Car Buying Strategies: top auto sites for insurance, prices, loans, information

Looking for information? This web guide takes the guess work out of selecting an online resource to obtain prices, research, and information. There are hundreds of web site available but the web sites listed here stand out of the crowd.

Selection -- What tools are offered? finance calculators, research etc. Are there a broad selection of guides and articles?. We looked for sites that allow you to fully research a vehicle.
Organization -- How is the site arranged? How accessible is the information you may require?
Features -Is it possible to get car price quotes online? Buy insurance online? Financing? The sites have to be a "one stop" source in there perspective category.
Usability -- How easy was it to find what you're looking for?

iNSWEB

iNSWEB was one of the first companies offering consumers side-by-side comparison quotes for auto insurance. They are the Internet's top insurance resource. iNSWEB continues to stand as one of the best options for consumers seeking a single site for instant comparison quotes from multiple providers across a wide range of insurance products.

Key Benefits
iNSWEB continues to provide consumers a substantial array of insurance products, research content, and needs assessment tools (such as coverage calculators). Fill out there application form and receive Free, no obligation quotes from top auto insurance companies. They offer great auto insurance buys! With a collection of articles, decision support tools, and special reports iNSWEB gets a five star rating.

Key Shortfalls
iNSWEB does not offer instant auto quotes for residents of MA, MT, KY and NJ. (You will still receive quotes but it may take a few hours to a day) Back to top

Nationwide Insurance

They have a network of thousands of participating insurance agents and companies across the United States. Once you complete their online quote form, their computer system instantly matches your profile to the top five insurance companies. Your information is immediately sent to them, they work up their best quotes, and contact you with their rates. You should receive most of your quotes within minutes!

Key Benefits
Quick quote responses and ease of use. They get different insurance companies bidding for your business.

Key Shortfalls
No research content available, limited research tools Back to top

Warranty Direct

Warranty Direct satisfies my warranty checklist above, and are 60% less than dealer prices. You get Car Rental, Towing, Road Service, Travel Expenses, Lost Key Lockout, all covered during your car's standard warranty. They have one deductible per visit, or $0 deductibles. They cover parts that break, AND Wear & Tear. Most other warranties only cover parts that break. You can get a warranty for a used car up to 60,000 miles. They pay repair shops directly so you don't have to put up cash. Their ability to pay claims is "A" rated by A.M. Best. If you don't buy your warranty from them, you're a fool if you don't get a quote BEFORE going to a dealer to compare. I only recommend a $0 deductible. They frequently run specials so Check their site often.

Key Benefits
Transferable, increasing resale value. Flexible deductibles, Great online FAQ, free instant online quote is cheaper than dealers. Coverage starts the day you buy, not the date your car was titled, like their competitors. They also cover RV's, boats, snowmobiles, and motorcycles.

Key Shortfalls
No coverage for used cars over 60,000 miles. If you buy an old used car, you can't get a service contract for it. Back to top

1SourceAutoWarranty

1SourceAutoWarranty sells a bumper to bumper Diamond Plan, even if your vehicle is out of manufacturers warranty. They also market a named component Bronze Plan that provides ‘powertrain plus’ type coverage at an extremely competitive price. They will cover your vehicle up to 138,000 miles. You get Car Rental, Towing, Tire Service, Trip Interruption, and Lost Key/Lockout, all usable during the standard warranty. They have one deductible per visit, or $0 deductible plans that cover parts that break, AND Wear & Tear. Most other warranties out there only cover parts that break. They pay repair shops directly so you don't have front any cash, and you can use any licensed repair shop. Their ability to pay claims is "A+" rated by A.M. Best.

Key Benefits
Flexible deductibles, their quoted prices are typically 60% less than dealers, they cover up to 10 model years, administer their own plans and are currently members in good standing with the BBB. The only major warranty company that offers plans for used cars with high mileage. They will put a bumper to bumper warranty on a vehicle with up to 114,000 miles on the odometer.

Key Shortfalls
They requires a vehicle inspection or a 60-day waiting period for vehicles outside of their original manufacturers warranty. Back to top

Car Prices & Costs

Offers Car price guides that include MSRP, Dealer Invoice and actual Dealer Cost!

New-Cars.com

Provides new car reviews, photo galleries, articles and buying guides.

StoneAge

This web site is growing in leaps and bounds. They have thousands of customers per year request free pricing information and they have trained there large dealer network how to compete - Offer the best prices! Stoneage.com Receives Highest Rating By PC Magazine and others reflecting there commitment to customer service. The links to all there services are easy to find making it easy to shop for cars.

