Every day I drive several miles to and from work. Yeah, fun stuff – especially when I have to sit in traffic every freaking day. So when I bought my current car, I knew I needed something practical with great gas mileage and had a long warranty. And I did it all online! Here’s how you can buy a car online with the help of Cars.com.
My First Car Buying Experience
When I was a teenager, all I dreamed about was getting my first car. Having a car = freedom!
So in 1990 on my 16th birthday, I went out and got my drivers license. I was so excited! But what good is having a driver’s license if you don’t have a car?
A few months later, my grandma was kind enough to pay for my very first car. We had a family friend who bought used cars and fixed them up and my mom had every intention of getting me into a reliable used car to help me get around.
That’s when I saw it…
This was a candy apple red 1979 Datsun 280zx! This was no jalopy to “get around”.
It was red. It was fast. It was sporty. And I HAD to have it!
The Datsun 280zx was my very first car. Except mine was candy apple red!
Between all my begging and the help of this family friend, we somehow talked my mom into letting me get this car for only $3700 cash.
I didn’t care that it had almost 100k miles on it. Meh.
I didn’t care that it had no power steering and I sprained my wrists every time I made a right turn. I was building muscle!
It didn’t matter that it had no backseat – like that was going to stop me from taking 5 friends to the beach…
It was mine, it was paid for, and I looked hot in it.
And while this car was beautiful, it was lipstick on a pig.
You don’t always know what you are getting when you buy a used car
It had LOTS of problems. In the first year, I had to replace all of the brakes – not just the pads. We’re talking the rotors and calipers too.
Then the following year, the transmission blew. If you ever had to replace the transmission on your car, you know expensive that can be.
Back then, there was really no way to know exactly kind of used car what you were buying. All you had was the Kelley Blue Book and the word of the salesman.
And we all know how honest car salesmen are…
You couldn’t buy a car online like you can today. My, how things have changed!
Car Dealerships are Scary
My experience:
When I bought my first brand new car, I grabbed a friend and we went to the local dealership. I was seriously intimidated.
The only thing scarier than the sticker prices are the salespeople!
The salespeople hovered around outside like vultures ready to swoop down on you like carrion the minute we started looking around.
After deciding on the model I wanted (a Toyota Rav4), it was time to do the negotiating. I was 20 and while I had good credit, I didn’t have very much of it.
The salesman tried to get me to buy a car at 20% interest. My friend just laughed at him and said forget it, let’s go.
And then the games began.
I’d rather get my teeth pulled than haggle with a car salesperson.
The dealership song and dance:
Before we can leave, the salesman says he’ll be right back. He goes to the back and talks to the “boss” (or the wall, who knows) and comes back with a lower interest rate.
Like they couldn’t offer this the first time, right?
We say no, we want it at this price.
Salesman goes to the back again for a half an hour (probably taking his lunch break), then finally shows up with the “boss” and we haggle some more.
By the time we made the deal, we were all tired, hungry, and irritated.
It took all day to buy my first car.
But that’s not all, next came the meeting with financing where they try to up-sell on everything from an extended warranty to life insurance. Life insurance, really?!
After 5 hours, I finally drove off the lot in my brand new car. And while I loved the new car, the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth.
Does any of this sound familiar?
Now 20 years and 7 cars later, I have learned quite a bit about buying cars. I will never set foot in another dealership before going to Cars.com first!
Avoid Haggling. Buy a Car Online!
If you are planning to buy a car online, here’s what you need to know:
1. Figure out which car you want
Whether you are dreaming about a beautiful new Tesla or the fuel efficiency of a used Jeep, Cars.com can help you make the right choice.
You can select by new, used, type, make, model, size, price, and location. Can’t decide between a Dodge, Ford, or Chevy? Compare your choices side-by-side!
Can’t decide? Compare your car side by side!
You can even see the different trim options available on your favorite models all on one page to make deciding even easier.
