· UK
· New Cars
Online Buying Sites Scorecard
Online Buying Sites
Hot New Vehicles
Dealer Locators
Manufacturers
Brokers

· Used Cars
· Auto Research
· Auto Services
· Accessories

 

| HOME | UK | NEW MANUFACTURERS |

UK New Manufacturers

With all the manufacturers the question here is - how much of the buying process can I actually do online? Your quick indicator is the E-Quality rating - the better the rating the more of the process of buying a car can be accomplished without leaving the comfort of your chair.

Alfa Romeo
http://www.alfaromeo.co.uk/

A rather gimmicky site that uses the dreaded light coloured text on a dark background too much for my liking and is slow to load and full of unnecessary, bandwidth intensive geegaws. That said the configurator is okay (once you get to it). Used inventory is online but new inventory is not.

Pros:
Easy to use configurator that is also quite fun to use as the good-sized graphic displays your options (like different wheels) as you select them. Good model specific information and easily accessible pricing information. Once you've configured your vehicle you can save it to a virtual garage, send it to a friend, send the details to a dealer or print the configuration. You can search used Alfa Romeos by entering your post code.

Cons:
Two of the options - sending your configured vehicle details to a dealer and saving to a virtual garage are only available to registered users of the Alfa Romeo site. And though I spent 15 minutes looking I was unable to figure out how to register. So, at this time I can't evaluate these two functions. I've made a note to myself to come back in a couple of weeks and look at the site again - the comments shown below are from my earlier review.

Although contacting a dealer is an option when you've finished the configuration the details of the configuration don't seem to be included in the email to a great extent. There is no turnaround guarantee given when you request more information and you have to supply quite a bit of personal information on a non-secure form.

How to:

• Configure a car
  There no longer seems to be a way to link you directly to the Alfa Romeo configurator. Instead, to get started click on the Models button (second from the left at the bottom of the screen). Then click on the model you are interested in. Finally, click on the BUILD MY XXX (where XXX is the name of the model you have selected) in the lower left hand corner of the page OR (there doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule) the Car configurator link in the upper right hand corner and follow the steps to configure your vehicle.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory not online at this time.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Use the search tool on the right hand side of the page and when you've finished indicating your criteria enter your post code and click on the Search button.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Search by dealer name, place name or postcode.
  
  

Aston Martin
http://www.astonmartin.com/

This site just gets worse and worse! First I get a message saying that I can't use the configurator in Firefox so I use Internet Explorer thinking that this is a barely tolerable sacrifice if it means that the previously noted proprietary configurator plugin is gone. But it isn't - I still have to download a 3MB plug in, install it and then put up with this ugly custom interface (grrr). Used inventory is online but new is not.

Pros:
The configurator is fast, graphically oriented and is easy to use. Used inventory is online.

Cons:
See above rant in "Overall". The configurator's vehicle shots (both inside and out) look like a video game and there isn't any pricing information whatsoever. Once you've configured the vehicle you can only review and print the information - you can't request a quote, save the configuration or send the configuration details to a friend.

How to:

• Locate a dealer
  Select United Kingdom in the Country box and then choose a city or region from those listed in the Location box. Click on the Find button when you are done selecting your location.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at Aston Martin.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Select your country in the first box. Indicate your other criteria, such as model, colour, maximum mileage, maximum price etc and then click on the Search button.
  
  

Audi UK
http://www.audi.co.uk/audi/uk/en2.html

A rather uniformly grey and boring site with nothing much to recommend it. The configurator is average and doesn't offer many options upon completion.

Pros:
The configurator is still a little too visually busy for me but it works (although with a few quirks). Once you've completed configuring your vehicle you can print the configuration or send it to a friend. Used inventory is online and searchable by post code.

Cons:
New inventory is not online. There is no ability to save your configuration or email it to a dealer.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Select your Model, external colour and fuel type in the drop down lists underneath the Configurator heading in bottom left hand corner of the page - then click on the button with the right-facing triangle to the left of the word Configure. Then just follow the steps.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at this time.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Click on the Used Car Locator link (top right hand corner of the page) and search for a used vehicle by clicking on the model you are interested in, entering your postcode or town in the Enter Location box and clicking on the Search button in the bottom right hand corner.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Select your closest Audi dealership from an alphabetical list of Audi dealerships (by dealership name with postcode indicated at the end of each entry).
  
