Buying a Car, Selling a Car - Online
Are you thinking about buying a new car? Whether you're buying or selling, new or used, I'll point you to the websites you MUST visit before your trip to see the man in the polyester suit.
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CAR BUYING ON THE WEB
If you're thinking of buying or selling one of these...
Acura, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Eagle, Ford, Geo, GMC , Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Isuzu, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercedes, Mercury, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Pontiac, Porsche, Saab, Saturn, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen, or Volvo
...then I suggest you visit Edmunds Automobile Guide first. Edmunds, the well-known publisher of automobile information is online and offers a wealth of free information to car buyers and sellers. It's been a favorite site of mine for years -- here are some the features you'll find at the site:
New Car Prices and Reviews
In addition to vehicle prices (MSRP & dealer invoice), you'll learn what's new for the current model year, pros and cons of the car, and you can read Edmund's Review. Many cars have an Options Calculator so you can figure the cost to add various options packages. You'll also find links to several insurance companies that offer online quotes.
Edmunds has consumer comments and lists competing models so you can do some comparison shopping. You can browse though warranty info, insurance cost, specifications & safety features. This will really prepare you well for that trip to the dealer!
Used Car Prices and Reviews
In addition to the trade-in and retail value of your car, you'll find Edmunds ratings on safety, reliability, performance, comfort and value. Also, the car's standard and optional equipment is listed, along with features that were new for that model year.
One nice feature of this site is that they don't simply list prices for a particular car. They show you how much to add or subtract from the standard figure, based on the mileage and the features your car has. This helps you determine the true market value of a car before talking to a salesperson.
There are also links to some very helpful services on this page. You can search the Marketplace Classifieds to find sellers offering this car within a 50-mile radius of your zipcode, or post a free listing to sell your car in Edmunds MarketPlace Classifieds. Or run a free Carfax Lemon Check to learn your vehicle's history before purchasing. You can find out if the vehicle's odometer reading is accurate, if it was ever seriously damaged, in a flood, or returned as a lemon.
Buying and Selling Advice
Get expert advice on pricing, buying and financing your new or used car. You'll learn everything you need to know to make an informed purchase at the best possible price. Or, learn how to sell your used car. There's help on setting a value, placing classified ads, dealing with interested parties, answering common questions, and effective negotiation techniques.
Loan Payments Calculator
If you're financing your purchase, find out how much that car is REALLY going to cost you. At the bottom of the page, you'll find a handy loan calculator. Enter the interest rate, loan amount and click the Calculate button to see what your payments will be for various terms.
Other Useful Car Sites
Jeff Ostroff, host of CARBUYINGTIPS will teach you how much dealers pay for cars, and how to formulate your best offer. Free guides on this site claim to help you save $2000-$4000 off MSRP, learn how to buy new cars & avoid scams, get the best car loans, and navigate the used car auctions. See also the "Annual Top 10 Car Dealer Scams" at this site.
Car Buying Tips - http://www.carbuyingtips.com
AUTOBYTEL gives you access information on pricing and specifications, safety data, manufacturer incentives and vehicle reviews to help you make your buying decision. When you're ready to buy, you submit a request for the car or truck you want to buy, and a rep from a nearby AutoByTel affiliated dealership will call you within 24 hours.
AutoByTel - http://www.autobytel.com
CARS.COM is billed as the most comprehensive car information Web site, providing users with comprehensive inventories of new and used vehicles. You can use the cars.com Web site to help you find a vehicle that is right for you by using the site's extensive tools, such as automotive reviews, model reports, advice, dealer locator,
financing information and much more.
CARS.com - http://www.cars.com
The Kelley Blue Book site provides the legendary Blue Book values on used cars and trucks. A few years ago, it was hard to find this info outside of a dealer showroom. I remember once going to my bank and asking if they had a Blue Book for customer use. The bank clerk glanced around the building and warily agreed to let me have the book (which was actually brown) "for a few minutes" but only if I stood right there at the counter. Times have changed!
Kelley Blue Book - http://www.kbb.com
Got any tips on buying or selling a car online? Post your comments below...
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Check out other articles in this category:Posted by Bob Rankin on March 7, 2006 10:58 AM
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Most recent comments on "Buying a Car, Selling a Car - Online"
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Thanks. Just in the process of selling my truck - great timing ;-) |
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I would also suggest NADA as a good source for vehicle pricing: www.nada.com/ Additionally CarFax gives a good history of vehicle ownership, accidents the vehicle may have been in, and title history: www.carfax.com/ There is a cost for CarFax, but many good dealers will give you CarFax reports for free. |
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Actually times have not changed, the "blue book" a bank would have shown you was light brown then and is still light brown. But it probably was not the Kelley Blue Book, but the NADA book (light brown) which what I believe most banks use. www.nada.com |
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What? No Comsumer Reports? :) The site (and the magazine) regularly test drives vehicles, gives reliability data, and does comparisons. |
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Consumer Reports is good. You can read it for free at the library (our library even lets you copy a few pages for free!). Just don't pay for the vehicle reports - it's the exact same info Edmunds has for free. |
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Your Car Buying article made me laugh with your comment about sites you must visit "before your trip to see the man in the Polyester suit." When I started selling used cars almost 30 years ago i did in fact wear Polyester pants with a checkered jacket. I started building a website last year on Tips How To Buy a Used Car -- http://usedcartips.bravehost.com -- it's based on answers to the 20 most asked questions when buying a used car. |
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Excellent article, It would be interesting if you include information related to the rights and obligations of Dealership in regards to the final consumer? For example, I am trying to find this information (for Canada and the US) on the web and it’s been kind of difficult, that’s how I ended in your site, again, nice article! |
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Article information: AskBobRankin -- Buying a Car, Selling a Car - Online (Posted: March 7, 2006 10:58 AM)
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