What do you need in a car? It’s complicated. And so is shopping for a car. Unfortunately, a lot of people start by going to a dealership and looking at cars. But that is the last thing you should do. The first thing to do is your homework: researching a car by using the manufacturer’s configurator. That is how to buy a car online, or to prep for in person shopping, to reduce the stress and pressure (mostly).
Configuring a car is actually a fun shopping exercise that I find surprisingly enjoyable. And, the tools that car makers offer on their sites are better than ever. You can find the answer to practically any question so you are fully informed if you decide to go to the dealership for a test drive.
So when you’ve done your homework and are prepared to start your car buying process, here’s how to identify what you need, find out if it’s already on a dealer’s lot, place an order and find out if there are discounts or incentives available. So take a cleansing breath, clear your mind and start to think about what you really want and need in a car.
The First Step To Buy a Car Online: Look at the Specs For What You Need
This may be my favorite area on a car maker’s site and where you should start when you want to buy a car online. Here, you can compare all the trim levels side by side to see what is included and what is not. On the Chevrolet Traverse site, you’ll see “Specs” as a standard navigation option right on the Traverse main page. Sometimes it’s not as obvious, but you can always search the year, name of the car, and “specs” to go right to that page. Here, I decided to look at these three trims of the 2024 Chevrolet Traverse.
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Scroll to Find Which Key Features Are Included, and Which Are Not
As I scroll down the page, I can see which features are included and which are not. Keep in mind that car makers use pretty specific language for features, so captains chairs may be called just that on one trim and be called bucket seats on another trim or may say a feature is not offered as a stand-alone feature because it’s part of a package. Keep a note on discrepancies so you are sure to get the features you want.
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When You Buy a Car Online, Make Sure It Has Important Safety Features
Safety features are spelled out on the specs page, too. While there are a few available add-on safety features, most should be standard. If a car offers more as options than standard features, you might want to take a look at its competitors.
Click the “i” for An Explanation of a Feature
Sometimes the language a car maker uses to describe a feature can be head-scratching. But here, you can click the little information icon next to the item to learn more. And if you still need to know more, you can always web search by the feature name. The carmaker may have an information page about it, and you may find videos on YouTube that share more details.
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Now, You’re Ready to Build Your Car
Or, more specifically, pick out the details and features you want in your car. The carmaker will either build it for you or help you find it on the lot of one of the dealers. Based on your assessment of the spec pages, click the trim you’re interested in.
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Double Check the Vehicle’s Highlights
You can click on “highlights” to confirm that the details you chose are standard on this car, Again, the “i” will supply more details. This section will show you all the standard features.
Next, Pick Your Interior
This is where it can get tricky. When I first configured this Chevy Traverse I got all the way through to this point and realized that the LS I was looking at only had cloth interior. That’s a deal killer. So I went back and upgraded to the LT model so I can opt for Evotex, Chevy’s leatherette, which I prefer. From there, click “options” to see what else can be added to this car.
Options Can Run From Many to Few And Add to The Price of the Car
Sometimes, features that are optional on some trims are offered as standard equipment on higher-level trims. That’s the case here with Super Cruise hands-free driving assistance. It’s available as an option on all models but standard on the RS model. I may just find that if I add that, plus a few other features, I might get a lot more “free” by going with the RS over the LT. Generally, though, dealer-supplied options like floor mats and cargo nets don’t fall into that category; they are almost always an added cost.
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See Your Build and Purchase Options
Once you’ve filled out all the information, it’s time to see your build and price. The left column spells out all the details; the center columns show local dealers with similar models, and the right column allows you to select a dealer and place an order.
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Can You Find Your New Car On a Dealer’s Lot?
You can click any of the suggested matches to see just how matchy they are. Here, the first one shows the LT model with all my preferences except one: a cloth interior. For me, that’s a deal killer so I would keep shopping. You can click the ‘”x” and then click “View all inventory” to see more matches, even at dealers hundreds of miles away.
If what you want is really specific and you don’t want to wait for the car to be built, use a car shopping site like TrueCar to define all your specs and find a dealer who does have it on the lot. A friend did that last year to find her Kia Sorento plug-in hybrid; local dealers didn’t have one and didn’t want to order it for her; she ordered it and had it in her driveway in a week.
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The Custom Order
Chevrolet is helpful in showing you the dealers in your region who should be able to place your order. But there’s more you need to know.
- Any dealer can order a car for you, and it can be any dealer anywhere in the country
- If a dealer tells you he can’t place the order for you, he’s not being truthful. Find a dealer who will
- Check dealer reviews on Google, Yelp, and other sources. I’m not a fan of Dealer Rater because its owners make money from helping dealers sell cars, which can be a pretty friendly and less objective relationship
- If you buy a car from one dealer, you can still have it serviced at any other dealer of the same brand. You don’t have to have it serviced by the dealer who sold you the car
- Even if you special order a car, you qualify for any incentives, such as cashback or special financing, offered on that car
- If you order a car, you may have less negotiability on the price; you’ll pay the MSRP, but you should not pay a premium on a popular car
- If you place an order, you still have negotiating power on financing and your trade-in; treat those as separate transactions
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And Yes, There May Be Incentives!
You can look at the incentives and offers page on the car maker’s site, or search the brand, model and incentives. Offers are usually specified for certain models and not all models, especially new ones, will qualify. However, some incentives like a military discount or recent college graduate discounts may apply across the board. Be sure to look to see if you qualify.
And one last word: When it comes to new, you can’t really buy a car online. You must buy through a dealer, though you may find a dealership that will complete the transaction online and deliver the car to you.
So, it’s time to start the buying process! Car shopping is fun, but car buying is exciting. Tell us about yours!