  

BMW UK
http://www.bmw.co.uk/

Fair overall site although navigation is a bit confusing and there is more flash used on the site than I prefer. There is a configurator but its functionality is limited once you've completed the configuration. Used inventory is online but new is not.

Pros:
A very easy to use configurator that shows you your progress through the process and is nimble and quick. When you've finished configuring the vehicle you can print, compare (only with another previously made configuration) or save the configuration. Used inventory is online and easily searchable by postcode.

Cons:
You can not email the configured details to a local dealership for a quote request. In fact there doesn't seem to be a way to request a quote at all. I used to be able to request a quote using the Virtual Centre but even that seems to have disappeared.

How to:

• Configure a car
  On the main page select a model using the Quick model selector in the top left hand corner of the page. On the next screen click on the Build your BMW button in the right hand bottom corner of the page. Choose model, exterior and interior finishes and optional equipment on the next series of pages.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Use the National search in the bottom left hand area of the page. Choose series, bodystyle and maximum price (optional) from the drop down lists and then enter your postcode and click on the dark blue Search now button. Alternatively you could used the advanced search (click on the Advanced search button just below the Search now button) if you'd like to specify more criteria.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Locate a BMW dealer by entering your postcode, town/city or dealer name in the center column (under the Dealer search heading) on the page and then clicking on the Search button.
  
  

Chrysler UK
http://www.chrysler.co.uk/

Horrible, sluggish flash-laden site. Sigh - am I the only person left online who goes to websites for information rather than to be impressed (not) by the graphics' talents of the site's designers? And it is impossible to believe that in 2009 there is still a manufacturer out there who doesn't have a configurator on their site! On the positive side (and this is the only positive point I can find) the site does have used inventory online.

Pros:
Used inventory is searchable by using your post code.

Cons:
There is no configurator on this site (WOW!) - that about says it all in my opinion. Come on Chrysler - get with the program. New inventory is not online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  There is no configurator on the Chrysler site.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at Chrysler.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Enter your postcode or town and then work through the subsequent screens indicating your model, derivative, price range, fuel type, transmission, maximum age and maximum mileage.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Find a dealer by entering your postcode in the search box or, alternatively, select a dealer from the full list on the lower half of the page (arranged alphabetically by town/city name).
  
  

Fiat UK
http://www.fiat.co.uk/

Another sluggish site - I am beginning to think everyone in the UK must have super fast Internet access and top of the line computers since almost every UK site I visit is flash-laden, complex and graphic heavy. There is a configurator on this site although requesting a quote doesn't seem to be an option once you're done. New inventory is not online although used vehicles can be found using the Fiat site.

Pros:
The configurator is well designed and very easy to use. When you are done configuring the vehicle you can send the configuration to a friend, save the configuration (if you've registered) or print it out. Used inventory is online and searchable by post code.

Cons:
You can't send the configuration details to a dealer for a quote request nor can you view new inventory online. If you do request more information from a dealer you have to supply too much personal information on a non-secure form.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Click on the graphic of the vehicle you wish to configure (as you hover over each car you'll see a little bit about it (but not the price which might be helpful!). The configurator is fun to use and spectacularly easy - simply hover over the headings at the bottom of the page (VERSIONS, COLOURS, etc) and you'll see your choices within that category pop up.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not available online on the Fiat site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Choose your model from the drop down list, enter your postcode and click on the Search button. Alternatively, you could use the ADVANCED SEARCH in the right hand column.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Search for a Fiat dealer by entering your postcode, place or dealer name and clicking on the appropriate radio button underneath the entry box. Then click on the Search button on the far right.
  
  

Ford
http://www.ford.co.uk/

The configurator is well done and fairly quick. Once you've finished configuring the vehicle you have a few choices of what to do with the configuration. Used inventory is online but new inventory is not.

Pros:
I like the single page approach of the Ford configurator. Once you've configured your vehicle you can view a printer friendly version, see current promotions or contact a dealer. Used inventory is easily searchable by your post code.

