A Cox Automotive study directly linked the increase of customer satisfaction to an increase in online car shopping. This makes a whole lot of sense; car dealerships have a long history of tense, uncomfortable shopping experiences, especially for women and queer people. And it seems that buying a car partially, or fully, online, isn’t going anywhere. A 2021 Adtaxi study found that 49 percent of car shoppers are comfortable buying a car completely online. But is this really the best choice? How can you avoid buying a car that’s going to cost you money to repair, or one that might not actually fit your needs if you’ve never driven or inspected it? Buying a car is a huge financial investment. Let’s dig into the world of digital car buying so you have a crystal-clear picture of the pros and cons as you begin your car search.
What does it mean to buy a car online?
While Carvana, Vroom, and others offer fully digital car-buying services, that’s not the only way to take advantage of the online car-buying process. Many local and in-person dealerships, such as Carmax, have also moved much of the car-buying process online. Now, not only can you look for a car online; you can easily apply for financing, negotiate via email, and have a car delivered to your door for test driving. The dealership may even allow for an extended test drive of a few hours—or even a whole day, to give you a chance to really determine if this is the right car for you. Some places will even allow you to do much of the paperwork digitally, and once the deal is nearly complete, bring the car, and the paperwork to your home for final inspection and signatures. If you do buy from an online dealership, rather than a brick-and-mortar location, the process is similar. However, you normally don’t deal directly with a salesperson, you don’t have the opportunity to test-drive the car (in many cases), and the sale is final before the car gets delivered to your front door. Here’s more about the pros and cons of online car shopping, so you’re prepared before you dive in. When buying from an online car dealership, you don’t have that ability, so research is your only way of determining the best fit. “If you are even thinking about buying online you need to test drive that vehicle somehow,” says Carrington Cowart, a private automotive consultant who helps people buy cars. “It might not be the one that has the same VIN number that you would be purchasing, but if your aunt owns one, go drive it. You need to drive one because you have no idea whether or not you like it or not.” It also allows you to easily buy a car from further away, not limiting you to your local area to find your perfect car. “Not everyone has the luxury of having every vehicle they could possibly imagine in their metro area,” says Cowart. “Their ability to look at a large number of cars where they can be picky in finding the things that they want is a game changer.” If buying online is attractive to you, I recommend doing most, not all, of the car-buying process online—if a hybrid method is available through your local dealerships. This will allow you much of the benefits of buying online (such as being able to shop from the comfort of your home), while not sacrificing the test drive, the negotiation, and the pre-purchase inspection. Note that if you are buying a car that’s still under the initial manufacturer’s warranty, however, buying a car online doesn’t have the same risks. Ultimately, you must weigh the pros and cons yourself—and hopefully now you can make the most educated choice possible on what’s best for your needs.
