Buying a car online vs at a dealership
Oct 3, 2012, 4:16 pm
#1
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Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 1
Buying a car online vs at a dealership
What are your thoughts on buying a car online
Oct 3, 2012, 5:46 pm
#2
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: dallas texas usa
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you have to put up w/less hassle from the dealer slime...
Oct 3, 2012, 6:37 pm
#3
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Location: DCA
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If this is a USA purchase, you're still buying through a dealer. The back end of this is simply that everything gets routed to an "internet specialist" at the dealership (defined as a guy with a computer on his desk). No US state allows direct purchase by individuals from auto manufacturers. Dealers locked this up years ago.
Oct 3, 2012, 8:00 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: New England
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I bought a couple of my cars through carsdirect.com and I was very satisfied. It involves doing research on your end with a site like Edmunds or KBB so you know the price, rebates, etc., and then you can ask carsdirect.com to send you bids from a number of dealers, which you can request come in via email (no phone calls!). Once you decide you can show up and just take care of the paperwork. Does it eliminate the sleaze factor - not completely, but it makes life so much easier since the deal is almost done by the time you get there. I can't say I had any issues with pressure around extended warranties, service deals, etc., but I have worked with a pretty good dealership over two or three transactions. I'm sure there are some dealerships that still try the usual BS, but it is nice to know you can walk out and already have another price in hand with a dealership that is interested in a straight transaction.
Oct 3, 2012, 8:05 pm
#5
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Easton, CT, USA
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If you know what you want and all that it makes perfect sense to give it a shot. You may end up at the same dealer you would have used anyways.
Oct 3, 2012, 9:33 pm
#7
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,439
I bought a one year old car off ebay, flew across country to pick it up, drove home and still saved $8,000 off any similar car purchased locally. The key is to know what you want, how much you are willing to pay and who you are buying from. In my case the car was being sold by a Ford dealer through ebay. A very satisfactory experience.
Oct 4, 2012, 6:56 am
#8
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
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Welcome to FlyerTalk, carbuddy! :-:
FlyerTalk is a travel community, so as this thread is unrelated to travel or earning points/miles, we'll close this thread. Thanks for your understanding.
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FlyerTalk is a travel community, so as this thread is unrelated to travel or earning points/miles, we'll close this thread. Thanks for your understanding.
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