Cons:
It doesn't seem possible to send your configured vehicle details to a dealer for a quote (the contact dealer function gives no indication that details of the vehicle you have just configured are being emailed along with your contact information). The page where you supply your personal details should you wish to contact a dealer is not secure and no turnaround guarantee is given. You can't email the configuration details to a friend or save them. New inventory is not online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Click on the Select link underneath the graphic for the model you are interested in.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online on the Ford site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Use the Quick search or Advanced search depending on the number of criteria you wish to search on.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  To find a dealer simply enter your town or postcode in the Dealer Locator box (left hand column, middle of the page) and click on the orange button to the right of the box.
  
  

Honda (UK)
http://www.honda.co.uk/cars/

Another sluggish and Flash-laden sight with a rather insipid colour scheme. There is a configurator but it is (very) limited in its functionality once you're done building your Honda.

Pros:
There is a simple, single-page configurator on the Honda site which is fairly quick on most models (for some reason it balked when I tried to configure a Civic). Used inventory is online and easily searchable.

Cons:
As far as I could tell there were no options once I was done configuring my Honda - I couldn't save it or email it or send the configuration details to a dealer. I couldn't even find a way to print it! New inventory is not online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Select a model underneath the CARS heading on the far left of the screen. Then scroll down the next page until you see the vehicle's graphic in the right hand column and click on the CUSTOMISE THIS MODEL IN CAR BUILDER button underneath it.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online on the Honda site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Search for a used Honda by specifying your desired model, body style, engine, maximum price, postcode and distance you are willing to travel to look for a car.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  On this visually noisy and Flash-laden site (what possesses these car companies - their IT budget must be far too large) click on the FIND A SHOWROOM link which is just to the right of the Honda logo in the top middle area of the page. This will bring up a pop up window where you can search for a showroom by entering your postcode, street name or city/town name.
  
  

Jaguar UK
http://www.jaguar.com/uk/en/home.htm

The Jaguar configurator is good but severely limited in options once you've finished the process. Used inventory is online but new inventory is not.

Pros:
The configurator is easy to use and relatively quick on a high speed connection however once you've finished your only options are to contact a dealer, request a test drive or request a brochure.

A neat feature of the site is the used car search tool which functions a little differently than most. When you first enter the used site you'll see all the vehicles available in the UK. Then just use the criteria on the left (including colours and price range) to filter out the vehicles that you want. You can re-sort the list by a variety of criteria and even compare vehicles to each other.

Cons:
There's little to do once you've configured your vehicle - you can't send the configuration details to a dealer nor can you save or even print the configuration. New inventory is not online. The used vehicle search is very good except for one rather crucial detail - you can't search by distance from your postcode nor can you sort by that criteria.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Click on your desired model (the links are just to the right of the smaller graphic below the Introduction heading) and then follow the steps.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at the Jaguar site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Use the links under the headings in the left hand column to create a list of cars that meet your criteria. Unfortunately there is no opportunity to search and/or sort by your postcode and distance from it.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Locate a dealer by searching by postcode, dealer name or town. Alternatively click on the View all dealers link to see a list of all the dealers in the UK which you can sort by dealer name or town/city.
  
  

Jeep UK
http://www.jeep.co.uk/

If you are observant you may notice that this review is exactly the same as that of Chrysler (with Chrysler changed to Jeep of course). That's because, like most humans, I am lazy and since the Chrysler and Jeep sites are basically identical I just duplicated the Chrysler reviews and changed the brand names.

Horrible, sluggish flash-laden site. Sigh - am I the only person left online who goes to websites for information rather than to be impressed (not) by the graphics' talents of the site's designers? And it is impossible to believe that in 2009 there is still a manufacturer out there who doesn't have a configurator on their site! On the positive side (and this is the only positive point I can find) the site does have used inventory online.

Pros:
Used inventory is searchable by using your post code.

Cons:
There is no configurator on this site (WOW!) - that about says it all in my opinion. Come on Jeep - get with the program. New inventory is not online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  There is no configurator on the Jeep site.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at Jeep.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Enter your postcode or town and then work through the subsequent screens indicating your model, derivative, price range, fuel type, transmission, maximum age and maximum mileage.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Find a dealer by entering your postcode in the search box or, alternatively, select a dealer from the full list on the lower half of the page (arranged alphabetically by town/city name).
  
