When you buy a car online, your success is totally up to you. Understanding the facts about doing your research, getting price quotes, and lining up all your finances so you're only dickering over vehicle price will ensure that you make the powerful tools of the internet work for you. As with anything substantial, take the time to do it right.
Only Talk Price
This bears repeating. Only negotiate price with the dealer or seller, just as you would do when buying a vehicle from an individual. You'd never think of talking financing with that person, or getting them to take your old car in trade! Don't do it with a new car, either! When you merely haggle over the price, you've leveled the playing field with the seller.
Get Your Financing Lined Up First
The Internet makes this just as easy to accomplish, because most every bank and credit union offer online applications. Get several interest rate quotes and financing plans. And remember, credit unions are non-profit financial associations which often offer the best terms and lowest interst rates, because serving their memebers is part of their charter.
Get All the Price Facts
The Internet is a gold mine of valuable information if you know where to look. FightingChance.com is an excellent new car buying advice site. It gives you much more than new car prices, providing rebates and dealer incentives that apply to your desired car or truck, offering negotiating tactics, and equipping you with industry intelligence on the latest sales figures. It includes sales trend info and other information that helps make you an expert by the time you're ready to buy. Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book, the more established price services, are good information sources, too. Finally, take full advantage of a variety of online car-selling sites, from Autos.com and CarsDirect.com to Yahoo!Autos, MyRide.com, and other web sources.
If You're Buying Used
Vehicle history reports are abundant on the interenet, and a rich source of information. A vital item to have at your disposal is a car's history report. On anything but a new car, these reports allow you to see how many owners a vehicle has had; the number of accidents, if any; and all other manner of mechanical and maintenance info. Indeed, the ready availability of these car histories, be they from Carfax or Autocheck, is invaluable.
The Final Purchase
Whether you're buying a new or used car or truck, see the vehicle before you buy. Take a test drive. If you're buying a used car, get an independent mechanic's report on the vehicle. Put all your web research in a folder, and take it with you to the dealer. This shows a dealer you've done your homework. Of course, if your new car purchase quote from CarsDirect is lower than the new car dealer, then buy the car online! A web-buying advantage is that the discounted new car price is listed on your screen. You can just click the "buy" button, a new car purchase customer service rep is assigned, a toll free number is provided, and in your new vehicle arrives within days. Done this way, you never leave your computer!
Understanding the facts of buying a car online, and using them to your advantage, you online puprchase can be a most rewarding, easy, and enjoyable experience.
