What to expect when buying a car solely online during the coronavirus pandemic

What to expect when buying a car solely online during the coronavirus pandemic


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If you're shopping for a used car, some of Carvana's 161 market areas have the big 32-car vending machines you may have see in ads. Carvana's price is the price — no


negotiating. Carvana has home delivery and pays careful attention to hygiene in order to kill the coronavirus, spokeswoman Amy O'Hara says. "We wipe down the keys, the paperwork,


everything you touch. You can take it for a spin, and we'll even stay on the phone with you. When you're done, leave the paperwork on the seat or in the mailbox — whatever feels


safe for you,” she says. • SHOP FOR A LOAN. Many car companies are offering zero percent loans through their dealerships. But maybe the vehicle you want isn't in the zero-percent


program or you don't have a good enough credit rating. Or maybe you dislike other conditions of the loan in the fine print. Bankrate.com can give you an idea of other auto loan rates.


Dealers often offer to arrange a loan for you, and they usually make a profit on such loans, meaning they're not the best available rates. _Consumer Reports_ magazine suggests also


checking online: “Clearlane [operated by Ally Bank], E-Loan and LendingTree farm out requests to numerous lenders and usually provide you with several competing offers.” • CONTACT DEALERS.


Some car-shopping sites have a form to get dealers to contact you. Or you can use the telephone. (Imagine that!) Be sure to tell them that you don't want personal interaction. 1. YOU


WANT TO FILL OUT ALL THE PAPERWORK ONLINE or to have it dropped off in a safe spot, and you'll return it there for dealer pickup. 2. YOU WON'T BE COMING to the dealership or


meeting in person with anyone. 3. YOU WANT THE CAR DELIVERED. And you want a chance to look it over to be sure it has no damage, has only a few miles on the odometer and has been thoroughly


cleaned before you touch it. Tell the dealer you also will want to test-drive the car before giving a final OK to the deal in writing. If you're especially tall or short, you'll


want to make sure the car fits you. If your back is cranky, you'll need to check the seat adjustments to be sure the fit is comfortable. Expect the dealer to promote an extended


warranty or, for a big fee, a maintenance contract that covers the price of the recurring service appointments at the manufacturer's specified intervals. Those sorts of extras are where


the dealerships’ main profit is, because selling new cars is very competitive on price. Your earlier research probably suggested whether you wanted such things or not. • FEEL SMUG — or at


least accomplished. You now are a veteran of what very well could become the new normal of car buying. TrueCar's Alain Nina-Sinkam says traditional showroom shopping will last beyond


the coronavirus epidemic — but that touchless, at-home transactions will grow in appeal. "Things we had to do in the heat of the moment, we found were good ideas and made sense,” he


says.