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Extra: Area car dealers adapt to the Internet [Journal Star, Peoria, Ill. :: ](Journal Star (Peoria, IL) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Feb. 20--For better or for worse, the Internet now makes it possible to buy a new or used car without ever interacting with another human being, never mind talking to a car salesman. Some buyers see their new car for the first time when it's being driven up their driveway, already paid for or financed. "Basically, everything has changed," said Mike Miller, owner of Mike Miller's Auto Park on Pioneer Parkway in Peoria. He sells Hyundais and Kias. "It's not the way we prefer it -- I'm sort of old school -- but you can buy a car, finance it, have it delivered and never meet the people you're doing business with." These days, just about every customer for a new or used car starts the process on the Internet, Miller said. Some start at the websites of the car manufacturers to help them locate a local dealer. Dealers also have their own websites that allow car buyers to check out individual cars, trucks and SUVs that are physically on the lot from the comfort of their home. Consumers can select make, model, color and options and identify a specific car on an individual dealer's car lot. "It used to be that people thought they would shop at eight dealerships and end up stopping at four," Miller said. "Now it's less than two. All the information they need about a car is available to them on their computers. The Internet has definitely shortened the process and made the world smaller, but that's OK." The home page for Mike Miller Auto Park has three buttons in the upper right hand side of the site. The top one, Take a Test Drive, allows the customer to schedule a test drive for any car on the site. The middle button, View Inventory, gives customers access to each one of the currently 255 new cars on the lot. The bottom button, Get Financing, starts the loan application process. It's that simple. Websites have sprouted in recent years that allow the customer to bypass the dealer altogether. Sites like carsdirect.com, KBB.com (for Kelley Blue Book), autobytel.com, car.com and shopclickdrive.com let car buyers complete the process from start to finish. There are even ways to create legally-binding signatures on financial paperwork on a computer and take a car out on a "virtual test drive." But Miller, who can't fathom a customer making a decision on buying a car after a "virtual test drive," obviously believes there is still plenty of room in the process for the car dealer. - "As auto dealers, we've got the cars on our lots, we take in the trades, we handle all of the paper work, and have a service department," Miller said. "Still, it all comes down to the services we provide." ______ Look for more in our Extra special edition on personal finance and retirement in this Sunday's Journal Star. And check for daily posts here. ______ Scott Hilyard can be reached at 686-3244 or by email at [email protected]. Follow @scotthilyard on Twitter. ___ (c)2014 Journal Star (Peoria, Ill.) Visit the Journal Star (Peoria, Ill.) at www.PJStar.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |