Car Shopping Online Will Save You Money

Car shopping online can save you thousands of dollars when buying your next car.

Most people buy their music and books over the internet. You might even have bought your last vacation that way. So why do car buyers not do their initial car shopping online and persist in visiting a dealership in person?

Well, there is one good reason, which we’ll come to in a moment, but overall, online car shopping is a much easier way of finding your next new or used car.

Table of Contents

The dealership experience

Showing up at a car dealership is rarely satisfying. You walk in curious to see what’s new, and leave three hours later, poorer and with a serious case of buyer’s remorse.

Don’t hold it against the salesman. He’s only trying to make a living. You should blame yourself for being uneducated and not prepared.

By doing your car shopping online beforehand. You can avoid many car dealer scams that come with dealing with unethical dealerships.

Step-by-step walkthrough on how to buy a new car | New Car Buying Cheat Sheet

Must-Read Guides and Resources

How to Buy a New Car Below Factory Invoice Price – True dealer cost and the factory invoice price are not the same… dealer cost can be much lower.
Figure a Fair Profit New Car Offer – How to calculate a fair profit new car offer.
How to Buy a New Car Online – Not sure where to start? My step-by-step guide on how to buy a new car online.

Researching your next car online

Buying a car is no different from buying anything else. It’s up to you to decide what you want and then figure out where to buy it. Start by figuring out what you want, what will suit you best, and what you can comfortably afford. Only then do you look to see where you can get the best deal. The internet can and will provide you with a lot of tools.

Research sources

Manufacturer websites – Hardly unbiased of course, but they let you study trim and equipment levels, look at paint colors and wheel options, and will give you a price.
Automotive magazines – Aimed at enthusiasts, these are sometimes a little dismissive of cars they consider “boring” but they will give you a sense of how a vehicle feels to drive.
Independent automotive review sites – Organizations like Consumer Reports are pretty objective and pay attention to reliability and practicality along with vehicle features and benefits.
Government and Insurance Institute websites – Fueleconomy.gov, safercar.gov, and the IIHS provide independent gas mileage and safety ratings for just about any vehicle on America’s roadways.

Benefits of car shopping online

Online car shopping does three things for you:

Gives you more choices – Track down the exact make, model, color, and trim of vehicle you’re looking for and even select the options or packages you want from the comfort of your computer, smartphone, or mobile device.
Saves you valuable time – Visiting a couple of dealerships can easily consume a whole day. Even then, you may not have seen the car you want, and you certainly won’t have had much time for price comparisons.
Saves you more money – Online car shopping often yields a better deal. That’s because dealerships see internet sales as a high volume, low margin business. They know you’ve done your research so they don’t have to invest a lot of sales time and effort, and they won’t try to steer you to something more profitable.

Best New Car Quote Services

RydeShopper has one of the largest new car dealership networks in the world. Select the make and model you’re interested in and they will instantly search clearance pricing within your local area. Don’t forget to select as many dealers as possible to increase your chances for the greatest discounts and savings.

Find Local Car Clearance Deals >>

Edmunds is one of the oldest and best new car research and review sites on the internet. Their huge dealer network allows you to shop, research and compare millions of new cars so you can find the exact vehicle you’re looking for.

Search Edmunds New Cars >>

MotorTrend is one of the best kept secrets on the Internet. Best known for their automobile magazine, MotorTrend has a vast dealer network across the nation. Their referral service is 100% free and there’s no obligation to purchase. Pick a vehicle, select local dealers, and receive discount pricing.

Search MotorTrend Vehicles >>

CarsDirect has been in online vehicle research business since 1998 and has all the right tools to help you find your next car, truck or SUV. They offer a no-hassle experience from configuring a car to making the final purchase. You’ll find your next car quickly and easily.

See Cars Direct Pricing >>

See All Online Car Buying Tools

The online car buying process

If you started at a manufacturer’s website, most will offer to share your contact details with a dealership. Many independent automotive websites will do the same. (Most of these types of sites have contracts or collect a fee from the dealership for providing them with this information.)

If you ask for the introduction, someone from the dealership’s internet sales department will reach out to you, usually via email first and sometimes a phone call. Alternatively, you can contact nearby dealerships directly through their websites. When emailing the dealership, tell them exactly what you’re looking for and ask for a price. Visit my article on “How to Negotiate with a Car Dealership by Email” to see examples, or even use my car dealership email templates.

Don’t forget that you can also research dealerships, before you visit them, online. Read reviews to learn what other car buyers thought of them, but please keep in mind that not everyone is unbiased!

Don’t forget the test drive!

I would never tell you to buy a car without first “trying it on for size.” I mean, you wouldn’t buy a pair of pants before you tried them on, would you? You will still need to visit the dealership before finalizing the deal. You will want to sit in the car, see how it looks, feels, smells, and most importantly, how it drives. If you’re buying a used car.

Check out my article “The Correct Way to Test Drive a Used Car” for tips and tricks on how to correctly test drive a preowned vehicle and make sure you don’t get stuck with somebody else’s problems.

As with doing your research, don’t just walk into a showroom and ask for a test drive. This is exactly what they are hoping you will do. They’re unlikely to have the exact car you want available and they’ll probably keep you waiting while they try to sell you a car you don’t want. This is also the time they’ll use to give you their sales pitch!

Instead, use the massive power of the modern internet. After you’ve done your research online. Email them asking to schedule a test drive of a specific vehicle. Dealerships prefer this because it lets them use their time more efficiently.

After your test drive, don’t start negotiating. Say you need to think about it and leave. Then, if you’re sure it’s the car for you, email to say you’re ready to buy. They may ask you to call in but many dealerships will bring the car and paperwork to your home or office.

Car Price Quotes

Use my recommended tools to find the best deals in your local area.

Rydeshopper
Edmunds
MotorTrend

Find the dealer with the lowest price and save. When dealers compete = You WIN!

Be a smart car shopper

Car shopping online is the smart thing to do. It’s easier than the old way of sorting through dozens of misleading newspaper ads or trudging around dealerships. And since dealerships look at online car deals as “high volume – low profit” transactions, you’ll probably get a better deal.

Do yourself a favor and make online car shopping the way you buy your next car. For more hints and tips on navigating the new and used car buying process, spend some time browsing through the rest of my website? AutoCheatSheet.com.

Once you’re ready to start shopping for your next new or used car, take a look at either my, “New Car Buying Guide” or “Used Car Buyer’s Guide” for insider tips and secrets on how to buy a car and avoid dealer scams.

As always, I recommend using an online referral service such as Ryde Shopper or Motor Trend before visiting a car dealership. Their free online price quotes will automatically include any discounts or cash-back incentives currently available in the marketplace.

About the author

My name is Carlton Wolf and I have been in the retail and wholesale car business for well over 20 years. I created the Auto Cheat Sheet to better educate buyers on the deceptive sales practices found in many dealerships across the country. Please understand, not all car dealers are dishonest. However, you never know who you will be dealing with.

I’m willing to share my knowledge and experience with anyone willing to listen. Please understand that I’m a car guy, not a writer.