources, the Company Websites provide these consumers the ability to submit inquiries requesting Dealers or other lenders that may offer vehicle financing to these consumers to contact the consumers regarding vehicle financing (“Finance Leads”). The Company’s mission for consumers is to be “Your Lifetime Automotive Advisor®” by engaging consumers throughout the entire lifecycle of their automotive needs.

The Company was incorporated in Delaware on May 17, 1996. Its principal corporate offices are located in Irvine, California. The Company’s common stock is listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol ABTL.

On October 1, 2015 (“AutoWeb Merger Date”), Autobytel entered into and consummated an Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among Autobytel, New Horizon Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Autobytel (“Merger Sub”), AutoWeb, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“AutoWeb”), and Jose Vargas, in his capacity as Stockholder Representative. On the AutoWeb Merger Date, Merger Sub merged with and into AutoWeb, with AutoWeb continuing as the surviving corporation and as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Autobytel. AutoWeb was a privately-owned company providing an automotive search engine that enables Manufacturers and Dealers to optimize advertising campaigns and reach highly-targeted car buyers through an auction-based marketplace. Prior to the acquisition, the Company owned approximately 15% of the outstanding shares of AutoWeb, on a fully converted and diluted basis, and accounted for the investment on the cost basis. See Note 4.

In connection with the AutoWeb acquisition, Autobytel obtained AutoWeb’s Guatemalan website, software development and operations, which were provided as a contract service provider organization through Endine Enterprises Corp., a British Virgin Islands business company effectively controlled by AutoWeb. The Company currently plans to terminate this arrangement and maintain the forgoing services and operations directly under a wholly-owned, indirect Guatemalan subsidiary of Autobytel with employees located in Guatemala.

On May 21, 2015 (“Dealix/Autotegrity Acquisition Date”), Autobytel and CDK Global, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“CDK”), entered into and consummated a Stock Purchase Agreement in which Autobytel acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock in Dealix Corporation, a California corporation (“Dealix”) and subsidiary of CDK, and Autotegrity, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Autotegrity”) and subsidiary of CDK (Dealix and Autotegrity are collectively, “Dealix/Autotegrity”). Dealix provides new and used car Leads to automotive dealerships, Dealer groups and Manufacturers, and Autotegrity is a consumer Leads acquisition and analytics business. See Note 4.