How to Research Your Next New Car Online
As many people know—store owners and shoppers alike—the internet has revolutionized the way we buy things.
Because we’re no longer tied to stores within walking or driving distance, the savvy consumers among us can comparison shop from the comfort of our couches.
This puts car buyers, ahem, in the driver’s seat. And at Budds’ we couldn’t be happier.
To understand what we mean, travel back with us a few years in time.
For many people, car buying was a chore to be avoided at all costs. (Except for those who shopped at
Budds’, of course.)
The major problem? The seller had all the facts and figures. If you wanted information about a car, you had to ask for it.
That left most buyers with the uneasy feeling they were being steered into overpaying for a vehicle that they didn’t really want.
Today there are many places to go for information about new cars. That makes for more informed buyers, which in turn makes our job easier and “friendlier.” Instead of you feeling like you’re getting jammed up, our sales team can instead focus on helping you buy the Chev, Buick, Cadillac or GMC you really want.
In that spirit, here are some of the best online places you can find out about cars.
Manufacturer’s websites
Visit Chevrolet.ca or Buick.ca, for example, and you’ll get more information than you could ever imagine needing.
For every vehicle they sell, you’ll see details about trim levels and equipment, colors, optional packages, safety, fuel economy, dimensions and so on.
(Incidentally, it IS important to go the .ca websites. If you go to the .coms you’ll be looking at the US specs, which in some cases are different.)
One particularly useful tool on these sites? A “configurator.” This lets you build and price any vehicle you’re interested in.
In other words, you’ll get a virtual chance to pick the equipment and engine, the color, the interior design, and even the wheels.
(And if you’re thinking that a tool like this wouldn’t be any use because you don’t know what you want… Well, that’s the point. As you click through, you’ll collect all the details you need to decide what you want.)
On the Chevrolet website, look under, “Shopping Tools” and click on “Build and Price.” If it’s a Buick that appeals, you’ll see “Build & Price” right at the top of the homepage. Cadillac calls it “Build”, and for GMC look under, “Build and Price” again.
Enthusiast websites
Magazines like Car & Driver and Automobile have websites that complement their print publications. Trouble is, they mostly prioritize power and performance over everything else. Other websites take a more consumer-friendly approach. Edmunds is one; Motor1 another.
For our female readers, there are a number of websites have sprung up in recent years that cater primarily to women car buyers. (When you consider that women buy more new cars than men this seems like an obvious business opportunity.)
Rather than list all these sites here, we’ll suggest you visit “Award Winning Automotive Websites For Women By Women” on the Carjojo website. Alternatively, head straight to “A Girls Guide to Cars.”
We should also mention that for those with more niche interests, there are lots of websites catering to your needs. Whether you care about electric vehicles, pickups, off-roaders or diesels, you’re just a quick Google search away.
Video reviews
Car specs don’t always tell the whole story. And while some automotive writers are very good at describing how a car feels, it’s still hard to get a sense of how a car will suit you.
This is where video reviews come in handy.
In the best of these, (there’s a good selection at Motor1,) a presenter shows you how much space there is in both the front and back seats. He or she will point out the storage compartments and indicate what will actually fit in them. (For example, water bottles don’t always fit regular cupholders.)
Dealership websites
Finally, check our website – www.buddschev.com – and you’ll see a list of our current inventory.
So once you’ve used a “Build And Price” tool to figure out what you want, you can see if it’s in stock.
If we have it on the lot, you can get a close-up look by scrolling through the photos we post. If we don’t, ask us if can bring it in for you.
Go head—do (almost) all your research online
Thanks to the internet, car buying has changed dramatically. Buyers no longer lack information about what’s available; they can find out everything they need.
In fact, some might say the only reason to visit the dealership is to take a test drive.
At Budds’, however, we call that “the best reason.”