Like, As If!
Written: Feb 01 '03 (Updated Feb 26 '04)
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I have always enjoyed surfing the internet for car specifications, car prices, car accessories, etc. etc. Although when I look to 'buy' a car via the internet, I specifically look to buy from a private seller. Why? I simply feel more comfortable buying a used car from an owner versus a dealer. CarsDirect does feature cars sold from both private sellers and dealers, however finding that special car sold from a private owner can be as hard as finding a needle in a haystack.
About The Site:
CarsDirect is a site mainly dedicated to helping the consumer/dealer buy or sell their vehicles ( the majority of sellers are dealers). The site is not just about buying and selling however, if if you want fairly accurate info about a car you are interested in or own, CarsDirect offers a good amount of input on most makes and models, along with some excellent reviews. Most reviews at this site are borrowed from other websites/magazines (sorry no Epinions.com car reviews). Navigation through the site is relatively easy; CarsDirect offers a decent set-up, though some pages seem overly cluttered with ads and sub categories. If you want to get some visuals of certain automobiles, CarsDirect does offer some decent 360 degree views, although they pale in comparison to what Cars.com and many other auto websites have to offer. For example, if you want to look at a new Nissan Altima, CarsDirect still has the 360 degree view of the old 2001 model in their database versus having the reintroduced model. The info provided is also not organized as well as it could be, CarsDirect could definitely do with some refinement in this department.
Becoming a member:
Starting your membership is both fast and easy. Becoming a member with CarsDirect takes about 2 minutes and is free; you must enter your E-mail address, full name, etc. If you just want to browse the site it is not necessary to become a member, however if you want to sell your vehicle you must be a registered member. With a membership you also have the option of free news letters.
Buying:
This is probably this site's worst attribute if you seek buying your automobile from a private owner. Due to the limited amount of private owner posting, I have never been able to find a good deal on any car that I have been interested in. Usually 95%, if not all of the listings are cars being sold by dealers. New car searchers, or used car buyers who don't mind buying from dealers should have no problem here. CarsDirect offers tons of dealer quotes, along with pictures of the actual car being sold (also featured in the used vehicle category), along with options, location, etc. etc. Financing is also available through the site if you so desire, along with extended warranties. If buying from a private owner or dealer there are no catches, you simply call or E-mail the seller directly, or they will call you.
Selling:
Since this site receives tons of hits per day, CarsDirect is an excellent place to sell your vehicle. I have tried selling a few of my older cars using other web services with no luck. My '98 Pontiac Sunfire sold in less than one week after being listed at CarsDirect for almost $1,000 more than I was asking locally. To advertise your car you must have a credit card (no debit cards or auto withdrawals from your bank accounts). CarsDirect charges 25 dollars to advertise your vehicle for as long as you like. During this time period you can make as many changes as you want to your posting at anytime, i.e. the price of your car. Once you fill out the info about your car, submit your credit card info, etc. your car is added to the database within 10 minutes, (according to CarsDirect) my car was listed almost instantly. CarsDirect does have a somewhat stingy refund policy, though it's better than nothing; if a review is not posted within 3 days you get your money back.
Final Thoughts:
I'm giving this site 3 generous stars. CarsDirect did help me sell my car for more than I was initially asking, otherwise there would be some major down-rating here. Other than helping me sell my car, CarsDirect has not been much help to me. CarsDirect is definitely a site I would not visit on a regular basis. I recently have been shopping for car and have found CarsDirect to be of no help whatsoever. As I mentioned in the beginning of my review, CarsDirect also offers a good deal of reviews and pics, though other sites seem to offer more refined (updated) info, more reviews, and much easier navigation. My final recommendations for this site go out to the person wanting to buy a new or used car but doesn't mind the dealer to private seller ratio. As for selling, this site is recommended 100% to anyone. When I sell my next car I will most likely use this site again. As a whole however, I do not recommend this site, it lacks many features that are available at other web services.
If you liked this review, you also might like Click here for my review on the much more refined site; AutoTrader.com
- Thanks for reading
Recommended:
No
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? A Car
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