Everyone loves a good deal. Especially on their next big buy. With the world at your fingertips via the internet, finding the best deal for your next car couldn’t be easier – but you need to know what to look for, and where to find it. Buying a car online has both its rewards and challenges.
How can I use the internet to find a great deal?
Firstly, you need to start with the basics. That means researching cars if you haven’t picked a model yet, and maybe seeing if you can set up a test drive somewhere so you know that it’s a good fit for your needs. If you’re not sure where to begin, try reading Buying a Car: Putting Together a Plan To Find Your Perfect Car to point you in the right direction. Of course, you’ll want to:
- Read reviews
- Check out listings
- Do thorough research on your chosen model
However, there are other things you can do online to ensure that you get the best deal you can, and convincing reasons as to why you should buy your car on the internet, such as:
- Convenience
- Safety
- Ease
- Comfort
It might come as a surprise that buying online is very legitimate, and often very safe, with more protections in place for online purchases than traditional ‘face-to-face’ exchanges.
What else can I do?
You’ll want to check a price comparison site such as edmunds to browse all your options with a quick and easy click. Searching up prices individually will take you a lot of time, and chances are, you won’t even scrape the surface of available deals. Instead, enter your chosen model and whether you’re going second-hand or brand new, and let the search engine do the work for you. Then, bookmark or take a screenshot of the page so you can always refer back to it when checking out the local dealerships – which leads to the next tip: negotiate online. Did you know that you could do that?
It can be really bothersome going to dealership after dealership and haggling at every opportunity. Frankly – it’s often a waste of time. Why not send an email to the dealership instead and establish a discourse regarding your potential purchase, and maybe try to negotiate a better – and more importantly, recorded – deal. This could also be good for expanding your pool of shops as travelling farther afield won’t be so bad if you know you’re going to get exactly what you want with no frustrating back and forth.
Don’t forget social media
Another thing you should make use of is social media and forums. Even a popular site such as Reddit can be a great repository of information, with plenty of users keen to give their insight and share their knowledge. Have a look and see if you can find a subreddit for your chosen model, and read what real people have to say about it so you get a more rounded idea of the car’s pros and cons.
If you’re going to use a price comparison site, make sure to utilize the full extent of their services, as many include reviews and various blog posts that could make your overall experience less tedious and time-consuming.
The internet is a never-ending sea of information, and if you know how to filter through it efficiently, it can be a great asset to ensuring you get a great deal on your dream car.
