Why Buy a Car Online – Part 2
(i) Cheaper
Buying a new car directly online can be significantly cheaper than buying offline. An online retailer will normally have much lower overhead costs and less staff to pay for than an equivalent offline dealer. This is usually passed on to the customer in cheaper prices.
“Buying a new car online can be cheaper than buying offline”
A website that operates nationally may also have larger buying power than an independent dealer that operates locally, providing further improved prices as well as better availability.
Some websites offer savings of up to and above a thousand pounds on new car list prices.
(ii) Quicker
Buying a car online is normally much quicker than an offline purchase. Although you cannot drive away from the site with the car, the process of ordering the car is quicker and more convenient.
If a car is ordered directly from the factory then the order times will be almost identical no matter where the car is purchased from.
There is no need to drive around dealers looking for one that sells the car you want. You can search online, find the car and order it without even leaving the house. There is no need to talk to any salespeople, and you can order at any time of the day (or night!).
If you know the car and features you want, then ordering online is much quicker, more convenient, and cheaper than most offline purchases.
Why Buy a Car Offline ?
(i) Ability to See and Test Car
One of the biggest advantages of buying a car offline is that you can see the car and test drive it before buying. This is particularly important with used cars that may not match the descriptions they were given.
If there are any defects with the car then they can be spotted before a purchase is made. If you cannot see the car, you cannot be totally sure that it is as described (however there are methods to help ensure this – see ‘Things to Look For’ section).
By viewing a car in person you can find faults and make sure they are fixed before a final purchase is made. The repairs can be tested to help ensure that once purchased the car will remain in working order.
“Most used cars are only available to buy offline”
Most used cars are only available to buy offline, and if you are not certain about which model or specification of new car to choose, then an offline test should always be done to ensure the car matches your needs before you buy.
Most of the used cars that are available for purch ase online are through auction sites such as eBay. There is a higher risk that these cars will not match descriptions, however the potential price savings in auctioned cars is huge.
(ii) Personal Contact
Purchasing a car offline allows you to communicate more with the seller, it is easier to negotiate prices or features (on new cars) if you talk to the seller directly.
Purchasing cars online means that you pay a set price, there is no discounting below their standard prices (although these are normally a fair bit lower than standard list prices). Buying offline allows you to negotiate prices on a one to one basis. Most people (especially dealers) will be prepared to discount cars a little to ensure a sale, and in some cases you may be able to get a better deal than online.
Article Index
- Related Articles