  

Land Rover UK
http://www.landrover.com/gb/en/home.htm

There is no configurator on the Land Rover site (there used to be back in 2007 or so). Amazingly bad! Used inventory is online but new inventory is not.

Pros:
With the of a configurator the only positive aspect of this site is that used inventory is online and searchable using your postcode.

Cons:
No configurator and no new inventory online - what more can I say!

How to:

• Configure a car
  There is no configurator on the Land Rover site.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at Land Rover.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Click on the graphic of the model you are interested in and then use the nifty search tool on the next screen to define your criteria and perform your search. This is a really well-done tool!
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  You can search for a dealer by postcode, dealer name or town using the boxes beneath the graphic.
  
  

Lexus
http://www.lexus.co.uk/

A poor site with no configurator and no new inventory online. It's only saving grace - and that's not saying much - is that used inventory is online.

Pros:
You can search for used vehicles using your postcode.

Cons:
There is no configurator on this site and new inventory is not online. Pathetic.

How to:

• Configure a car
  There is no configurator on the Lexus site.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at the Lexus site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Enter your postcode or town, model you are looking for and price range. There is an advanced search (simply click on the tab to the right of the QUICK SEARCH heading) that will allow you to specify more criteria.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Search for the closest dealer by either entering your postcode or your nearest town in one of the search boxes on the left and clicking on the SUBMIT button or use the map in the middle of the page.
  
  

Lotus Cars
http://www.grouplotus.com/cars/home.html

After an absence of over a year I have "rediscovered" the Lotus site. Not to say that it is improved but at least it is available.

Pros:
You can search for a used Lotus using your postcode as a search criteria.

Cons:
There is no configurator on the Lotus site and new inventory is not online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  There is no configurator on the Lotus site.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at the Lotus site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  When you go to this page you'll be shown all of the used Lotus vehicles in the UK (at the time of this review there were 77). Use the Refine Search tool in the right hand column to refine the results further using your criteria.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Use the map in the upper half of the page (click on the plus symbol inside the box to zoom in) or enter the first part of your postcode in the box in the lower half of the page and click on Submit.
  
  

Mazda
http://www.mazda.co.uk/

The only bright spot on this site is a fairly good used car locator. Otherwise it is a dismal failure in my eyes - no new inventory online and, more importantly, no vehicle configurator.

Pros:
You can search for a used Mazda by distance from your postcode.

Cons:
No configurator and no new inventory online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  There is no configurator available on the Mazda site.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not available online on the Mazda site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Click on the graphic that represents the model you are looking for. Then specify exactly which derivative within the model (multiple selections allowed), your postcode, distance to search within, age, price range, trim, transmission type, options and colours to exclude. As you add criteria the number of matching cars will change (see big blue numbers just above the Available Models box). This is a well-done tool and it's a shame the rest of the site is such a washout in terms of what you can do online.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Search for a dealer by name, town or postcode.
  
  

Mercedes-Benz UK - Passenger Cars
http://www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/

A good configurator although a bit tedious with its reloading between each step. You've got a few choices once you've configured the vehicle. Used inventory is online but new inventory is not.

Pros:
The configurator is okay, although, as mentioned above the reloading after each step is a bit irritating. Once you've finished the configuration you can print it, save it, compare it to another vehicle or submit it to a dealer (maybe on the latter). The contact form is secure - very nice! Used inventory is available online and searchable by postcode.

Cons:
I did have quite a bit of trouble with certain options within the configurator (well actually after the configuration is finished). Clicking on the 'Your contact' tab at the top right (Step 6) took me to a form where I could contact a retailer but it is not clear whether the configured vehicle details - off to the right of the form - are being submitted. No turnaround guarantee is given and new inventory is not online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Either select a model directly using the select model box (bottom choice) or look at an overview of all models. Then just follow the steps to configure your vehicle.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at Mercedes-Benz.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  The used car search tool is really well done. Select your body style and/or model, class and then use section 2 for advanced criteria like price range, engine, colour etc. Finally put in your postcode and search range. Results can be sorted by a variety of criteria.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Find a dealer by postcode, town, retailer name or by clicking on a map of the UK.
  