You can even compare the different trim options available for your dream car
And if you’re buying a used car, Cars.com even shows you the CarFax report right on the listing!
2. What features are most important to you?
Have to have a backup camera? Or maybe you desire heated seats. What about safety features?
Get the most up to date safety ratings and recall information for your new and even your current vehicle online.
Make sure your car is safe by checking out the safety breakdown.
3. Read the reviews
Reviews are essential to help you with your decision.
Cars.com has an awesome Video and Review feature, so you can see first hand what other drivers have to say about the car you are thinking about buying.
When buying a car online, do your homework and read the reviews.
4. Can you afford it?
Use the handy Finance Calculator to see just how much that BMW will cost you per month.
Once you got a handle on how much car you can afford, next get Pre-Approved. You can get pre-approved with online auto lenders or go to your own bank first.
Get pre-approved before you buy a car. You’re already ahead of the game!
Being pre-approved is an essential negotiating tool. You may actually find that the dealership can give you an even better deal than your bank!
5. Buy a car online
You know what car you want and know what you can afford. You have your pre-approval in place. This is where the magic happens!
Negotiate your deal via email before even seeing the car.
Once you have picked out your car, Cars.com will show you where your make and model is available. Then click “Check Availability” for the dealership of your choice and email them your requirements.
6. Contact more than one dealer
When my hubby and I bought our last cars, we contacted several different dealers and did all the negotiating via email before we went to the showroom. Get it in writing!
Contact more than one dealership. Make them fight for your business!
Car salesmen are hungry, so make them fight for your business!
When you have multiple deals, you can pick and choose between the dealerships with the most attractive offer and have them bid against each other.
But beware! If the salesperson refuses to negotiate with you online and just pushes you to come down to the showroom, tell them no thanks.
There are several other dealerships who will be happy to negotiate with you via email before you give them your business.
Will they ask you to come to the showroom? Of course! But if you are happy with the deal you already worked out, you can feel comfortable with your decision.
Print out the emails so you have everything in writing when you test drive your new car and are ready to make that deal.
If the numbers change when you get to the showroom, remember you still have other offers you can fall back on and refer to. And don’t be afraid to walk away.
Remember, nothing is set in stone until you sign the papers.
7. Drive off in your new (or used) car
Never deal with pushy salesmen again. When you buy a car online, you can make sure you get the best deal from the comfort of your home, at your own pace.
Save time and money when you buy a car online
My hubby and I bought our last 3 cars this way and saved a ton of time and money! We both had excellent experiences and will always buy a car online for all of our future car purchases.
And when you are ready to buy your next car, remember Cars.com before you purchase. It’s your one-stop-shop for research, financing, buying, and even selling your car online.
I’ve never bought a car online!!! If i end up doing it, it is gonna be my first and I can’t be more excited about it. I love the idea, so convenient.
Oh, I’ve never thought of buying a car online before. Interesting concept.
I personally feel that somethings are better off online. However if it helps in an emergency it is definitely a go.
Wow, buying a car online is a huge purchase. Maybe we can do it if we’ve checked the car in actual first.
I am soooo forwarding this to my husband. We are in search to buy a vehicle online before the year’s end. We need any tips we can get.
love this topic! every single one of them is such an important guide hen buying car. Thanks so much for sharing
I totally agree. It’s easy to buy online nowadays..Its very convenient plus you get to read the comments on the review and it really helps.
I don’t like going to used car lots or dealers. The last car I bought was a direct import from a Japan auction. The company I dealt with did all the inspections as well as the importing process and I got a quality used vehicle at a reasonable cost.
Wow! I didn’t know buying cars online could be so easy. We will sure check this option for our next purchase.
Wow this is actually pretty easy, didn’t know purchasing a car online could be as simple as that!
I’ve never heard of someone wanting to buy a car online but the process sounds quite easy and streamlined. i’ll add that it’s important to buy from a trusted car dealer or manufacturer.