Would You Get a Car If the Only Way to Buy It Was Online?

In reply to Andy Neuman :

Hey, no one invited me. 

The interesting thing to me is that it seems that the more "regular"[1] the dealership is, the more they play games.

Getting my Evo was a bit of a E36 M3 show - they "forgot" to tell me about their "no test drives on Evos" policy, so I did my best hangry German (not hard after a 5h drive) and pointed out to them that they were about to let a large wad of cash wander out the door if that policy didn't change with immediate effect. Oddly enough, the subsequent transaction felt quicker than I'd normally expect.

The Mazda experience was, well, meh. Like, the dealer delivering the car, but the delivery driver forgetting to bring important paperwork.

The Alfa experience - at a combined Maserati/Alfa dealer - was like you'd want it to be. We had agreed on a price beforehand, there were no shenanigans, and I think the whole testdrive paperwork took a bit more than an hour.

For an applicance, I'd still consider online shopping.

[1] As in, selling average priced cars and SUVs

My last Mazda dealer experience was really good, mostly because they weren't involved with the sale at all. We ordered the car through a contact at Mazda before it was even announced. I was told the car was at the dealership, I picked it up on Saturday night at 8:00 and signed about three papers. It was basically the online experience, the dealer just delivered the car.

My parents' VW was more typical. Running around town, chasing prices, wanting to test drive but the battery was dead even though we'd called ahead to drive a specific car, etc, etc. No shenanigans, just annoying.

Keith Tanner said:

My last Mazda dealer experience was really good, mostly because they weren't involved with the sale at all. We ordered the car through a contact at Mazda before it was even announced. I was told the car was at the dealership, I picked it up on Saturday night at 8:00 and signed about three papers. It was basically the online experience, the dealer just delivered the car

I was a tad disappointed by that, as I had picked a supposedly "good" dealer as well. The car had been pre-ordered (ND Launch Edition) so it should've been a "walk in, sign, agree delivery date so I don't have to pay CA sales tax" endeavour.

The fact that they had used the car for other people's test drives didn't go down too well either.

There's a fellow in the Miata community who decided he would be the world expert on the ND and somehow managed to arrange for delivery of the first Launch Edition. Living close to the docks probably didn't hurt. He showed up to take delivery with some other club members in tow for their own LEs to find a dealership employee touching up the paint around the fuel filler of one of the cars. They couldn't figure out how to pop the fuel cap so they'd started prying...

"They couldn't figure out how to pop the fuel cap so they'd started prying..."

Nope, not buying that one. The damage was like due to some crook trying to steal some gas.

FMB42 said:

"They couldn't figure out how to pop the fuel cap so they'd started prying..."

Nope, not buying that one. The damage was like due to some crook trying to steal some gas.

I doubt these cars had ever been parked outside. They came from the docks in town and spent just long enough at the dealership to get a PDI. And seriously, how much gas are you going to get out of a Miata? ;)

The fuel filler release on an ND is a "push in to pop" style. All other Miatas have had a release inside and there's absolutely no indication of how the door should be opened. It also won't open if the door is locked. This was the first time the dealership had seen an ND. It passes the sniff test.

In my experience it's the sales person that makes the difference.

My last new purchase was quick and effortless. I walked in, told him what I wanted, he found me one, and we did the paperwork. There was a price promotion so there was no negotiation required, but I don't think it was longer than an hour - and I had a legit trade in.

The previous purchase was a nightmare of sales people either ignoring me or trying to sell me something other than what I told them I wanted. Until I went back to one of the dealers and dealt with a different guy. I told him what happened and he was pure business, no BS and it was effortless. He even saved me a grand on an incentive program I wasn't aware of and picked up the truck himself.

Last car I bought was from a one price, no hassle dealer and I'd definitely do it again, but the price has to be right. I usually know exactly what I want, so price is the only  factor.

I'm waiting for Sears to emerge from bankruptcy and reintroduce the Allstate nameplate.  Then I can order it out of a catalog and pick it up at the nearest railroad siding. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allstate_(automobile)

Keith Tanner said:

David S. Wallens said:

How soon before you can buy a new car via Amazon? 

And when the new BMW you ordered shows up, it's a used Kia that someone returned in the box for the BMW...

Or you find that somebody has opened a seller account and been sending various Chinese cars that aren't approved for street use in the US under listings for Fords and Toyotas.

^Ha, that is how it would work. And Amazon would just keep offering refunds rather than do anything real about it.

I would have been very sad if I'd bought a Civic from the early teens without a drive, because they need to come with a pillow to put between my knee and the park brake handle, or I am extremely uncomfortable.

I don't buy new cars anyway.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that cars will be purchased without a test drive, merely that you wouldn't have to actually do the transaction in person.

Best experience I had was last month from a Volvo dealer. I saw a S90 online, called to ask about it, they said they'd bring it to my office. Sales guy showed up an hour later, we drove it, said that works, done. It was a 1 price dealer and the price was good, so he went back, did all of the paperwork, then brought the car and paperwork back to my office. 
 

zero hassle, zero drama. Easier than deciding what I wanted for lunch. 

I don't buy new cars.  Period.  Even if I were rich, I don't think I would buy a new car.  Off-lease, demo, maybe.  Having said that, I have bought used cars from new dealers, but only when I found something I really wanted and knew I was willing to get fisted without lube on the price.

The only car I will buy without putting my hands on it is a project or something that I am purchasing to customize/build.  I even had some minor panic with the van I just bought from NC, but the only reason I was willing to do it was because Secretariata (Steve) did such a thorough job of testing it for me.  Even then, I went to a local car lot and test drove a similar van so I knew what the driving experience was.

I remember in high school having a total stiffy for the 4DSC Maxima.  Sleeper, right?  Powerful V6 in a sedan body.  I test drove one and absolutely detested everything about driving that car.  Road noise, driving position, comfort, ergonomics... all of them sucked.  Dad said I should try a Sentra SE-R and I thought I would hate it, but it was super fun.  Quick little thing, and despite being an econobox, really comfy.

I can't imagine I'm in the minority, either.  I know a lot of people just buy something they think looks cool, but is an online-only thing even a viable model?  They'll have to find some way to do test drives.

Even in the "just buy whatever" camp, I can't imagine not having a brick-and-mortar place.  In 2016 my bestie went shopping for a car.  She likes VW so she went to look at Jetta/Golf/etc.  She completely became sucked in by a Beetle convertible with the Denim package in the showroom and bought it instead.  One of the things that makes the showroom so viable is the psychology behind physical interaction with the car.

I can just see it now.  In 10 years we'll be writing articles about how online shopping killed the car.  Manufacturers can slack off and build something pretty but not put as much emphasis on the fit and finish, or the assembly, because no one will actually see it before they buy.

I could see something like Carvana maybe going more mainstream: You pick out the car online, a truck delivers it, and you get to make the yes/no decision. 

Keith Tanner said:

I don't think anyone is suggesting that cars will be purchased without a test drive, merely that you wouldn't have to actually do the transaction in person.

If that's the case, I'm all in.

Yeah, I'm all in for skipping the dealership 'experience'. 

I have purchased/leased cars from the same dealer for years, never a hassle until I leased the FiST.   Got the old sales manger spiel .  I had a trade in, I had done some research on trade in value.   He started with the low ball first, I laughed.  Going back an forth.  Then I stood up, picked up my keys.   Things changed in a hurry.   I had no real reason to trade my car, I just wanted the FiST, so I was willing to walk.