  

Nissan UK
http://www.nissan.co.uk/

A fairly good site with an easy to use, single-page configurator. Used inventory is online but new inventory is not.

Pros:
The configurator is well done and once you have configured your vehicle you can print or email the page or save your vehicle to a virtual garage. Used inventory is online.

Cons:
One slightly annoying thing about the configurator is that the NEXT button is always at the bottom of the page so on steps that have lots of options (say for example engine and transmission) you may pick the first option but still have to scroll all the way down to see the NEXT button. It also does not seem to be possible to email your configured vehicle details to a dealer. New inventory is not online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Simply select the model you want to configure by clicking on its graphic and then following the steps on the next few screens.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not available online on the Nissan site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  You've got three different options for finding the used Nissan that is right for you - viewing Nissan dealer stock, using the help me choose tool (center) or searching by your budget. Any of these three methods will allow you to see how far vehicles are located from your postcode.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Find a dealer by entering your postcode or city and then clicking on the red OK button.
  
  

Peugeot.co.uk
http://www.peugeot.co.uk/

A good site with a snappy, single page configurator. There are plenty of options once you've configured your vehicle (although the most important one is not fully realized) but new inventory is not online. Used inventory is online.

Pros:
The configurator is quick and easy to understand. Once you've configured a vehicle you can print the configuration, save it to a virtual garage, send it to a friend, book a test drive, contact your local dealer or request a brochure. Used inventory is online and the search tools available are innovative and well thought out.

Cons:
It seems pretty obvious on this review that none of the configured details are included when you select the "Contact My Local Dealer" option (button off to the right) even if you check the quote request radio button - this is so maddening, why would I go to the trouble of configuring a vehicle if it isn't going to be sent to a dealer. No turnaround guarantee is given. New inventory is not available online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Hover over the picture of the model you are interested in and select the Build your XXX (where XXX is the name of the model) button off to the right. Then just follow the steps to configure your vehicle.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at Peugeot.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Use any of a variety of search tools to find the perfect used Peugeot for you - search by price, quick search or help me choose.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Find a Peugeot dealer by postcode or town or dealer name - after you execute the search dealerships will be shown graphically on the map on the right hand side of the page.
  
  

Porsche AG
http://www.porsche.com/uk/

The configurator is fairly easy to use although quite sluggish (even the lower-bandwidth recommended 2D version). Once you've configured the vehicle you do have quite a few options. Used inventory is online but new is not.

Pros:
The configurator works okay and you can print, save or forward the configuration to a dealer when you are done. If the Internet is to be believed your configuration is being sent to the dealer (although you don't actually see that it is included - why can't we see a copy of what is being sent on our behalf and if the configuration is being sent why is there a box asking us to indicate what model we are interested in?). Used inventory is online and searchable by your postcode.

Cons:
The quote request form is not secure and asks for quite a bit of personal information. There is no turnaround guarantee given. New inventory is not available online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  From the main page simply click on the Build Your Porsche button (top button in the column of blue buttons in the bottom left hand corner of the page) and then select either the 2D or 3D version (I've used the 2D version). On the next screen select your model and take it from there.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at the Porsche site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Select the country you wish to search in from the drop down list. On the next page select your model, derivative, body type, price range and registration year and enter your postcode (leave blank to search nationally).
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  From the main page click on the Find a Porsche Centre button (bottom button in the column of blue buttons in the bottom left hand corner of the page) and enter your postcode to search. Located dealerships will be shown on the map on the right hand side of the page.
  
  

Proton Cars UK
http://www.proton.co.uk/

There is no configurator on the Proton site nor is any inventory (either new or used) online.

Pros:
Nothing positive to report here - no configurator and no inventory online.

Cons:
You can't configure a Proton vehicle online nor can you locate new or used inventory in your area by doing a search online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  There is no configurator on the Proton site.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not available online on the Proton site.
  
  
• Used inventory is not available online on the Proton site.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Find a dealer by entering your postcode or city/town/village in the box and then clicking on the FIND DEALER button. Located dealerships are shown in the map on the right hand side of the page.
  
