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Online Services Experiences (Carsdirect.com, Carwoo.com, etc.)
baseballmom94
Member Posts: 92
in General
Has anyone used the CarsDirect website to purchase a vehicle? The prices seem to be very reasonable and supposedly you don't have to haggle with the dealer. I am planning to purchase or lease a vehicle in February and am interested in using this service. Please post about your experiences.
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this company? I have just spoken to a customer
service rep who claims their company works as
follows: They will GUARANTEE invoice pricing on
ANY and ALL cars sold in the USA. They work with
dealers in a given customer's area to secure their
customer's desired car. If they are not able to
buy the car at invoice or better from the dealer,
they will subsidize the difference to live up to
their guarantee to the customer of invoice pricing.
If necessary, they will work with dealers
nation-wide to secure pricing and have the car
drop-shipped, at NO CHARGE to the customer, to the
closest dealership to the. The customer pays
invoice + applicable state tax + licensing fees.
They claim NO FEES are paid by the customer to
CarsDirect. They also claim that, unlike Autobytel
and some others, they don't charge the dealer a
fee to become part of their network, so there is no
risk involved on the dealers' part. I asked them
how they make money and he claimed they had no
intentions of turning a profit in their first few
years of existence (they have been around for about
6 months), but that they were trying to "build a
brand" ala Yahoo, Excite, Amazon, etc... They are
planning on going public 1st Quarter of next year.
Call me a skeptic, but I just find this all to be
too good to be true. I want to know where the
"catch" is. So, my question is: Does anyone have
any first-hand knowledge on how CarsDirect works
and if they can be trusted? I am in the market for
an Acura 3.2TL which is selling at MSRP all over
the country. If they can come through on their
guarantee to deliver invoice pricing, I will save
about $3,000 and they will have a customer
TOMORROW!
Anything anyone might have to share would be
greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I posted this in the Acura 3.2TL thread, where I first saw your post. For the benefit of others who might not read that thread, I thought I'd repost it here.
--------------------------------------------------
OK folks, I was gonna wait til this was a done
deal for me, but, seeing it's started, I'll jump
in. :-)
I have had a deposit on a TL for about 2 weeks
(full MSRP, ugh). I have spent the last several
days on the phone w/ a rep from CarsDirect, as well
as my local dealer - first trying to find the
"angle" for CarsDirect, then convincing my dealer
that it was worth going forward. ("Even if it's a
scam, I'll still buy the car at MSRP")
Here is where I stand:
Today, my dealer faxed my purchase and sales
agreement to CarsDirect, w/ a VIN on it (due on
4/16). That is supposed to be enough for
CarsDirect to OVERNIGHT a check for $2,758 to my
dealer (the difference between MSRP and invoice, in
my case). My dealer is still quite skeptical, (as
am I!) and wants to have his legal counsel review
whatever documentation they receive w/ this check.
Assuming this is for real, I will then purchase
the car next week for invoice price. Pretty sweet!
:-)
As for more about CarsDirect, I dug up that they
are backed by idealab! (www.idealab.com), the same
company behind eToys.com, CitySearch.com, goto.com
and shopping.com, and many others. Evidently,
these folks are no newbies to eCommerce, and are
willing to spend a lot up front to gain enough of a
following that, when they go public, they make the
big bucks.
Sounds like yet another startup looking to make it
big off the stock market frenzy for anything
Internet. Nonetheless, if I can help them achieve
this goal, and benefit in the process, sounds good
to me.
I will update this forum as soon as "the check
arrives".
Regards,
Sandman
probably more appropriate to be posted here. So,
here it is:
Does anyone have any experience in dealing with
this company? I have just spoken to a customer
service rep who claims their company works as
follows: They will GUARANTEE invoice pricing on
ANY and ALL cars sold in the USA. They work with
dealers in a given customer's area to secure their
customer's desired car. If they are not able to
buy the car at invoice or better from the dealer,
they will subsidize the difference to live up to
their guarantee to the customer of invoice pricing.
If necessary, they will work with dealers
nation-wide to secure pricing and have the car
drop-shipped, at NO CHARGE to the customer, to the
closest dealership. The customer pays invoice +
applicable state tax + licensing fees. They claim
NO FEES are paid by the customer to CarsDirect.
They also claim that, unlike Autobytel
and some others, they don't charge the dealer a
fee to become part of their network, so there is
no risk involved on the dealers' part. I asked
them how they make money and he claimed they had no
intentions of turning a profit in their first few
years of existence (they have been around for
about 6 months), but that they were trying to
"build a brand" ala Yahoo, Excite, Amazon, etc...
They are planning on going public 1st Quarter of
next year.
