Major life decisions involve major purchases. The older you get, the more hefty your financial burden becomes as you begin to divert investing in expensive shoes and takeout and instead start to save for life’s most costly necessities like rent, utilities, education and automotives. When it comes to weighing our options for which apartment to rent, what gas company to use, or what car to buy, we need all the help we can get.
Major life decisions involve major purchases. The older you get, the more hefty your financial burden becomes as you begin to divert investing in expensive shoes and takeout and instead start to save for life’s most costly necessities like rent, utilities, education and automotives. When it comes to weighing our options for which apartment to rent, what gas company to use, or what car to buy, we need all the help we can get.
Car buying is no easy task. In fact, it kind of sucks. But in order to get your dream car you have to jump the hurdles of seeking out your perfect vehicle to be able to make the most financially sound decision, while also keeping in mind all the necessary features you are looking out for with the automotive. This can be be difficult to do for a person who does not have a background in the relevant expertise, and in order to compensate, we look to outlets we consider our only options to help us make our purchase decision. These options include an online automotive database that presents information on a screen, or an in-person car dealership/showcase owned by car dealers with a primary agenda to make money.
Sure, there are both pros and cons between both options. It’s important to weigh both factors in when you’re deciding between how to research your automotive options. In fact, to make it clearer, below is an extensive list of both the perks–and downsides– to using both an online autobase and an in-person car dealership.
1. SHOWROOM/ DEALER’S LOT
a. PROS
i. your potential automotive options are physically in front of you for a review or test drive
ii. Dealers readily available to answer any questions or concerns
iii. Variety of makes and models
iv. Price negotiation occurs regularly
b. CONS
i. Dealers focus monumentally more on the sale than on helping you find your ideal car
ii. Dealers may also hide certain defects the car has to be able to sell it at a higher value–making the buyer completely oblivious to money going down the train in the near future due to their car needing frequent and expensive repair.
2. ONLINE AUTOMOTIVE DATABASE
a. PROS
i. buyer can review the cars from all over the world instead of considering only local options
ii. Open 24/7; doors never close online, so a review of your proponents can be done anytime of day, week, month or year
iii. On-screen side-by-side comparisons of different vehicles present all relevant information right before your eyes with the simple click of a button
iv. Buyer faces absolutely no pressure to buy a car he isn’t completely set on, as in-person dealers often use sales tactics that coerce customers into making a purchase that breaks the bank for a vehicle that does not meet their specific needs.
b. CONS
i. You are online. There is no way for you to sit in the driver’s seat of the car, smell the seat upholstery, kick the tires before buying, etc– many buyers prefer to have hands-on time with a vehicle before making a finalized decision. This means no test-drives either.
ii. Prices are firm instead of being up for negotiation.
For a purchase as expensive as an automotive, doing sufficient research from reliable outlets is vital to leading a responsible financial life. So seeking out help from a car dealer who wants to suck up as much money as he can from you– or referring to an online automotive database that doesn’t always provide you with enough information to make a final decision on a car as seeing it in person would– are kind of counterproductive.
What if there were an outlet that combined the two outlets we have for automotive research, taking their best variables and eliminating the aforementioned downsides? Cars.com does just that. With absolutely no pressure from a sleazy car dealer, users have access to an extensive platform of cars that fit their exact needs–and can even locate where those very models are being sold locally. You’re also told upfront the best features of the car–but also the dents and scratches it has they may render it less valuable. There are even various outlets for car buying advice for users to refer to according to their individual needs. The best thing about Cars.com? Users have full access to all of its features at absolutely no cost.
We don’t buy cars often, but we do research the heck out of them before we do. There are a ton of great sites out there. One thing I was thinking though – I feel that I’m at their mercy. I guess that’s why it is good to use multiple sites and compare. Specifically, if the average of 3 sites says a certain car is worth $5,000 – I’m likely to fixate on that amount… even if perhaps I could get the car cheaper through some better negotiation. Something to consider.