  

Renault UK
http://www.renault.co.uk/

A well-done site with a good configurator that is easy to use, fairly nimble and offers a fair number of options once your configuration is finished. Used inventory is online but new inventory is not.

Pros:
The easy to use configurator allows you to print your configuration details or send them to a friend when you are finished. You can also send your configured details to a dealer (at least I think that is what is happening when you choose the CONTACT YOUR DEALER link underneath the price on the summary page). Used inventory is online.

Cons:
To send your configured vehicle information to a dealer you have to supply a bit too much information on a non-secure form for my liking and no turnaround guarantee is given. New inventory is not available online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Simply select the model you are interested in by hovering over its graphic and then select the BUILD THIS CAR link in the pop up window that is displayed. Then just follow the steps.
  
  Note that the above assumes you wish to configure a car - if you are interested in a van click on the RENAULT VANS heading in grey just below the grey banner running across the top of the page (second heading in from the left).
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not available online on the Renault site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  There are two different ways to buy used vehicles from Renault - direct from the manufacturer (Renault To Go) or from the Renault dealer network (Renault Dealer Used Cars). Using Renault To Go is almost like buying a new car in that you specify what you want and the manufacturer supplies it. The other method is much more what we are used to when shopping for a used vehicle - you put in what characteristics you want and a list of suitable vehicles is returned. Play with both to see what works best for you.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Search for a dealer by postcode or town within a radius of less than 10 miles to unlimited.
  
  

Saab Great Britain
http://www.saab.co.uk/

A quick and easy to use configurator with a few options when you're done the configuration. Used inventory is online but new inventory is not.

Pros:
The configurator is neatly done in a single-page format that doesn't require a lot of scrolling around. Once you're done configuring the vehicle you can print the summary, arrange a test drive, order a brochure or locate a dealer. Used inventory is online and searchable using your postcode.

Cons:
Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any way to send your configured vehicle details to a dealer so that you can enquire about a firm price or availability. New inventory is not available online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Simply click on the Build & Price button underneath the model name you are interested in. On the next page follow the instructions to build your Saab.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not listed on the Saab website.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Enter your postcode and select the model and price range you are looking for and then click on Search.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Locate a Saab dealer by dealer name or postcode.
  
  

Subaru UK
http://www.subaru.co.uk/

No configurator on this site but used inventory is online. New inventory is not online.

Pros:
Nothing much positive here except for the ability to look for used Subaru's online.

Cons:
There is no configurator on the Subaru site and new inventory is not online either.

How to:

• Configure a car
  There is no configurator on the Subaru site.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at Subaru.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Decide on which model(s) you are interested in searching for by clicking on the "add to search" text in the corner of each model's graphic. Then put your postcode in the box and click on the Go button. You'll see all vehicles that match your criteria and you can then use various methods to filter out vehicles (i.e. setting price, mileage etc).
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Click on the appropriate area of the map and then hover over the Subaru logos to see dealerships in your area. Alternately you could enter a postcode or town in the box and click on Search.
  
  

Toyota GB
http://www.toyota.co.uk/

A pretty good configurator with an unfortunate deficiency of having few actions open to you once you've configured the vehicle. Used inventory is available online but new inventory is not.

Pros:
The configurator is easy to use and fairly quick. To move between steps you need to click on a link in red (that says Continue) at the bottom of each page (that's not immediately obvious). Once you've finished the configuration you can print it or save the configuration to a virtual garage. Used inventory is online and searchable using your postcode.

Cons:
There doesn't seem to be any way to pass your configured vehicle details on to a dealer for a quote or to get availability information. New inventory is not online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  From the main page select a model from the list of names shown in a row across the top of the page. Then click on the Build your XXX link (where XXX is the model you have chosen) from the row of links shown below the name of the model you have chosen. Then just follow the instructions.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not online at the Toyota site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  From the main page click on the Used cars heading under the black Menu box in the top left hand corner of the page. Select either Find a used car or Find a used van underneath the Used cars heading. Enter your postcode and search either by viewing your local centre's stock or by creating a search that looks at stock nationwide.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Search for a dealer by postcode or town or look for a dealer within the directory of dealerships within the UK.
  
