Internet Car Shopping Sites

AuntG · ‎03-09-2010

I dread the thought of dealing with car salesmen so I'm wondering if anyone has purchased a new car through cars.com and could tell me if there is anything to be on the lookout for. Let's say I picked a vehicle and notified the dealer that I was interested. Are they on the up and up, or should I be prepared for bait n' switch, or a lot of additional fees?

Tribesters · ‎03-10-2010

I never used cars.com but I did purchase a new car online a few years ago. I knew the type of vehicle I wanted & I went to GM website & searched dealer's inventory. I found the exact vehicle I wanted & requested an online quote. There was no haggling-it was a set online price & it was very reasonable. It sure beats sitting with the dealer for hours why they go back & forth with the sales manager in that never-ending game... I think you might have better luck online because you can get their best deals & shop around without leaving the house. At least it gives you a starting point. Find a good deal online & more than likely your local dealer will match or better it. Good luck!

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

The credit union I go to offers car buying assistance if you get a car loan through them. They have low financing too. I haven't tried it, but was considering it for next time. You tell them what you're looking for and they do all the haggling. Not sure if this is more wide spread or not.

Qwackertoo · ‎03-11-2010

Find a True Price dealership. We bought daughter's Honda last year that way.

Even with Costco . . . I had one dealership they recommended try a few sneaky tricks that they ""had"" to add on . . . nitrogen in the tires . . . for a hundred bucks or so. And a few other games.

Before the Internet I always asked for the ""fleet"" manager.

Good luck. With the Internet pricing . . . their new game is the documentation fees which are mostly pre-printed on their price workup sheet. Sometimes as high as 599.00 for basically doing NOTHING but pad their profits.

Financialgrl · ‎03-13-2010

Have also bought car using Credit Union. They have screened local dealers and recommend/work with a few that they feel offer a fair price. Last time I bought a car, they emailed a certificate to go to that specific dealer. No haggling required. And actually most of the cash cows for autos are ALL the things discussed after you agree to buy the car - dealer financing, undercoat, acid rain protection, etc in their back room. I just tell them straight up - "not interested, I'll write you a check" and move on.

AuntG · ‎03-09-2010

Since it is a GM model I'm interested in, I might ask for the online quote like Tribefan suggested, and if they start with the "you have to come in and we'll talk price", I'll know not to do it.

Financialgrl · ‎03-13-2010

On 1/11/2015 AuntG said:

Since it is a GM model I'm interested in, I might ask for the online quote like Tribefan suggested, and if they start with the "you have to come in and we'll talk price", I'll know not to do it.

Tell them you want a quote that if you wrote out a check for that amount you could drive the car away. You want it to contain ALL costs - destination charge, paperwork charge and your state sales tax. And when you go into the "back room", remember everything discussed back there are all dealer's cash cows - extended warranty, undercarriage coating, acid rain coating, etc. When they start playing their games, leave.

Lastly, do it all at the end of the month - to avoid paying costs associated with inventory on hand,