Car Price Quotes - Discounted Dealer Prices
Get discounted car prices by simply filling out an online form. Does it work? Do your really get discounted prices?
How does it work?
Online car "buying" services help you research vehicles and provide pre-arranged discount prices from local dealers. A good service has arrangements with dealers for all automobile brands all over the country. When you fill out the form indicating your vehicle preference and contact information, you'll be contacted be a dealer.
There is no standard way in which the dealer provides his price. Some dealers will give you a price over the phone, others may send you an email. Others may prefer that you come to the dealership, although you can refuse if it is not convenient to you.
Who do you work with?
Most car dealers now have "Internet Sales" departments who are the people who will work with you when you request a price quote through an online service. In many cases, the personnel in these departments are not commissioned and are easier to work with than the salespeople out front. There's less pressure and fewer sales "games." It's a good step toward more civilized car buying and leasing.
Are the pre-arranged prices good prices?
In general, yes, the prices are good prices but it might not be the best you can do if you are willing to negotiate further. Any current rebates and incentives should be included in your price quote but it's always good to confirm.
Why get quotes from multiple services?
Get multiple quotes so that you can compare prices and discounts. Dealers would prefer that you not shop around, but it is to your benefit. Some dealers may even refuse to give you a price if they sense that you are shopping at other dealers. Those are the kind of dealers to avoid.
What are the best car price services?
We've been working with and recommending the same companies to our visitors for years. These are the companies that have the best programs and the best customer satisfaction:
TrueCar
is a unique car pricing research site because they not only show the MSRP sticker price and dealer invoice price for the car you want, but also tell you what other people are paying for that same car in your area. They then give you highly discounted prices from dealers in your area for that car. Prices are usually below dealer invoice.
CarsDirect
is unique in that they show you not only their quote price, but also MSRP, invoice price. They have a low-price guarantee, which may explain the fact that many of the people we've talked to seem to think this service offers great prices. They also handle most of the paperwork of your lease or loan via mail so that all you have to do is go pick up your vehicle at a local dealer.
InvoiceDealers is one of the best auto pricing services that lets you simply specify the vehicle you want and request your price quote — fast and easy — and free. Since they work with dealers for all brands of vehicles all over the country, you're pretty certain to get a competitive price from them.
Edmunds
is the recognized leader in online car information. Their web site is one of the most frequently visited by automotive consumers who are doing research before they buy or lease a new or used car. You can also get free price quotes from their extensive dealer network by simply filling out a short online form.
Summary
Getting a good price is important whether you are buying or leasing. Online car pricing services offer discount price deals but you might be able to do better if you try. Get multiple price quotes to compare deals from different services and different dealers.
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