How You Can Buy a Car Online

Whether you use the Internet to prepare for a visit to a local auto dealer, or actually purchase a car online, you will feel secure once you have done the research. This is equally true if you are going to buy a new or used car because you will have a clear picture of what you can afford and what you need.

Why it works. By shopping online, you can determine the "going price" for a certain model that interests you, along with its fuel economy, options, color choices and safety ratings. Also, regardless of how you go about making your purchase, your car will actually come from a dealer's lot since current legislation in the United States prevents auto manufacturers from selling directly to buyers.

If you visit a quote request site like www.autobytel.com/content/buy/lm/new/index.cfm?CPCID=21928-0-0-0-731-12-0-0&id=21928, you can configure a model for yourself and e-mail those details to a dealership or third party. The response to your e-mail will come via phone, fax, or mail (according to your selection), giving you a price quote and indicating the availability of the vehicle.

Purchasing a used car. Unless the vehicle you want to buy is certified and the dealer has all of the required information, you will need its "used car history." This should tell you if the car was involved in an unreported accident or stolen. You can do a preliminary check by using the vehicle identification number (VIN) to verify its make and model and trace any problems related to it at the site above.

To avoid any other complications, see that all of paperwork related to transferring ownership of the car to you is accurate and complete. (Remember that if the offer seems "too good to be true," it might be a scam, such as an attempt to sell a flood-damaged car.)

Getting financing. Regardless of what the ads may tell you, note that zero percent financing is really intended for buyers who have an outstanding credit rating. Also, you might end up paying the car's sticker price-and have no room to negotiate for a better offer-if you finance the car through the dealership.

Your best option is to finance the vehicle before you buy it, even if you shop on the Internet. Your local bank or credit union is a good place to start, and, if you have equity in your home, you can also borrow against that line of credit. When it comes to getting a warranty, you should consider what is being offered by the manufacturer if you are buying a new car, the "reliability quotient" of that particular model, and your unique driving situation. This includes:

n Whether you drive mainly on the highway or off-road.
n How many miles you drive each year.
n The climate conditions you will be facing and whether your car is exposed to the elements when it is not in use, or kept in a garage

A test drive will help you in deciding how suitable the car you have picked really is for you, and help you in evaluating your local dealership at the same time. A test drive should last about 20 minutes, and you should find out how the vehicle handles on both flat and hilly terrain, how it maneuvers on turns and how it parks

Immediately before you go to the dealership to take possession of your car, make certain that:

n Your license is up to date and carries your current address.
n Arrangements for insurance and financing on the car are complete.
n All of the documents required by your state authorities are in order.

n You have a list of the options and features you selected earlier to verify that the car you are given meets the specifications you were promised when you placed your order.