  

Vauxhall
http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/vaux/pages/cars/index.jsp

Unfortunately this previously great site has been downgraded on this review. The ability to start the purchase process online has disappeared. New inventory is not online but used is.

Pros:
The configurator is very easy to use and allows you to step through the configuration process quickly. Once you have completed the configuration you can save the configuration, print or download it or book a test drive.

You can also search for used vehicles on the Vauxhall site using your postcode as a search criteria.

Cons:
You can no longer begin the car purchase process online at Vauxhall. New inventory is not online at the Vauxhall site. You can not print your completed configuration or email it to a friend.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Click on the "see the range" link to the right of the topmost graphic. Then simply click on the build link that is below and to the right of each model's graphic. Then just follow the steps (the next button is somewhat inconveniently located at the bottom of each page).
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not available online at the Vauxhall site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Search for a used vehicle (note that it doesn't have to be a Vauxhall - you can choose other manufacturers in the drop down box) using either the Car Search button or the Van Search button on the far right hand side of the page. Indicate your manufacturer, model, mileage, price range and then enter your postcode and distance to search within and click on Search. There is an advanced search available if you'd like more search criteria.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Search for a dealer by retailer name, name of town or postcode. You can also specify if you are looking for particular services (i.e. van repair).
  
  

Volkswagen UK
http://www.vw.co.uk/

Yippee - Volkswagen now has a configurator (and a good one at that) although new inventory is still not online. The search tool for finding a used vehicle is very good and, like the rest of the site, fun to use.

Pros:
I love this configurator which manages to be both fun to use and relatively quick. I like the paint choice best of all when the robot painting arms come out and transform the vehicle. When you've finished configuring the vehicle you can print or save the configuration or book a test drive. The used car search is good with additional criteria beyond model, price range and body style available by clicking on a 'More search criteria' link.

Cons:
Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any way to email your configuration details to a dealer for a price and availability quote. New inventory is not online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  You might as well start on this nifty page that allows you to see all the models at a glance and tease out the one (or several) that are right for you using the sliders and check boxes on the left. Once you've got a model picked out simply click on it and then click on the Choose model link under the Configure link (far right hand side of the page, top corner). Have fun!
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not available online at the Volkswagen site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Click on a model's graphic to add it to your search and then use steps 2, 3 and 4 to refine your search criteria. Finally, in step 5, enter your postcode and click on the Search now button.
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  Search for a retailer by entering your postcode or town and clicking on the Search button or by entering a retailer's name and clicking on the Go button. You can sort results by distance from your postcode and also filter results using the sliders that you used to set your original criteria. Well done!
  
  

Volvo Car UK Ltd.
http://www.volvocars.co.uk/

A good configurator that seems to have speeded up and become less complex since the last review. Used inventory is online but new inventory is not.

Pros:
The configurator is good and when you've finished configuring the vehicle you can save the vehicle in a virtual garage, send it to a friend, print it or send it to a local dealer. Used inventory is searchable by distance from your postcode.

Cons:
One has to take it on trust that the configuration is being sent since you are not shown what goes after you complete the form. This form, that requests a fair amount of personal information, is not secure and no turnaround guarantee is given. New inventory is not available online.

How to:

• Configure a car
  Click on the Start configuration button. On the next page choose your model by clicking on its graphic and then just follow the instructions.
  
  
• Search for a new car
  New inventory is not available online at the Volvo site.
  
  
• Search for a used car
  Select a model by clicking on its graphic. On the next screen select a variant and enter your postcode, search distance, price range, age range, trim, transmission, mileage and colours to exclude. You can also select a limited number of options. As you add more search criteria you'll see how many vehicles meet your criteria indicated in the lower right hand corner of the search criteria area. Click on View Results to see a detailed list of cars that match your criteria
  
  
• Locate a dealer
  To find a dealer simply enter your postcode in the box in the top right hand corner of the page and click on GO.
  
  

SEARCH the Web:

· News
· Driversions!
· FREE eBook
· FREE Newsletter
· Books
· Tell A Friend

· The Ratings
· Privacy Policy
· Editorial Reviews
· Suggestions
· Contacts
· Who We Are
· Link to Us
· FAQs
· Site Map
· Investors
· Advertising
· Media Kit

See this page for:
· the US
· Canada