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| HOME | CANADA | NEW ONLINE BUYING SITES |

Canada New Online Buying Sites

Can you really buy your next car online? See below. Our strategy? Use three or four websites to get the best combination of price and service.

Cars4U.com - Buy or lease your new car online ONTARIO ONLY
http://www.cars4u.com/

This site is for consumers in Ontario only.

This is a quote request site that allows you to see upfront pricing (and get the purchase process started) on certain vehicle brands only. To access the full features of the site you need to complete the simple, free and secure registration.

Pros:
Certain brands (see the new cars page) will give you upfront pricing, but only on the base model with no options or features. If you want the base model you can proceed with the purchase by leaving a deposit using your credit card. Personal information collection on the site is always on secure pages. Quotes are provided at no charge.

Cons:
Upfront pricing is not available on all vehicles. If you want a 'custom quote' you have to type in your information, such as colours and features (the site does not have a configurator). Restricted to Ontario only. No turnaround guarantee given if you request a quote.

How to:

• Configure a car
  There is no configurator on the Cars4U.com site.
  
  
• Get a quote
  Once you have chosen your make and model (click on the "Get a quote" link directly above - and then click on the carFINDER in the top left hand corner after registering) you'll see your Cars4U price on the base model (after you log in). You can select the Custom Quote button and specify options and colour choices in an email but you'll have to wait and see how much these extras cost - there is no way to configure a vehicle and see the prices of options you might want.
  
  

Get Canada's lowest new car prices with Best Price Express - BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario only
http://www.bestpriceexpress.ca/

This site is a relatively new addition to the online car buying scene in Canada. It has fairly restricted geographical coverage with only 5 provinces and 9 cities within those provinces having their service available. However, that said, it wins points with me because it is "westerncentric" rather than biased towards the east as so many other sites in this category are.

I like the functionality of this site and it avoids many of my pet peeves. Although its service is not cheap ($195) there is a reassuring level of modernity and reactiveness that I don't find on other sites.

Pros:
When you send in a basic quote request (just make and model) your information is collected on a secure form (to access this don't use the quick request box on the left but instead click on the GET STARTED heading in the top row of headings). A turn around guarantee is given and there is a 1-800 number available. There is a car configurator that allows you to specify colours and options and also to compare cars within a model/manufacturer combination.

There are a lot of extras available on the site including the ability to store configured vehicles and get information on finance. If you want to store configured vehicle information you'll have to register but this is quick and easy and doesn't require any personal information.

The final "pro" for the site is the deal clincher in my mind - the comment in many of the testimonials about the lack of hassle and the short time required at the dealership. This is, to me, the ultimate goal of online car shopping - to make it as hassle free and speedy for the purchaser as possible.

Cons:
The service is expensive (from $95 - $195, plus tax, depending on the car you choose) but, from the testimonials shown, seems to be popular with many shoppers.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Use the excellent configurator to set up the car you want with paint and other options (available options will depend on manufacturer - some brands only have paint and interior seat fabric choices while others allow you to add options/features like sunroofs or satellite radio).
  
  
• Get a quote
  Configure your desired vehicle (using the "Configure a car" link above) and then click on the orange Get Best Price button to request a quote. You will be asked to submit the fee via credit card to have a price quote returned to you.
  
  

Car Cost Canada
http://carcostcanada.com/1/en/default.asp

This site functions quite differently from the others in this category. When you purchase a wholesale pricing report ($39.95 + GST) you'll be shown a dealer quote (if one is available in your area for your specific vehicle combination). Although it may seem that you are out of luck if there isn't a dealer quote available in your area a rep from Car Cost Canada wrote to us and said that you should always call (and after all it is toll free) to see if there is something available from a dealer in your location.

So how do you tell if a dealer in your area is offering to sell a specific manufacturer/model combination - when you use the Price & Build function on the final page if there is a dealer listed then when you request a wholesale price report that dealer's quote will be included in the report.

