by Scott Blackburn

Created on: November 05, 2008   Last Updated: November 13, 2008

The days of being hassled at a local car lot by a guy with a heavy sales pitch are becoming more obsolete with the convenience of online car shopping. Now you can completely avoid that standoff with the guy in a cheap pair of slacks telling you why his car is the perfect car for you, at the perfect price. The truth is, buying a car on-line is not only less bothersome, but it can save you lots of money! Here are some tips to make your on-line car shopping convenient and affordable.

First and foremost, what is the nature of your car search? Do you want a new or used car? Will this be a primary vehicle or a weekend play toy? Whatever your needs, there are websites that will cater to your desire for a new set of wheels! Here is a look at some popular websites and what they offer.

Carsdirect.com: What I like about this site is the low price guarantee! This website has everything you could want in a car dealer, without the nuisances of an actual car dealership. New cars, used cars, trade-ins, financing options, and anything else you need. Many dealers affiliated with Carsdirect will deliver your purchase right to your door! This site is the best of the best.

Autotrader.com: This website is like having an unlimited subscription of Auto Trader for free, with tons more information. Enter what you are looking for in a certain proximity of your zip code down to the make, miles, color, price, etc. Chances are, you'll find it on here. I personally bought a used car I found on autotrader.com less than a month ago. It looked great online, the price was fair, and I typed in the VIN number and loved what I saw in it's vehicle history. I went and bought the car the next day! Definitely tap this resource, especially if you are in the market for a used car.

Ebay Motors: You can find anything on ebay, seriously. It is, by far, the largest online automotive super-mall. If you want it, they've got it. Cars, motorcycles, car parts, rare after-market parts, anything you could want! If you trust ebay.com, give their vehicle department a look!

These are just a few of many online car marketplaces. I urge you to be cautious and make sure you are getting a good deal. Use resources like the Kelly Blue Book and Edmunds.com to determine what a vehicles value is. After you find an ideal price, I believe you will get the deal you are looking for on one of these websites. But study each car of interest thoroughly. Find the car's VIN number and find out the car history. Has it been wrecked? Is it a single or multiple owner car? Are the miles city or highway? Do your research, you'll be glad you did!

Now it's time to get that great deal online. The beauty of internet car buying is that the online salesmen typically get a commission on the volume of cars they sale, not on the price. It makes perfect sense, they sell lots of cars and make lots of money. Fortunately this new salesman mentality is great for consumers. So spend some time and look around for that perfect car. Don't let the local salesman stick it to you! Go online and find the deal you deserve!

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