researching used car websites

One of the comments we hear all the time from car buyers is that they don’t want to deal with nonsense. Buyers shouldn’t have to deal with shady dealer tactics, and that’s one reason many shoppers go online to used car websites rather than browsing dealerships. Used car websites, though, can present their own set of problems for car buyers.

What to keep in mind when shopping used car websites

Inventory changes. What dealerships have on the lot can change from day to day. Their used car website inventory might not reflect those changes in real time. So when you find a car on the site you think may be the right car for you, it might have already been sold. In that scenario, you’ll drive to the dealership — sometimes far from home — and the car you wanted is gone. You might then feel pressured to pick another car from the lot simply because you drove so far to get there. Most sites have a limited selection, and you shouldn’t feel cornered into selecting from it.

Filtering. Similarly, the ability to filter based on your requirements can be a great help, but it can also make you feel backed into a corner when you finally whittle the list down to the two cars that fit your requirements. All that filtering fools you into believing you have to choose between those two options. You don’t! There are plenty other cars on other used car websites that may fit your needs. You just haven’t found them yet.

researching used car websitesExpertise. When you’re clicking around used car websites, it’s just you and the site. You don’t have a product specialist or car expert guiding you through, asking you the questions you need to answer to understand your feature needs and wants. The car buyer must know what to look for; unfortunately, many car buyers don’t. When you aren’t an expert, the sheer volume of options can make it harder to make a decision.

Geographic limits. Often, used car websites have limited regions of sales, or at least delivery. Make sure the site you’re using services your area before committing time looking through the inventory.

Things you’ll notice about used car websites

Cluttered sites. Quite a few used car websites are packed with pop-ups and banner ads, making it hard to find and concentrate on the actual car information. This breeds confusion and frustration for the car buyer.

No eyes on. Most used car websites don’t offer many images or a test drive, so you can’t depend upon the quality you’re getting, no matter how cheap the price. The value has to include not only the price, but also the quality of the product. Most used car websites make it hard for car buyers to guarantee quality.

The MATS.org difference

Car buying should be fun, and dealing with shady dealer practices, wasted time, and pressure to buy cuts out the fun of buying a new vehicle. Stop browsing used car websites and contact a car specialist at MATS.org today!