Buying online vs. the dealership
The biggest difference between buying a car online instead of going to a dealership is the shopping experience. You still need to test drive the car and negotiate your price.
Here’s a comparison of the differences with input from Finder.com.
COST
The price you ultimately pay for a car will depend on your negotiating skills. At a dealership you can negotiate the old-fashioned way. Online, dealerships have specially trained online salespeople who can offer special discounts. On the other hand, an Internet search may turn up only the average selling price of a vehicle. If you visit the dealership, you can see the actual vehicle for sale, along with its features and selling price.
TURNAROUND TIME
Buying a car online can be faster. At the dealership, there could be multiple rounds of negotiations, which can take time. Online, that’s less likely to be the case.
FINANCING OPTIONS
If you have credit challenges, it might make more sense to start your purchase transaction at a dealer. This is because different dealers have different financing relationships with banks and credit unions. If determining where you can get the best financing option is your first priority, you might want to start your buying process in person with a dealer to best understand
what they can offer.
HOW IT WORKS
Not being able to take the car for a test drive first is an obvious drawback to an online purchase. It is absolutely imperative to understand the return policy when going this route. Can you return the vehicle for any reason within a certain period (usually three days)? Is there a limit on the miles you can drive the car before you make your decision? Do your homework and be prepared before you start shopping online.