To hone in on online shopping for cars so that you can find a real vehicle that you intend on buying, make sure you read our How To Shop Online For A Car. The first step in buying a car online is to determine what you can afford to spend on either a new or used car. Figuring out how much you can comfortably afford to spend on a new car will make the rest of the process of buying a car online run a lot smoother. Buying a car is a major investment, which is why setting up your budget ahead of time and determining what car you can afford is essential.
Once you have established your budget, research cars you can afford and meet your needs. If you are planning on buying with a car loan, or you are going to lease your new vehicle, you need to know which one fits into your monthly budget. Now that you have determined what kind of car you need and want, know what you can afford to pay, and arranged for your financing if needed, it is time to shop online for a vehicle. If you are technologically inclined and would like to skip the hassles of a car dealer, you can head online to research your new ride, shop for the car, and apply for a car loan.
Many online retailers, and even some dealerships, sell cars online, so you can purchase your new car and have it delivered straight to your doorstep. Now, dealerships are not just hiring Internet sales managers to handle much of the business online, some are even offering to have a vehicle delivered to your house or office. Many brick-and-mortar dealerships, like Carmax, are moving a lot of their car-buying processes online, too.
Before you throw in the towel on the local dealership for good, you should know that, although online car-buying alternatives do offer potential advantages over your local dealership, they do come with downsides. When buying from an online auto dealer, you have no such option, which is why researching is the only way to find out which one is best for you. Because with all of the research that goes into an online purchase, buying a car can feel a bit like an online date. Dealing with an internet sales executive in the comfort of your own home, having done a bit of your own research, is one of the best ways to remove most of the stress out of the car-buying process.
The more you know, the greater advantage you will have, and the car shopping process on the Internet will generally be a lot smoother. There are a couple ways that you can score the best deal for a car that you are looking to buy online.
One of the essential parts to comparison shopping for a cars price online on a vehicle you are looking to buy is knowing your cars trade-in value (if you have already owned a vehicle). You may also want to look at your current cars value online to figure out whether selling privately or trading in could make the most sense for helping lower the payments on a new vehicle. Then, you can use Kelley Blue Book price estimates on both new and used cars to negotiate the price for your next vehicle. You may still be able to negotiate your cars price while shopping online for a new vehicle – and should, so long as this option is available.
When you purchase cars 100% online, it typically comes with something called a transparent, unambiguous price, which is a fancy way of saying that you cannot negotiate. Cars bought by individuals may come in at much lower prices than those bought by dealers. Whether you decided to purchase a vehicle from an individual seller in order to obtain a better deal, to avoid hidden fees, or just because you found the exact car you have been dreaming about, there are many advantages of purchasing from an individual. If you are looking to pay rock-bottom prices on a used vehicle, the answer is almost always buy from a private seller.
Buying a used car loaned to you by a rental car company is another alternative to buying from a car dealership. Dealerships will always attempt to provide the best loan for captives, but there are other ways of getting financing for your vehicle. If you want a loan, you should set it up before shopping around for a real car that you may be buying, and certainly before starting negotiations with the dealership. You can accelerate your car-buying process in-person if you pre-approve a loan and purchase a vehicle online.
You may be able to save when buying a car online if you buy toward the end of the month, or at the time you might receive a discount for the purchase. Most car purchases made online have a returns period, so be sure to check that out right after the purchase if you are buying online. However, they do offer to give a refund for your purchase price as long as you return the vehicle within the specified timeframe.
In some cases, a dealer will offer to pay for a car to be shipped back to you, just so the sale is done. If you do not want to deal with a dealer on the vehicle-buying journey, you can connect with private sellers via Tred. When you find a vehicle that sparks your interest, you can connect with the dealer directly.
If you are looking for a vehicle with a particular color, or a vehicle that has highly unique additions or features, buying from an online dealer gives you plenty of options. You could even purchase a car online from a vehicle dealer such as Carvana or Vroom.
Unless you are buying a Tesla – where all new cars are sold online – using a dealer that is only available online means that you are buying used. Personally, as a car reporter, automotive expert, and a car shopper myself, I am not sold on buying cars entirely online being a better choice for most car buyers.