Key Benefits
They offer a good selection of stats about all makes and models and they list the invoice prices of not only the vehicles but there available options as well.
Key Shortfalls
There research section is hidden You can find it in the site shortcut links on the left side of the home page. Back to top

InvoiceDealers

One of the best sources for obtaining bottom line price quotes, Invoice Dealers offers instantaneous price bids. You can plug in a certain model, and dealers in your area will quote a specific price through a `comparison shopping engine. It is like having them bid for your business by offering there best price. They are a great site if you do not want dealers calling you on the phone.

Key Benefits
They offer one of the best ways to buy a car - dealers bidding for your business. Competition gets the best price and you can get instant online quotes from several through this service.
Key Shortfalls
"Serious car shoppers only please." They are catering more towards people who already have done the research and know what they want. Back to top

Autobytel

Autoweb has an excellent selection of on-site resources and tools. If you are looking for invoice pricing, MSRP, manufacturer rebates, reviews or just about anything automotive related, Autoweb comes up strong. Other tools such as comparison tools and calculators are also present to help make your decision a little easier.

Key Benefits
Easy navigation and simple to use resources as well as tight integration between reviews and product details. Good turn around time for auto quotes.
Key Shortfalls
They lack in-depth safety information. Back to top

CarsDirect

A good site if you want to buy a car online with no hassles. They deliver a Web site that is easy to use in all phases of the buying process, from research through financing. There step by step process makes it hard to make a mistake or get lost. As well as good resources for research they offer the ability to see the bottom line on price upfront - and the ability to buy online if you like what you see.

Key Benefits
Great functionality of resources and the ability to search for a vehicle using multiple parameters to build a car to custom-specifications which shows an upfront price for both leasing and financing.
Key Shortfalls
Cars Direct falls short in the category of Relationship Services, offering less advice to consumers than competitors` sites, including the lack of decision support tools such as professional consumer reviews. They are looking for serious buyers not tire kickers. Back to top

Key Benefits
Excellent interest rates and an easy to use application process. Good terms and conditions for car loans.
Key Shortfalls
You have to purchase a car at a dealer to qualify. Back to top

PeopleFirst
PeopleFirst.com is the nation's largest online originator and servicer of Blank CheckSM vehicle loans. They focus on convenience, fast approval, a hassle-free loan experience, and above all, exceptional customer service. Approval decisions are made within 15 minutes, even though thousands of applications are processed daily. They are highly recommended!

Key Benefits
Offers a blank check process that can be used to purchase a car both privately and at a dealer. Offers good interest rates and quick turnaround time.
Key Shortfalls
They don't finance vehicles under $5000. Back to top

Home Equity Loan Information - Thinking of using a home equity loan for buying your next vehicle? This site explains everything you need to know about using equity loans.
Online Credit Info - This service will provide you with a free credit report if you sign up for a free trial of their credit monitoring service. It is a thirty-day trial that you can cancel with no strings attached if you are not happy with the service. Hiring a credit watchdog is not a bad idea. In many cases people get wrong information placed on their credit bureau that hurts their chances of getting a loan. Once this information is on your bureau it can be a challenge to remove it. Imagine waiting a month or two to pick up your new car because your bureau is wrong.
TrueCredit - TrueCredit offers many types of credit reports for a small fee. You can get your credit report online instantly for less than $8.00 or better yet they will offer a credit report from all three major credit bureaus; Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union. Information collected by the bureaus is not always alike and many lending institutions check all three to get a more accurate credit profile. This is the best credit report you can get. This report is sent by normal mail.
Qspace - This service will get you a credit report online in less than a minute. One of the nice features they have is that you can also get your credit score. A credit score is simply a numerical representation of your credit worthiness. The majority of lenders use some sort of credit scoring model to help predict what kind of credit risk you may be. If you want to get an idea of your total credit picture, having your credit score as well as your credit report can help you. By having both before you shop for loans or credit, you can see how lenders may view your credit. Your Personal Credit Score also includes personalized tips and analysis that can help improve your credit score.

Used Car Resources for selling Your Car Online
Note: The descriptions below provide an overview of the benefits of listing your car for sale. These web sites are also good for locating top quality used cars to buy as well.

Stoneage
A good place to place an ad is at Stoneage.com. They can provide you with maximum exposure online!
How there program works:

Increase the value of your car by including all the pertinent features
Your listing is automatically uploaded and included in the following sites:
Yahoo! Classifieds, Ameritech YellowPages.net, CarTrackers, ClassFind Network, UsedCars.com, Stoneage.com.

AutoWeb guarantees that you will receive leads from interested parties. If you do not receive any leads during the 30-day period, you can contact us up to 7 days after your ad's expiration date for a refund or an extension for an additional 30 days.

Car Buying Strategies uses reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of information posted on this web site, we make no guarantees or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the data in this report. All information, prices, specifications, and equipment are subject to change without notice.

The Internet's Top Automotive Web Sites.