Pros:
Certain vehicle and location combinations will have a dealer quote included with your invoice pricing report. The configurator is very good and allow you to fully describe the car you are interested in. Information is available immediately (if a dealer quote is available in your area). It is possible that even though it says online that no dealer quotes are available in your area you can get one by telephoning.

Cons:
Dealer quotes are not available in all brand/location combinations. You must pay for invoice price reports ($39.95 plus GST for 5) to get dealer quotes (although Alex S. from Winnipeg emailed to tell me that he managed to buy a single invoice price for $20 by calling the toll free number and asking for this service - give it a try if you just need a single invoice price).

How to:

• Configure a car
  Choose your model year, make and model in the Build & Price box in the top right hand area of the screen and click on the Continue button. Next select your model style by clicking on the red Select & Continue arrow. Add your desired options and click on the red arrow (again). Enter your postal code and click on the Continue button.
  
  
• Get a quote
  Configure a vehicle (using the "Configure a car" link above) and if you see a dealership listed on the retail price report then you can - if you wish to - get a special CarCostCanada membership price quote by purchasing the wholesale price report for $39.95 plus GST (this cost includes 5 reports).
  
  

Vehicle search on gmcanada.com
http://apps.gmcanada.com/app/GMCanada/NewVehicleLocatorCriteria.do?

You can use this site to locate a new vehicle on a dealer's lot. And once you've located a vehicle that interests you it is easy to request a quote.

Pros:
It is easy to locate a vehicle on a local dealer's lot. This is a free service and you don't need to register with the website. The page where you input your personal information to request a quote is secure.

Cons:
You don't really 'configure' a vehicle on this site - rather you search for a car or truck that is close to what you are looking for. There is no upfront pricing and no turnaround guarantee is given as to how long you'll wait before your quote request is returned.

How to:

• Get a quote
  Once you've located a vehicle that interests you click on the View Vehicle Details button. On the next screen click on the Request a Quote button - you may be taken to the website of your local GM dealership where you'll be able to input your personal information and request a quote (on a form that may or may not be secure). If you remain on the GM main site you'll input your personal data on a secure form.
  
  

NEW CAR - WHY PAY RETAIL? CANADA
http://www.dealfinder.ca/

Bob Prest has gone to some trouble to remedy some of my criticisms of this site and although it is not perfect it is improved from earlier reviews. Dealfinder does work on the basis of the customer knowing exactly what you want in a vehicle (model, trim level etc). If you do not know this information you might want to try some of our Help Me Choose tools and then return to the Dealfinder site when you're ready.

This site isn't fancy or particularly e-savvy but it does offer old fashioned personal service with a 1-800 number good Canada wide.

Pros:
Personal information is collected on a secure form and the site design is simple but effective. Mr. Prest has updated the site to include some information about himself, the firm's history and some other odds and ends that I noted.

Cons:
I still don't like the request form that forces the customer to know exactly what they are looking for but Mr. Prest explained the rationale to me and I do understand why he has structured it the way he has. The service is not free ($159 + GST) but is significantly cheaper than brokers we have reviewed but more expensive than the online buying service from a firm like CarCostCanada.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Enter your vehicle information on this long form and then click the SUBMIT REQUEST button at the bottom.
  
  
• Get a quote
  After configuring your vehicle (sort of) using the link above you should receive a price quote within approximately 3 days.
  
  

Automobile Protection Association
http://www.apa.ca/

When you join the Automobile Protection Association (APA) for $68.25 ($73.37 in Quebec) you'll get access to 5 'member quotes'. These quotes will include "dealer invoice, the APA negotiated mark up over invoice, incentives and a referral to a dealer or a broker who guarantees to sell or lease you the vehicle at the pre-negotiated price". Using your APA membership you can therefore 'buy' a car online.

Pros:
Your personal information is collected on a secure form. APA's car costing information is reviewed by "a well informed APA counsellor who ensures the information provided is not only accurate but also applicable to your needs". As well as a dealer quote you will also get invoice pricing information which is a valuable piece of data to have.