Call me a skeptic, but I just find this all to be
too good to be true. I want to know where the
"catch" is. So, my question is: Does anyone have
any first-hand knowledge on how CarsDirect works
and if they can be trusted? I am in the market
for an Acura 3.2TL which is selling at MSRP all
over the country. If they can come through on
their guarantee to deliver invoice pricing, I will
save about $3,000 and they will have a customer
TOMORROW!
Anything anyone might have to share would be
greatly appreciated. Thanks!
One more big issue I discussed with one of the references, who happened to be the owner of his dealership, was my risk as the customer. All CarsDirect is asking me to do is put down a $500 REFUNDABLE deposit with the DEALERSHIP and sign the necessary DEALERSHIP paperwork to authorize them to order the car. I asked what he (the dealership owner) would do in a situation where CarsDirect failed to send the check they promised. He said ANY reputable dealership would, indeed, refund my deposit and I would lose NOTHING.
Bottom line is, I am going to take a leap of faith and see what happens. I have narrowed my choices down to 2 cars:
1) Buying an Acura TL without Nav for a purchase price of out the door price of $26,227, which includes floor mats, mud guards and wheel locks.
or
2) They have quoted me a 36 month/15,000 mile lease payment of $456, paying tax, tag and processing fees up front, on a 328i Sedan with the premium package, Harmon Kardon stereo, and automatic tansmission. Cap Cost is $34,880, residual is 67%, money factor is .0032.
If this is for real, I don't know why ANYONE wouldn't buy their car through CarsDirect. The only exception I can think of would be a situation where you could buy a car below invoice from the dealer. Otherwise, CarsDirect would be the ticket. The customer wins. The dealership wins. CarsDirect is the only one who loses. Or so it seems. Stay tuned.
Here's what transpired today:
Carsdirect did NOT send the check yesterday.
Evidently, they just moved into new office space
last weekend, and things are moving a little
slowly. However, they DID send the check today.
They even faxed me a copy of the check, and also
gave me a FedEx tracking number. The check should
arrive at my dealer tomorrow. The only remaining
question is if the check bounces? I can't imagine
that the dealer will actually close the deal w/ me
until that check clears. Being in Rhode Island,
and the check being drawn on a Wells Fargo bank in
California, I suppose it's going to be another 10
days or so til we have the answer. :-(
However, I had asked my Carsdirect rep to send
references to my dealer, and I'm not sure if that
has happened yet.
So I guess I'll be waiting it out over the next 10
days. I will post again when the check arrives
tomorrow.
Also, I would like to point out that Carsdirect
does not plan on covering the difference between
MSRP and invoice FOREVER. This is a very temporary
"special". They won't commit to a termination
date - my guess is it's not based on a date, but on
the funds available? Anyway, if you're thinking
of doing this, I'd get the ball rolling quickly.
To date, I have not signed anything other than my
original P&S agreement w/ my dealer. So it really
does seem "risk-free" to me. HURRY! :-)
More to come tomorrow,
Sandman
Bonnie Rick
Town Hall Community Manager, edmunds.com
The dealer did say though that, "if this check bounces, I'm coming after YOU, not carsdirect." I don't know what recourse he has against ME, unless he plans on having me sign something specific about this? (Note: when I originally "sold" the dealer on talking w/ carsdirect, I promised him that he had nothing to lose - if it was a scam, I'd still take delivery at full MSRP.)
Anyway, I really do hope to update you folks this weekend as the first person out here (to my knowledge?) to actually take advantage of this great offer! :-)
Regards,
Sandman
The dealer did say though that, "if this check bounces, I'm coming after YOU, not carsdirect." I don't know what recourse he has against ME, unless he plans on having me sign something specific about this? (Note: when I originally "sold" the dealer on talking w/ carsdirect, I promised him that he had nothing to lose - if it was a scam, I'd still take delivery at full MSRP.)
Anyway, I really do hope to update you folks this weekend as the first person out here (to my knowledge?) to actually take advantage of this great offer! :-)
Regards,
Sandman
are concerned. How can YOU be responsible for
whether or not a CarsDirect check bounces??? If I remember correctly, wasn't the dealer going to have his legal council do a background check on
CarsDirect? Don't let him intimidate you. Should you choose not to take delivery, he can sell the
car to someone else tomorrow! He chose to take a
risk just like you. It shouldn't be an issue,
anyway. If the check is in hand, it will cash.
Good luck and keep us posted!
Either he plans to have ME sign something agreeing to cover the diff if it bounces, or he already knows that it didn't bounce, or he's a FOOL? I know I sure would've done a trace on that check to make SURE it cleared before letting the car go out the door $3k under market value! :-)
one week later no response, so i call the (toll free) number.im told i will be called back soon after leaving my info.A few minutes later the rep calls and "just so happen to e-mail me right before i called". gives me the numbers on the car i requested, that happen to be invoice exact according to edmunds pricing. says if im interested they will start a data base to look for my car, and will be contacted.
i was told that this is a free special and dont expect it to last for more than another THREE days.
so, two days later still no response on my vehicle, we shall see, but im sceptical....
