When you get the new car itch, you probably don’t drive straight to an East Texas car lot. A whopping 86 percent of car shoppers do online research before they go to the dealership.
Some consumers choose to complete the entire transaction from their living room without ever setting foot on a car lot. It sounds convenient but buying a car online could create some problems.
How East Texas Car Buyers Search
Most the time we find people start their search on their cell phones. A GeoMarketing article says first, 32 percent of car shoppers visit an aggregate site like Carvana or Auto Trader. Those sites show cars for sale from dealerships and private sellers all over the nation. Another 24 percent already have an idea what they want, so they go straight to a local dealership’s website.
We’re fascinated with the stats, so here are a few more:
- At the beginning of the process, 6 out of 10 buyers are thinking about multiple types of vehicles.
- 71 percent of online shoppers spend their time comparing car prices.
- 68 percent do an online comparison of actual models for sale.
- Most people (63 percent) look up what their trade is worth online.
- More than half of shoppers prefer walking into the dealership over online first contact.
Pros and Cons of Buying a Car Online
Buying a car is a huge commitment. For most people, the payment is a significant percentage of their monthly income. The more you know, the better. The main benefit of online shopping is the ability to do extensive research.
Compare car financing options. Read dealership reviews to see if people found sales staff helpful or pushy. Do a side-by-side comparison of different trim packages to evaluate what’s really important to you.
Online shopping is great, but online buying is not. Buying a car online has these cons:
- Buying out of state can complicate the registration and titling process.
- When you buy local, you can go back to the dealership you purchased from for service and maintenance.
- Completing the whole purchase process online from sites sounds convenient, but there’s no replacement for a test drive.
- If you buy online, what happens with your trade? Carvana says they’ll give you an online estimate, but what you actually get depends on final inspection after you drop it off at one of their “vending machines.” There are only 15 across the nation, and none of them are in East Texas.
Cars for Sale in East Texas
If you’re one of the six out of 10 buyers considering more than one type of car, a test drive makes all the difference. We’ll let you test drive each of them with no pressure to buy any of them. In reality, you can spend days looking at cars online, but there’s no other way to get a feel for them. All cars look shiny and luxurious in ads. You want the car that when you drive, it connects with your soul.
We encourage online research, but we also have knowledgeable salespeople on hand. Not all online information comes from a trustworthy source. It’s always a good idea to verify what you’ve read with someone who has credentials and proven expertise.
If you haven’t visited our site lately, why not start there? Check out our online inventory to start your online research. Or just come on in and check out our cars. See you soon.
Sources: V12Data article on how consumers shop for cars
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