CarsDirect

Full review
OK folks, here's the down and dirty with carsdirect.com. If you want to try to figure out how it works, then go read another opinion because I am not going to waste your time with a bunch of useless fluff.

In a word, carsdirect.com was AWESOME! That's right. In the last few months, I test drove a number of vehicles and ultimately decided on a new Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4x4 in jade green. I also decided that my best opportunity to get the best price would probably be mid-December when folks are more interested in X-mas shopping instead of buying a car. The potential downside is that the folks at wherever-I-buy-the-car-from might be more interested in shopping rather than selling the car. But alas, that was not the case with Carsdirect.

December 13-- I attempt to order my car from several "no obligation" Internet set-ups late in the evening-- Autobytel, Carsdirect, AutoNation, and AutoVantage. I don't hear back from AutoNation or AutoVantage at all. I still haven't thirteen days later. The contenders are falling by the wayside even more quickly than I thought they would.

December 15-- I have e-mail replies from Autobytel and Carsdirect. Autobytel immediately hooks me up with a gentleman at the nearby dealership. I have never met this person and I am sure that he is a great guy, but if I hadn't dialed the dealership myself, I still would have known that I was talking to a car salesman. He kept saying things like, "well, we can't do this" or "you're gonna have to get this" or "all the vehicles have these things" or "well, I have 17 [yes, 17!!!] of those coming to my lot and not a one of them is the color you want, but I could probably still get it if that's what you really want." Ok already, I get the picture. I tell him that I want a green truck and ask him to get back to me with a price on a truck that was at least close to what I wanted. He says he will call me later in the day.

Now enters Sebastion from Carsdirect. He seems to be courteous, confident, and more interested in helping the customer rather than pushing something on a prospective customer. He asks, "If you are financing, what kind of rate are you getting?" I tell him, and he replies that he can also offer financing at a rate that matched the one I was already offered if I was interested. (By the way, as a federal employee with excellent credit, I was offered an outstanding rate from a federal credit union that I did not think anyone would be able to touch. Believe me--I looked everywhere for something better short of waiting for 0% from a dealer.) I say "no thanks" and that is the end of it. He asks if I would be interested in purchasing an extended warranty. Again, I say no and he doesn't push it at all. I tell Sebastion what I am looking for and ask him to let me know what he finds in terms of available vehicles and get back to me.

December 17-- Well, I still haven't heard back from the guy that Autobytel directed me to. I thought he wanted to sell me a car. Then again, maybe it's that X-mas shopping thing kicking in. I call him and he says that he forgot to get back to me. Talk about open mouth, insert foot!!! At least he could have come up with something that would make me feel like he cared. Maybe visions of sugar plums were dancing in his head! Who knows?! Anyway, he says that he found one close match. It's an exact match on color and is pretty close in every other regard. So, I ask what the price is and he gives it to me without hesitation.

Back to Carsdirect. Sebastion tells me that he also found only one close match that was an exact match on color. In fact, it sounds like it's the exact same vehicle the other guy is talking about. What about the price, I say. Well, that vehicle with these options goes for blah blah blah (which is the exact price you would get on the Carsdirect website). AND, the quoted price is almost $200 lower than the Autobytel price. Hmmmm. What about a vehicle that matches exactly what I am looking for? Sebastion says that no such vehicle exists in the Southwest region of the U.S., but that he would be glad to try to order it directly from Toyota if I would like. I inquire about how long it would take, and he tells me that he just doesn't know. He says that he has one customer in NY who ordered a Camry with a certain option and Toyota has been kicking back the order for 12 weeks. Apparently, it really throws a wrench in Toyota's machinery if you want something different, like a Tacoma with no cruise control (which is an "option"--yeah right). Nevertheless, he and his NY customer are continuing to be tenacious, at least for the time being. However, I am not made of such strong stuff. So, I tell Sebastion that I want to do the deal. I mention as an aside that I also looked at Autobytel. He says, did you know that they do not guarantee their prices and that they are subject to change? "Ahhhh, no" I say. He says, "Our price is guaranteed for 48 hours. If you tell us that such and such is the specific vehicle you want within 48 hours of Carsdirect offering it to you, we will guarantee that the price will not change."

Fast forward to December 22- My vehicle gets to the dealership late that night. I have already spoken to the Carsdirect (Internet) contact at the other Toyota dealership here in town and have arranged to get the car on 12/26.

December 26 (today)- Everything at the dealership goes great-- no snags and very quick, as in 20 minutes quick. That's right, 20 minutes. No attempts to sell me something I didn't want. Turns out that they are a nationally recognized dealership that has won many awards for customer satisfaction. The vehicle is exactly as ordered, and is perfect! True, I would have preferred to have a Tacoma without gray privacy glass and cruise control for the cost of an arm and a leg. Nevertheless, I will very happily take what I have!

Bottom line: Carsdirect offered a price guarantee, was willing to try to make Toyota comply with my wishes, and was the lowest price I found on the Internet. Autobytel could not (would not???) match what I got from Carsdirect in terms of customer service, attitude, and price. And maybe, just maybe, I could have gotten the truck for less than I did if I went in and bickered everyone to death. But even at government pay, my time is worth more than what little I may have saved. And, of course, there is no guarantee that I would have even gotten a better price by bickering. Heck, 20 minutes in the dealership??? I spend more time eating my cereal in the morning. You just can't beat it!!!