Consumer considerations for buying cars online

But more than 37% of car buyers who participated in the poll said that they did not even know the length of the warranty on the car for which they had requested an Internet price quote.

Over the last decade vehicle manufacturers have increased vehicle warranties in a bid to lure buyers away from the competition and more than 62% of our sample said they were aware of the length of the manufacturer's warranty on the vehicle they had requested a price quote on, though fewer, 54%, said it factored in their choice of car.

Warranties are frequently complex with different components of the vehicle often having varying lengths of coverage. The BuyingAdvice.com consumer advice site's experts suggest taking the time to study the terms and conditions of any warranty very closely when comparing options.

The new survey was taken among a sample of 1,900 users of the automotive consumer advice and price quote web site who agreed to participate. Each participant had requested an online price quote and stated they were within 30 days of buying a new car. The survey was conducted during July 2007.

When asked about optional warranties, usually sold through dealers at the time of purchase, only 26% of the buyer's questioned said that they would buy an extended warranty, which usually extends the length of the “bumper to bumper” coverage, and only 18% would consider a maintenance contract, which pays for all routine maintenance at the time of purchase.

The survey was one of a series being conducted by BuyingAdvice.com which processes 50,000 online price quote requests each month. The surveys together provide a remarkable snapshot of the current online car buying market and the factors which influence buyer's decisions.

BuyingAdvice.com is a consumer advice and Internet price quote site that features tips and advice for car buyers, new car reviews and the latest news and information from the automotive world.

Source: eMediaWire.com