5 tips to use a car-buying service Advertiser Disclosure Advertiser Disclosure We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our aim is to assist you make better financial choices by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling users to conduct research and compare information for free and help you make sound financial decisions. Bankrate has partnerships with issuers such as, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. How We Earn Profit The products that are featured on this site come from companies who pay us. This compensation can affect the way and when products are listed on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear in the listing categories, except where prohibited by law. This applies to our loans, mortgages,, and other home loan products. But this compensation does have no impact on the content we publish or the reviews that you read on this site. We do not cover the entire universe of businesses or financial offerings that might be open to you. SHARE skynesher/Getty images
4 min read Published June 15, 2022
Written by Jackie Lam Written by Contributing writer Jackie Lam is a contributing writer for Bankrate. Jackie write about automobile loans. Edited by Rhys Subitch Edited by Auto loans editor Rhys has been writing and editing for Bankrate from late 2021. They are passionate about helping readers gain confidence to control their finances with clear, well-researched information that breaks down complex subjects into digestible pieces. The Bankrate promise
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This compensation could affect the way, location and when products appear within listing categories in the event that they are not permitted by law. This is the case for our mortgage home equity, mortgage and other products for home loans. Other factors, like our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is available within your area or at your self-selected credit score range could also affect the manner in which products appear on this website. While we strive to provide the most diverse selection of products, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. If you are not a fan of having to bargain with a dealership for the cost to purchase a brand-new car, a car-buying service might be an ideal alternative. You can do it from the comfort of your own home, and some car purchasing services could offer options to save money in your pocket. What are the best car buying services for you? Negotiation at dealerships can be daunting. If the fear of a bad deal has scared you from visiting the dealer’s showrooms, a buying service could be an ideal alternative for you. There are two types of car-buying services that include Membership-based and concierge. Concierge service can help you bargain the price of the car and make the process of buying a car easier for you, like delivery of the car to your home or to the nearest center so you can test drive it before you purchase. Many organizations, like AAA warehouse clubs, warehouse clubs and others, offer car buying services for their members at no charge, says John Nielsen, managing director of auto engineering and repair for the AAA national office in Heathrow, Florida. Nielsen states that buyers who avail these services for buying a car could save thousands of dollars off their purchase. “I have a friend who purchased a car from Our program that saved $2,600,” he says. Although consumers have the ability to save lots of dollars, not all car buying services are the same, according to Lauren Fix, founder of The Car Coach and Car Smarts and a consumer expert on autos. She says consumers need to be aware of what the company can benefit from these deals and whether their goals are the same as yours. Tips on using a car-buying service If a car buying service might be a good fit for you, take a look at these suggestions prior to pursuing one. 1. Companies offer negotiation, convenience Car-buying platforms are for shoppers who are tight on time and don’t have the time to search and , as Fix explains. For example, Carvana, a popular car-buying service, provides fixed prices and can bring the car to your residence for you to drive throughout the seven-day period. The cost can vary, and some companies charge a percentage of price of the car. For instance, at Meriwest Credit Union in San Jose, California, members can take advantage of its Autoland car buying service. Using the service allows them to barely interact with anyone at a dealership, according to William Fultz, an auto broker at Meriwest Credit Union. Members are connected to an auto consultant who negotiates the car’s price on your behalf and work together to get a car loan by the credit union. 2. Free services are usually for members only . If you’re members of AAA, AARP, Costco, Sam’s Club or a credit union, you may be eligible for their free car-buying services. Every program operates differently, and some might provide the option of negotiating the price of a car for you, while others offer pre-negotiated, fixed rates. Some of these clubs and organizations may offer discounts, other benefits, or incentives offered by car makers only to members of their organization. 3. Buyers should do their research prior to contacting a car-buying service, Fix recommends looking up sites for research on autos like Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book, to learn the average sales price for your desired car in your area. Another advantage of doing your homework upfront is that buyers will have a good idea of what they want before they reach out to the company, Nielsen says. “It’s difficult to guide with your search if you’re looking at minivansand sports vehicles or convertibles at the same time,” he says. Nielsen suggests narrowing down your choices to your top two or three choices that include models, makes, colors and choices, prior to contacting a car-buying service. “Think about the kind of car that you truly want to buy and how much you want to pay,” he says. If a company has that data, it can perform a better job of finding the car you want at a competitive price. 4. Understand how car-buying services get paid for. While these services may be offered for free to members, the cost is folded into any charges for membership. For concierge services, they could charge a flat fee or a percentage of the price of the vehicle. Car buying services typically negotiate lower rates with dealers due to the number of sales the dealership can earn as a result and can transfer savings to the customer. But consumers should be aware the company could be steering them to certain dealers with which they’ve a working relationship, she says. “You must check to see if you are getting the best price,” Fix says. Fultz says referral fees may not be the only advantage that these businesses receive. Credit unions often offer car-buying services to strengthen relationships between customers and their financial institution. “It ensures that we keep our loans inside the bank on a higher base,” he says. “It helps us, the membership and dealers.” 5. Learn about the return policy. Customers must ensure they know the policy on customer satisfaction before they purchase the car or truck, Fix says. Otherwise, you might be stuck with a huge purchase that you’re not happy with. It is possible to check on the car buying service’s site, or by reaching out to customer service to find out what their return policy is. Besides how many days you have after you purchase the vehicle to return it, check for a cap on the number of miles you can drive it. If you go over the number of miles, you most likely will have to pay for every mile over the limit. The car isn’t able to be returned damaged or altered — it has to be returned in the exact state as it was when it was handed over to you. The final word is that using an online car buying service can be an alternative if you don’t want to negotiate with an agent at the dealership, prefer not to walk at a car dealer or are tight on time. Before you make a call, do your homework and look at the details such as researching the charges involved, as well as the policy for returning a car purchased through a service. Learn more
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Written by a contributing writer Jackie Lam is a contributing writer for Bankrate. Jackie writes about auto loans. Edited by Rhys Subitch Edited by Auto loans editor Rhys has been editing and writing for Bankrate since the end of 2021. They are dedicated to helping readers gain the confidence to manage their finances through providing concise, well-researched and well-researched content that breaks down complicated subjects into bite-sized pieces.
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