| There are many factors at play to determine the | | | | and information that actually works, is consumer |
| best time to purchase a vehicle, whether new or | | | | friendly and simple to apply. |
| used. These factors involve local, national, and local | | | | Six Ways to Use the Internet to Improve Your New |
| national events that occur on a regular and irregular | | | | & Used-Vehicle Shopping Experience to Buy or |
| basis. Having said that, one would have to master the | | | | Lease; |
| knowledge of economic and business trade cycles, | | | | With so much content and information available online |
| and then attempt to apply that information to a | | | | today, the Internet is making it easier than ever for |
| specific vehicle within your specific purchase arena. | | | | prospective buyers to shop for a used vehicle. The |
| The real way to purchase a vehicle (and you can do | | | | following tips may be helpful for shoppers in the |
| this 365 days and nights a year) is by doing your | | | | market for a used vehicle and may help improve |
| homework and being prepared to buy rather than | | | | satisfaction with their used-vehicle purchase |
| being sold. Is that possible? Absolutely, and by | | | | experience. |
| investing a few hours of time you will save hundreds, | | | | 1. Visit a variety of Web sites. With an abundance of |
| even thousands of dollars, and you will be | | | | information available online for used-vehicle shoppers, |
| empowered and you will know what you are doing. | | | | it's helpful to know where to find what you're looking |
| There exists on the internet every tool you will ever | | | | for. Independent sites are good places to find |
| need to make an intelligent vehicle purchase. There | | | | intuitive search tools that match shoppers with the |
| are sources that combine all the information that you | | | | right vehicle for their needs, as well as pricing and |
| will ever need in a simple and straightforward format | | | | reliability information. Dealerships often maintain sites |
| that is easy to follow and simple to navigate. is as | | | | that provide their current vehicle inventories, while |
| good as it gets, and supplies you with all the needed | | | | many manufacturer sites allow shoppers to search |
| site information with links, simple fill in the blank | | | | for certified pre-owned vehicles in their area. |
| forms, and a complete guide to take you through | | | | 2. Search for comparative used-vehicle pricing. The |
| the buying/selling/trading process step by step. | | | | development of Web sites such as Kelley Blue Book |
| The key to success in anything we do is knowledge, | | | | (kbb.com), and have made searching for used-vehicle |
| preparation, and application. Want to be a surgeon? K. | | | | pricing information easy. Using these sites to compare |
| P. A. Want to be a lawyer? K. P. A. Want to be an | | | | prices will give shoppers a general idea of their |
| accountant? K. P. A. Regardless of what we do, buy | | | | desired vehicle's price range without leaving the |
| a car, build a house, buy a lawnmower or bake a | | | | comfort of their homes. |
| cake, what is required? Knowledge, preparation, and | | | | 3. Consider online classified ads. Online classified ads |
| application. | | | | sites such as and are a competitive and convenient |
| I continually answer questions on a regular basis | | | | tool to give shoppers more options when considering |
| about making a car deal. How? What to do? When? | | | | a used vehicle. These sites allow sellers to post |
| Where do I get the information I need? What is this? | | | | used-vehicle listings along with several pictures that |
| What is that? And after having assisted thousands of | | | | can be viewed easily by shoppers, based on their |
| customers in their purchases it is easy to understand | | | | preferred zip code. |
| why those questions are asked. | | | | 4. Purchase or ask for a Vehicle History Report. |
| The car people purposely keep their customers in the | | | | Vehicle History Reports (VHRs) are an inexpensive |
| dark as to the information they need to make a | | | | way to check the track record of any used vehicle. |
| "good" deal, and always have. Now that the | | | | According to the 2006 Used Study, nearly one-third |
| information is readily available (although there are | | | | (32%) of automotive Internet users receive a free |
| very few places where one can go and get most of | | | | vehicle history report from the seller. If your dealer |
| what they need, and only a handful where they can | | | | or private seller does not offer a VHR free of |
| get everything they need) it is still difficult for the | | | | charge, one can be purchased online through sites |
| buyer to put it all together in an understandable and | | | | such as and |
| easily workable format that actually works in their | | | | 5. Search for financing and compare interest rates |
| favor. | | | | online. When shoppers have financing arranged ahead |
| So, what does one need to get a "good deal", and | | | | of time, it often gives them greater negotiating |
| what does it take to get a "great deal"? Knowledge. | | | | power when dealing with the seller. On most sites, |
| Preparation. Application. And I would add the | | | | applying for financing is fairly easy, and the interest |
| willingness of one to actually invest the effort to get | | | | rates offered by many online lenders are comparable |
| a good deal which requires doing their homework | | | | to or possibly better than those offered by dealers. |
| BEFORE visiting the car store. Everything is there, the | | | | J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Used Autoshopper. |
| difficult part is finding the information in one place, | | | | |