subject: Where to Buy Used Cars Online [print this page] Where to Buy Used Cars Online Where to Buy Used Cars Online
Here's the understatement of the decade: The Internet has really changed the way people buy and sell things. E-commerce is huge, and that's to say nothing of e-marketing. Just think of all the goods that have been bought and sold online; there was a news story not long ago about a man who tried to sell his soul on e-Bay, while Conan O'Brien famously attempted to sell The Tonight Show on Craigslist.Naturally, trends in online shopping have infiltrated virtually every market, and that includes the buying and selling of pre-owned vehicles. The concept of buying a used car online strikes some as a real blessinga way to avoid the hassle of negotiation, the pushy salesmen, the mere inconvenience of having to spend an afternoon on a used automobile lot. For others, though, it's sheer terror. The concept of buying a carsight unseen, and without any physical contact with the sellersounds like a scam waiting to happen.But of course, as with any scenario in which you're buying a used car, the chances of being scammed are significantly reduced through simply education. It is important to know the pros and cons of the different online sellers, and to adjust expectationsand precautionsaccordingly.One of the most popular destinations for buying a used car online, for instance, is Craigslist, but this is one of the sites the consumer should be most wary of. The major downside to Craigslist is that any seller can place an ad for free, which means it's the easiest venue for a scam artist to infiltrate. Craigslist has tried to remedy this problem by posting a variety of tips on its website, cautioning prospective buyers of how to avoid being duped. Careful observance of these tips is strongly encouraged.By contrast, eBayanother increasingly popular site for used car buying and sellinghas one major distinguishing characteristic, which could either be viewed as a pro or a con. The eBay difference, of course, is that you aren't just buying a car but bidding on it, which means that some negotiation with the price is allowed. If you're a bargain hunter, this might be a real boon. If you're seeking to avoid any and all haggling over price, however, eBay may not be the place for you.Meanwhile, a few sites cater to used car buyers and sellers exclusively, and these are generally slightly safer and more stable than either eBay or Craigslist. Cars.com, for example, is a sort of online classified section focusing just on used vehicles; it's sponsored by five of the biggest, most reputable newspapers in the country. AutoTrader.com, meanwhile, is an aggregate used car market with a huge selection and a solid search capacity that makes it easy to locate a specific automobile.Naturally, buying a used car from any of these venues is going to have drawbacks, and possibly even concerns; likewise, it is going to have real advantages, and, if the growing number of online car shoppers is any indication, you just might find some real bargains out there.
