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Is TrueCar.com the “True Price”?
Not all car buying websites are created equal.
In this review, we’ll take a close look at the new car pricing process of TrueCar – one of the Net’s biggest players now. Reading this review will help you know what to expect when using the site.
You’ll find that TrueCar makes you a more informed car shopper – thereby lessening your chances of being “taken for a ride” - in the bad way - by dealerships and other sellers.
Some of the benefits of using TrueCar:
- Their dealers will offer you guaranteed savings.
- They will show you what others paid - and offer you a better deal.
- Buyers save an average of $3,046 off MSRP.
- They are free to use and you are under no obligation to buy
On top of providing you with all the up-to-date rebates and incentives – they will show you the hidden dealer profits ripe for the taking. You will also get the following:
- They provide you with an upfront “guaranteed” low price - no haggle – certificate. Many shoppers report "Below Dealer Invoice Prices". They will lock in your guaranteed savings.
- They provide you with the average – and the lowest price paid for any vehicle in your area. You will know upfront how much others paid - and how much better you can do!
Example True Car Price Report for a 2015 Honda Accord:
Invoice Price - $31,876 vs TrueCar Dealer Price - $30,994!
There are many examples of such prices on TrueCar in most cities in the USA - for 2014 and 2015 models as well.
Overview of the TrueCar Site
First impressions matter, and TrueCar makes an excellent one. The site is neatly organized, intuitive to navigate and very user-friendly. Bright, bold colors are used against a backdrop of white; there are no flashy graphics or animated pictures to contend with here. One of the best features of TrueCar, which can be found throughout the site, is the ability to hover over various components for more details. Confused about what that heading refers to? Simply hover over it to read a detailed description and explanation about what it’s there for.
The Mechanics of the Site
Aesthetics aside, TrueCar.com presents a very usable - and user-friendly - car pricing process. Below, we walk you through the finer points of using the TrueCar system.
Generating A Report
First things first: You will need to plug in your zip code, as well as the make of the car that you're interested in, before a report can be generated. Upon doing that, you will be walked through a series of other details which will be used to fine-tune your car pricing experience.
For instance, once you select the model of the car you're interested in, TrueCar breaks it down into categories like convertible, hybrid, coupe, sedan, SUV, truck, van and others.
Then, choose the options that you can't live without: these generally include things like engine and transmission type, seat trim, paint and additional equipment. Alongside each, the invoice price and the sticker price is listed so that you have an idea about how it will impact the end result. Clicking "Done With Options" will bring you to your customized report.
The TrueCar Price Report
The results of the information that you selected in the previous step appear instantaneously. They are presented in a very aesthetically pleasing format, which consists of a series of tabs with the pertinent information listed in the main section. Those tabs include…
Curve - The "curve" refers to an easy-to-digest graph that displays the "good price," "great price" and "overpriced" categories of the vehicle in question. Please note that the information defaults to your local area; by clicking the appropriate buttons, you can toggle it to reflect regional and national information as well.
Bar Chart - The "bar chart" presents information about the TrueCost, TrueAverage factory invoice and sticker price in a clear way, allowing you to easily comprehend the differences between each.
Details - Breaks down the details of each category using a bar graph.
History - Shows the pricing history of the vehicle, using the last 1,000 or so sales.
Table - Explains fees, options and other pricing details.
TrueCost - Breaks down the fees, options and other pricing details in another way.
To get your TrueCar report, just Click Here and you’ll go directly to their site…
Reference: TrueCar.com