Buying a Car Online (Page 2): You may have bought your last car? For new vehicles, more and more manufacturers are looking to online sales. For one thing it will allow for lower floor...

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Longshadow wrote:

I HAVE to test drive a car to see how it behaves and the ergonomics it has, or doesn't.
I will never, ever buy a car on-line.

You may have bought your last car? For new vehicles, more and more manufacturers are looking to online sales. For one thing it will allow for lower floor plan/inventory costs and buyers can get exactly the options they want. Unless, of course, a buyer is happy with white thru black or the shades of grey/silver in between. Unfortunately, it also means test driving for new won’t be the car you’re buying and super discounts to move inventory will probably be a thing of the past.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

47greyfox wrote:

You may have bought your last car? For new vehicles, more and more manufacturers are looking to online sales. For one thing it will allow for lower floor plan/inventory costs and buyers can get exactly the options they want. Unless, of course, a buyer is happy with white thru black or the shades of grey/silver in between. Unfortunately, it also means test driving for new won’t be the car you’re buying and super discounts to move inventory will probably be a thing of the past.

Well, considering my current car is a 2011, and still going strong, I might get one more....
But if I test drive a "sample" car, I'll bet the "real" car (same model) I get will have basically the same ergonomic attributes.
My wife's prior car was 20 years old when we had to replace it; my truck 23 (my daughter has it now).

EdJ0307 Loc: out west someplace

jerryc41 wrote:

If you're considering buying a car through an online seller, be careful. Carvana has been banned in at least one state (Illinois) and other sellers have had problems or shut down. They may offer good prices, but do you get what you paid for. Carvana is still advertising a lot online.

Father and son team -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhwKYEvXFR8&t=108s

What's up with that logo on the laptop that is in front of the guys? Looks like the Apple logo but what's with the black band?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

EdJ0307 wrote:

What's up with that logo on the laptop that is in front of the guys? Looks like the Apple logo but what's with the black band?

Memorial symbol for Apple?

anotherview Loc: California

Yes, and CarMax includes "a 1 week test drive" of a purchased vehicle.

During this period, a buyer may take the car to a trusted mechanic for evaluation. A mechanic will put his findings in writing on his business letterhead with costs involved for fixing deficiencies.

I have done this procedure several times now. In each case, the seller has lowered his cost by hundreds or thousands of dollars.

The sale then takes in a more rational context. A sales manager has actually complimented me by saying this written evaluation simplifies the selling and buying process.

I can recommend this mechanic evaluation. If you do not have a mechanic in mind, then consider going to an AAA rated mechanic for this work. Call first to make arrangements. Note that the mechanic may charge a small fee for this service. You will thank yourself for buying a car with open eyes.

By the way, I am not a shill for CarMax. I only refer to its business process.

avflinsch wrote:

The process is simple, and you essentially get a 1... (show quote)

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Longshadow wrote:

Well, considering my current car is a 2011, and still going strong, I might get one more....
But if I test drive a "sample" car, I'll bet the "real" car (same model) I get will have basically the same ergonomic attributes.
My wife's prior car was 20 years old when we had to replace it; my truck 23 (my daughter has it now).

Easy for us to say…. I bought new in 2017 and repeatedly tell my wife that I’ve bought my LAST vehicle. I don’t know what I’ll do if she calls my bluff if need surpasses age.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

47greyfox wrote:

Easy for us to say…. I bought new in 2017 and repeatedly tell my wife that I’ve bought my LAST vehicle. I don’t know what I’ll do if she calls my bluff if need surpasses age.

Easy for some of us to say.
Get another if need be.

We had one of our old cars totaled because someone rear-ended us going about 35 and I was stopped. That Buick was SO comfortable!

Extenuating circumstances....

eshore46

But, you can do a lot of things from your sofa, but that doesn't mean their all good things to do!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

eshore46 wrote:

But, you can do a lot of things from your sofa, but that doesn't mean their all good things to do!

jrprendy Loc: Superior WI.

You could have "CAR SHIELD"

rcarol

kpmac wrote:

Dealers will be reluctant to honor any warranties on cars they did not sell. Can't blame them; they have to take care of their own customers first.

I'm not sure that you are entirely correct about dealerships not wanting to perform warranty work on cars they didn't sell. As I understand it, dealerships seek warranty work no matter who sold the client the vehicle because the orginal manufacturer reimburses the dealership quite handsomly for warrany work. I have no first hand knowledge regarding this subject. I'm repeating what I've been told by a dear friend of mine that was the manager of one of the largest Honda dealerships in Southern California.

Morry Loc: Palm Springs, CA

I had quite a different experience with Carvana. Took my old car to them (8.5 years old) and they offered me $4500. for it. Put a for for sale sign in the window and sold it myself for $9000 within a few days. In buying my new car I priced (with intention to buy) locally at 2 new car dealers. Then inquired for price at 3 new car dealers within 50 mile radius from where I live. Wound up buying the new car from a dealer that was 40 miles away. Saved about $4000. over buying it locally. I wanted to buy the new car locally but their prices were too high. No hassle . . . the dealer even sent someone to pick me up to get the new car. Everything was very courteous with no hassle. I have had the car 13 months now and I would do it the same way again. I am having the new car serviced at the local dealer that I wanted to buy my new car from. Too bad I could not buy it from them.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

gvarner wrote:

I know of one instance where a guy bought a car through COSTCO's service and the dealership wouldn’t honor the negotiated price.

We bought a Honda CRV last year through the Sam's Club program and saved about $1500 over the best price we could find anywhere. Most dealers no longer work with these programs, since demand is so high and supply is so low (and thus, the price they can get is high).

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

jerryc41 wrote:

If you're considering buying a car through an online seller, be careful. Carvana has been banned in at least one state (Illinois) and other sellers have had problems or shut down. They may offer good prices, but do you get what you paid for. Carvana is still advertising a lot online.

Father and son team -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhwKYEvXFR8&t=108s

Carvana has not kept up with the requirements of their business model - lagging paperwork has antagonized state attorneys general. A big problem I would worry about is that if you buy a car from a company located in one state, the car is in yet another state and delivered to your state - and you have a problem - who cares? Your state consumer protection agency or Attorney General's office probably doesn't care or feels there is little they can do.

rlv567 Loc: Baguio City, Philippines

BebuLamar wrote:

I say the same about cameras but there is a point in time when that's the only way.

In the past I have bought and sold things quite satisfactorily - including motorcycles and lenses - on Craig's List, of all places. Just have to pay attention!

Loren - in Beautiful Baguio City