Good luck.
They didn't ask me about posing nude next to my Acura 3.2TL or anything, but for the $3k savings, I might think about it if they need me to! :0
Regards,
Sandman
As for posing nude, I don't know that I would get carried away. Hmm.. If they threw in another couple of K, I would probably do it! (Make it an even $10,000 discount).
The dealership received the check from CarsDirect this past Saturday and plan to deposit the check tomorrow (Monday). As long as the check doesn't bounce, which I can't imagine it would, I am home free and the TL is mine with a savings of over $3000! Stay tuned.
BTW, Frank - they did ask me to give them a testimonial, which I said I would be glad to do once the check had arrived at the dealership and had been successfully cashed.
If so what's the rate you got?
Keep us posted. . .
No, you finance the car through your local dealership, bank, credit union, or anywhere else you want. Think of it as buying a car just as always from your local dealership, but with CarsDirect making your down-payment. You can also lease, if you so desire.
It sounds like this service is throwing some people a bone (which is great for them), and then using their understandably enthusiastic quotes in future ads for just another buying/referral service similar to all the others. Future buyers will hope for, but not get, the same great deals.
Is this close to the mark?
I've placed my order through CarOrder.com and checked it out with the dealer they are working with. The internet sales person whom CarOrder works with gave nothing but rave reviews about the service. He said that he has delivered 7 cars in the past month for them. In the case of the TL, where it is being sold at MSRP, he said CarOrder sends the dealer a check for the invoice difference and thier check was good. I asked how CarOrder makes money. The dealers says CarOrder makes it up in volume and MSRP cars are far and few between. As a matter of fact, dealers pay CarOrder for thier services. I am waiting for my TL delivery. Yet to receive a delivery date, but I feel better since I checked CarOrder and the dealer out.
You pay them NOTHING!
I don't mean it is a scam to you. I mean that they are going to use your good name to try to bait-and-switch other people with your testimonial. They're going to put your picture there saying 'I got a Porsche Boxster for invoice', but when a new customer calls up and tries to get one at invoice, I don't think he is going to get it.
I don't blame you for trying it, but it seems more like you a winning a prize than getting a deal.
I've been looking to buy a new BMW 323i through CarOrder.com but wanted to make sure this service was for real first. Would love to hear more about your experiences with them before I jump in. Either way, I'm hoping to save money and avoid negotiating with the dealers here in the San Francisco Bay Area -- it's hard to strike a deal when folks are walking in and paying MSRP!
Thanks,
Rebekah
Here's my story so far:
I placed an order for an Acura 3.2TL on 3/26 for MSRP($28,405). I gave the dealer a $500 check which is refundable for any reason if I decide not to take delivery on the car. Last Thursday, April 15, I discovered here in the Town Hall the posts regarding CarsDirect.com. I went to their website and was somewhat skeptical, but decided it was certainly worth a 1-800 call to check it out. I spoke with a representative and explained that I already had a car on order and wondered if I could still use their service. She informed me that it would depend on the dealer's willingness to work with CarsDirect, but that someone would call me back to follow up. I gave her my name and phone number and that was all.
On Saturday, 4/16, Rick from CarsDirect.com called me to explain their service and said that I could participate in their "promotion" that guaranteed invoice price. He took the name of my dealer and told me that he just had to get the dealer to agree to accept the check from them for the difference between invoice price and MSRP.
On Monday, 4/19, Rick called to tell me that he had spoken to the dealer and had given the dealer some other Acura dealers to contact as references. He said that everything was going fine and I did not need to contact the dealer.
On Tuesday, Rick called to inform me of the "good news" that CarsDirect would be sending a check to the dealer for $2,758.75. My dealer called me about 15 minutes later to tell me that he had checked these guys out thoroughly and they were legitimate. He said there was no reason to believe that they would not do what they said they would do. He also "thanked" me for putting him in touch with CarsDirect and he said that he was looking forward to establishing a great relationship with them. "This is a win-win for everybody", were his exact words.
So as of now I am awaiting delivery of my car. The dealer tells me that it should arrive in three more weeks. Rick at CarsDirect is going to overnight the check to the dealer and fax me a copy of the check. I think that this is going to occur today, but I'll let you know.
Anyway, once they send the check and I drive away in my new Acura at "Invoice" price, then I'll remove the "potentially" label and call myself a "truly" satisfied customer.
BTW, the only thing Rick asked for from me was an E-mail to him regarding my satisfaction with his service. I was happy to comply.
Great news! I am glad to hear things worked out for you. Sounds like we will be receiving our cars around the same time. I will post my impressions and look forward to yours. Isn't the internet great?
also has anyone noticed that they leave off pricing for some options, every thing was in line for the 323 i requested, except charge for metallic paint, and we know BMW charges for metallic paint.
comments.....
