The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our normal lives and forced so many people to turn to doing everyday things like school, shopping, banking and meeting in an online environment. But have you ever bought a vehicle online?
I’ve bought my last two vehicles completely online. Everything from the research to financing (with the credit union of course) and to actual picking the vehicle completely online. The only thing I had to do in person was go pick up the vehicle (and now delivery is even an option readily available). Best two car buying experiences I’ve ever had.
All our local car dealers now have online sales capabilities. Here are a few things that I’ve learned from buying my last two vehicles online:
- You can quickly compare prices without feeling pressured. You aren’t face to face with a salesperson asking for a decision. Purchasing online allows you to work completely on your timetable.
- If you use a vehicle shopping service, expect a few calls and emails from local dealerships, but you will be able to widen your search in a very short amount of time.
- I found that the online departments at dealerships often had lower pricing.
- The tools that the dealers use to showcase their vehicles are getting impressive. Some have very interactive tools that allow you to look the vehicle over completely from bumper to bumper.
In both cases, they wanted me to meet with their finance department but once I told them I already had a pre-approval from the credit union and that all I needed was the final details and that the credit union would let me sign electronically by email. They were impressed with how quickly our loan team was able to get everything over.
Give it a try if you are considering a new vehicle. It is the ultimate social distancing way to buy.
Post author: Jamieson Mackay, CCUFC
The opinions expressed on this page are for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal or financial advice. The views expressed are those of the author of the article and may not reflect the views of the credit union.