There is now a turnaround guarantee of the same business day for quotes received before 4 pm in the eastern region and the end of the next business day for those received after 4 pm. For Vancouver and Victoria quotes there is a guarantee that the quote will be ready by the end of the next business day no matter when in the day the quote request is received.

Renewal memberships are $26 cheaper than new (so $40.95 outside Quebec and $44.02 in Quebec).

Cons:
You have to type in all your vehicle information (no drop down lists) and you don't know in advance which dealership(s) your quote request is going to. There is no upfront pricing and some would say that the turnaround - especially for those of us in the west - is far too slow.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Complete the secure form with your personal information and type in your car requirements (very unsatisfactory method).
  
  
• Get a quote
  Configure the vehicle (using the "Configure a car" link above), fill in the personal information requested (if you haven't already done so) and click on the Submit button.
  
  

Autonet.ca
http://www.autonet.ca/newcarbuilder

This is a quote request site with an average quality configurator. No upfront pricing is available but the service is free. Site seems a bit easterncentric (not an uncommon characteristic in this category).

Pros:
The configurator is quick and easy to use and quotes are free. You only need to enter your name and email address on the quote request form (no phone number of address required). You can now send your quote request to more than a single dealer.

Cons:
It is very difficult to tell if the information you specified about the car in the configurator is actually sent to the dealer. No turnaround guarantee is given and your personal information is entered on a non-secure form (although Autonet asks for a lot less information than other sites).

A bit of weirdness that I don't remember from earlier reviews is that on this review, after I had configured my car, the dealers I was shown were VERY far away. The closest was over 300 km distant. Obviously this is a major problem - no one is going to buy a car from a dealer so far away.

How to:

• Configure a car
  On the first page select year, make, model and trim and click on the Next button. Select exterior and interior colours and options.
  
  
• Get a quote
  After configuring the vehicle (see the "Configure a car" link above) click on the orange GET PRICE QUOTE button. Enter your name and email address on the non-secure form, select dealers to be contacted (hopefully you can find some within a reasonable distance of your location) and click on the CLICK FOR FREE DEALER QUOTES button to submit your quote request. Your quote request disappears in to the Internet and you aren't given any inkling of when you might hear back.
  
  

Canadian automotive network - Automotive news
http://www.auto123.com/en/new/quote/

This is a quote request site that allows you to ask for quotes on new vehicles nationwide - however it seems very "easterncentric" to me as using my Victoria postal code I didn't see any dealers listed for many brands of vehicles.

Unfortunately the turnaround time is pathetic - quotes are "sent to a participating dealer in your area within 1 business day" and then there will be a further wait as a "dealer should then contact you by phone or e-mail within a few business days." That doesn't really cut it when other sites offer upfront pricing that I can obtain by completing a free registration process.

Pros:
Quote requests are free and the process is simple and easy to understand. The configurator has improved from earlier reviews and now allows you to specify a colour, transmission, trim level, buying timeframe and financing method (lease, loan).

Cons:
There is no upfront pricing available on this site. Additional options are not available within the configurator. The page where you enter your personal information is not secure. You can only send your quote request to a single dealer (if you choose a dealer in step 4) and if you let Auto 123 choose for you then you'll have no idea which dealer your quote request went to. The turnaround (see above) is too slow!

How to:

• Configure a car
  Select your make and model, enter your postal code and distance you wish to search within (10-100 km) and click on the "Next Step" button.
  
  Select your trim, transmission, exterior colour, purchase method and purchase time frame and type in any other information you'd like the dealer to know in the "Other comments" box.
  
  
• Get a quote
  Configure the car (see the "Configure a car" link above) and click on the "Next Step" button. Type in your contact information on the non-secure form and click on the "Next Step" button. You can either ask Auto123 to choose a dealer to send your quote request to or choose a dealer of your own (unfortunately you only get to choose one). Select either option and then click on the "Submit price quote request" button to send your inquiry.
  
  

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