I just got off the phone with my dealer. He received the check from CarsDirect.com yesterday and deposited it in the bank. My "account" has been credited for $2,758 which will be applied toward the purchase of my car. Now all I am doing is waiting for my car to arrive in about three more weeks.
This is unbelievable, but it is true!!! I am now a "truly" satisfied CarsDirect.com customer.
Universal1 -
Yes, the internet is great. My sincere thanks go out to you, FrankRizzo, Sandman, and others who took the time share your thoughts on CarsDirect.com with people like me who new nothing about them. That is what makes the internet such a powerful tool.
Thanks again and I hope you enjoy your car!!!
Thanx.
or, they are letting me know on ordering a car.
question,? should i take the in stock car ,and get the rebate, or take a chance on ordering a car?
i would hate to order, and then 10 weeks later, be told oh, sorry it does not apply now.
also, y2k options and pricing are sure to change fo the 323i.
any suggestions?? frank ??
'Don
Ultimately it's up to you, but I hope that I have given you some things to think about. Also, you can head over to www.bimmer.org, as someone has gotten the info on the Y2K models, and posted it. You can see what the new options are, and what the new prices are.
Good Luck!
I was very satisfied with their service. My service rep was Rick. Ask for him when you give them a call and tell him I sent you. He was the most helpful and thorough service rep that I have ever dealt with from any company. His extension is 169.
My car is IN!!! I can pick it up Monday afternoon. My $2800 check from www.carsdirect.com has been at my dealer for about 2 weeks now, so I guess it's not rubber. :-)
I'll update everyone on Monday, when I bring "the baby" home! :-)
Regards,
Sandman
My car is IN!!! I can pick it up Monday afternoon. My $2800 check from www.carsdirect.com has been at my dealer for about 2 weeks now, so I guess it's not rubber. :-)
I'll update everyone on Monday, when I bring "the baby" home! :-)
Looks like I'll actually be able to say "I got my TL for invoice!" :P
(I don't mean to rub it in, just happy)
Sorry to those who didn't get in on time. Though if they can get TL's for $1200 off MSRP, that's still a savings worth contacting them about - seeing most of us had agreed (or bought!) at full MSRP.
Good luck to all!
Regards,
Sandman
however, there is no y2k pricing available yet.
i know it will come with "15 alloys now, but would not want to pay another 1500.00 for this if i can get the "16 in the sport package.
btw, enjoy that Boxster, if i allready had a 3, it would be my choice also.
regards, Don
Well, today was the day - I drove off in my Satin Silver 3.2TL at dealer invoice cost (thanks to carsdirect). With moonroof deflector, mudguards, and floor mats, my cost was $25,646 - I'm still in shock. :-)
So, to all who were interested in knowing whether this deal was for real, it was. They contributed $2,857 towards my down payment.
I realize they are no longer running this special, but I hope at least that my postings, as well as universal's, frankrizzo's, and others helped shed enough positive outlook on this deal for some of you to take the plunge. It truly is a remarkable deal.
Best of luck,
Sandman
Well, today was the day - I drove off in my Satin Silver Acura 3.2TL at dealer invoice cost (thanks to carsdirect). With moonroof deflector, mudguards, and floor mats, my cost was $25,646 - I'm still in shock. :-)
So, to all who were interested in knowing whether
this deal was for real, it was. They contributed
$2,857 towards my down payment.
I realize they are no longer running this special,
but I hope at least that my postings, as well as
universal's, frankrizzo's, and others helped shed
enough positive outlook on this deal for some of
you to take the plunge. It truly is a remarkable
deal.
Best of luck,
Sandman
good luck.
Thanks for your input. It would be very helpful.
Now, as for finding deals on Boxsters, it IS possible! I found $3766 off in PA, $3000 off in Phoenix, $2500 off in Fort Wayne, and some city in Missouri that I can't remember, $1500 in a BUNCH of places, and even a few places offering the token $1000 off. You just have to shop. What I have seen is that the larger cities have enough idiots willing to pay whatever the price, so the dealers sell all they can get, and have presold everything for 4-6 months ahead of time. This was the case in Dallas. I visited 2 dealerships, neither had a new Boxster on the lot, both wanted MSRP for all ordered units, and they had a 4-6 month wait. (They also knew VERY little about the cars. I was amazed! They both told me that there would be NO price increase for the Y2K models, and the guy at Park Place even tried to tell me that Porsche hadn't really decided to make the Boxster S yet.)
So, shop around! I'm in Tennessee and found my deal in Pennsylvania, and as I said above, I was dealing with a dealer in Phoenix, so you have to be flexible to get a really good deal, but I think that there are OK deals to be had locally. (If you aren't in a big town that is).