Car Shopping Made Easy: Why you Should Buy your Next Car Online
Next to buying a home, choosing a new car is one of the biggest purchase decisions most consumers face. Aside from the time you spend researching makes and models and looking for the best loan, plan to spend hours in the dealership haggling and filling out paperwork.
Autotrader estimates the process of actually buying a car takes about two hours—and that’s if you know what you want and you’ve already secured financing. If not, the process could take up to six hours. Do you really want to spend all day in the dealership?
There’s an easier, faster, less stressful way to find the car you want. Log on, search, click. Online car dealers provide a low-hassle experience and good value. After a few savvy startups found success with online car-buying, local car dealerships followed suit and revamped their online offerings.
When you choose a local dealer, you get the convenience of online shopping from a brand you trust. Stivers Ford Lincoln in Des Moines, Iowa, offers express checkout through its Click to Buy program. It’s almost as easy as shopping on Amazon!
Not sure if you’re ready for online car-buying? Here are a few reasons to give it a try.
Save lots of time.
Instead of spending half a day at a dealership test-driving cars, negotiating with a salesperson, negotiating again, securing financing and filling out paperwork, why not accept an offer from home? What usually takes all day can happen in a few clicks.
Once you determine the make and model you want and research the going price (Kelley Blue Book can help with this), browse the online dealer’s inventory. When you visit Stivers Ford Lincoln’s website, you can browse its available new, used and certified vehicles to find your car and its e-price.
Choose your payment option (lease, finance or cash) and get a price for your trade-in. A few steps later, you’re done! They’ll have your car ready and waiting for you to pick up.
Get a good price without haggling.
An auto dealership’s Internet sales department often offers better deals than the in-person sales team. When you browse cars in the lot, you’ll often see stickers with the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) in the window. When you browse the website, you’ll usually see a discounted “e-price” that’s below the MSRP.
In an article for Edmunds, the author inquired about a subcompact car both in person and online. The purchaser ultimately saved about $1,500 off the original price, with less effort, buy going the Internet route.
Whether you choose to pay cash, finance through your bank or finance through the dealer, you can complete the process online from the comfort of home. If you finance through Stivers Ford Lincoln, for example, you can view your payment plan options and pick the plan that fits your budget. You’ll also get instant approval for your loan.
Time to read contracts
When using an online program, there’s no pressure to hurry up and sign. Take as long as you like to review contracts. Still need more time? Stivers Ford Lincoln lets you save your deal in its system. Revisit the next day to complete your purchase.
In store pickup on YOUR schedule
After you complete the financial paperwork, enter any trade-in information and submit your downpayment information, you decide how and when to receive your new car.
Stivers Ford Lincoln’s Click to Buy program offers in-store pickup. You choose the date and time that works for you. Stivers Ford Lincoln will have your car ready to go when you get there.
Select service and protection plans
When purchasing online, you still get the opportunity to purchase a service or extended warranty plan. Stivers Ford Lincoln’s Click to Buy program provides a list of suggested plans. Simply review and select the plan that fits your needs. It’s as easy as choosing a plan in person, without pressure to buy more than what you need.
In the market for a new or like-new car or truck? Spend less time in the dealership and more time doing what you love. Visit Stivers Ford Lincoln online today to start shopping!