Are you seeking a great used car for a great price? Do you have a car to sell or trade? Then TrueCar may be the website for you. Beginning as an incorporated company under the name “Zag.com Inc.” back in 2005, TrueCar has grown to be one of the most popular sites for selling, trading, leasing, financing and purchasing a vehicle. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, TrueCar provides a digital vehicle marketplace that assists car shippers consider the best choices for purchasing a vehicle. TrueCar also shows price ratings as well as more. They pride themselves as being a transparent online automotive marketplace that provides in fast delivery of vehicles and truthfulness with each customer.
TrueCar- Get a Great Price On the Car You Want And More
Located on the homepage of the TrueCar website, is an opportunity for you to find a great deal on the car you desire. Located at the top of the website, are the following tabs:
- New
- Used
- Sell/Trade
- Research
- Sign Up
Right in the middle of the website, is a chance for car buyers to choose the car they want, while working on getting a great deal on it. You can shop for new as well as used vehicles on the website too. You can browse by brand, compare, research and find the perfect car for you, all in the comfort of your home or office.
With TrueCar, You Are in Control Of Your Car-Buying Experience
Get the Precise Price You want For Your Car
TrueCar offers personalized, upfront and precise prices from car dealers who are online. You can also take advantage of manufacturer discounts and incentives. With TrueCar, you will know precisely what you will pay before you head over to the dealership.
Pick Your Perfect Car, With Over A Million To Choose From
TrueCar has a broad as well as enticing selection of used vehicles all throughout the U.S. Review ratings.
Compare prices and find the best vehicle that fits your needs
Receive a Trade-In Offer in a Matter of Minutes
Just provide some details about your vehicle. Once done, you will know your vehicle’s market value and have a cash offer for it in minutes. Then, you have the option to either trade it in or cash out.
TrueCar Has New Cars
Are you in the market for a new car? You can “build” your perfect new car on the TrueCar website.
- First, choose your make, model, amenities, trim and options.
- Secondly, check out actual cars that match the selections you made.
- Then, read detailed data from similar vehicles, so that you can recognize and compare vehicle prices.
TrueCar Has Used Cars Too!
Are you in the market for a used car? TrueCar has them. From SUVs, to low-mileage sedans, you can find the perfect pre-owned vehicle, that fits your needs! Click here to view them and learn more!
How Does TrueCar Make Money?
According to reports, TrueCar collects their cash, by charging local as well as regional dealerships a fee for getting leads from the TrueCar website. Additional reports indicate that the dealerships can pay around $400 for the TrueCar leads. With a closer look at figures, TrueCar appears to make about $333 for each vehicle sold by a TrueCar dealership partner, through a TrueCar quote.
TrueCar And Their Zip-Code Based Reports
You can receive zip-code based reports. Just type in your zip code, the make of the car you desire and you will then receive a price report from TrueCar price report. After complete you can see the options that you have in front of you, based on the zip code you entered. After you have your price report, you can then receive an invoice price vs. the average price.
What Are Some Of The Drawbacks to TrueCar?
As with any company, there are some downsides. Check out the ones we found to be with TrueCar.
Availability of Some Vehicles
While TrueCar.com states that you are able to look for your car and get an upfront price on the car so that you never pay too much, we found that some models and makes were not available on the website, Unfortunately, it can be a bit of a task looking for that dream car, as your choices may be limited.
Another item to keep in mind, is that you may see changes in your credit score, thanks to the monthly pricing information, as you visit the dealership. For the vehicles that are on the TrueCar site, the prices of the cars ARE subject to change.
A Few Navigation Issues
While visiting the site, we did find the site to be a bit difficult to navigate. There is a lot of scrolling that’s involved for getting to the resources you need. For example, we saw arrows in the middle of the homepage, thinking that they could be clicked on, and we be led to additional resources. That wasn’t the case.
The Savings Certificates
Keep in mind that the guaranteed savings certificate may not be applicable in your particular state. Some of the TrueCar customers have voiced problems with the fact that some car dealers did not honor their quoted prices that were listed. So, from the standpoint of the customer, TrueCar may have been a part of some sort of false advertising. You may want to use the TrueCar price estimate just for a “ballpark figure” or a jumping point, towards your next vehicle.
So, Dealers Do Not Have To Honor The Price On The Car
The car dealers are under no legal obligation to honor the TrueCar price. You may find that some dealers are legit and easy to work with. Then, you have those dealers who may not abide by any sort of ethics. Lots of car dealers will offer a car deal even when they don’t have the particular model in stock just to get you to come down and visit their dealership. This is classic “bait and switch”. Another common scenario that lots of dealers participate in is a price that is not an “out the door” price. The price you see does not include fees and such.
The Mobile App Issue
You can certainly use the TrueCar's mobile app to scan a window sticker once you make your way to a TrueCar Certified Dealer's lot. But you have to create a TrueCar account and sign so that you have full access to this feature. You also have to add your personal details. And since dealers take their “sweet time” in getting back to you, the feature may not be as good as all of the hype around it. So, your best bet may be just to line up all of your pricing before you go to a dealership.
Will TrueCar Check Your Credit?
No, TrueCar isn’t going to check your credit. They just collect your contact information and then give it to the local car dealers. But if you do apply to lease a car or to finance one, the dealership's Finance Department will do the credit check on you.
TrueCar Earns “Top Rated” Award & Rebrands Itself
Back in February of 2020, TrueCar announced that the company was the recipient of the “Top Rated” New Car Leads Award for New Car Inventory Solutions.
Additionally, TrueCar is rebranding itself to fit the growing needs of car buyers. TrueCar is now offering an array of efforts to help vehicle buyers find a vehicle that makes them happy. The company wants to be with the buyer, throughout the entire car buying process. So, they have decided to include more options for car buyers, and help buyers sort through all of the information given to have the best car for their needs.
Lease A Car With TrueCar? Sure You Can!
Are you interested in leasing a car instead of buying a car? TrueCar makes this possible. TrueCar wants your lease business why? They have reasons:
- You will only deal with top dealers. TrueCar Certified Dealers will work to compete for your car lease business. You can count on quality lease cars, as well as great discounts on in-stock inventory.
- Forget paying big money for leases. If you lease your car with TrueCar, you can receive discounted pricing. You can also take a look at local inventory without ever leaving your home. Then, watch as you receive big savings on the vehicle of your choice.
- Lower Lease payments can be yours. When you lease your car with TrueCar, you can receive discounted pricing as you shop for the vehicle of your dreams. Click here to find out more.
Is TrueCar Com Legit?
Check out what folks had to say about their experiences with TrueCar!
Customer Number One
“John” A TrueCar customer, found the company quite helpful. “John” wrote: “TrueCar gave me many options for purchase and realistic pricing for comparison and use at the dealers that I went to. Be aware that there are a couple surprises that the dealer will always try to add-on. It is part of their sales pitch. Don't fall for nonsense, you can't do without this because it will only cost you about $10 a month.
If they want a sale, stay firm with what you believe is a fair price or take your business elsewhere.”
Customer Number Two
“Dan” got the car he wanted, and paid the price he wanted to pay with TrueCar. He adds: “When the vehicle was delivered from 1400 miles away, it was exactly as it was represented to be. Very satisfied customer here.”
Customer Number Three
“Derek” feels that buying a car with TrueCar is the “best way to buy a car.” This customer purchased a brand new 2020 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD. The customer was also made aware of each of the trim levels of the car, as well as the market average for the vehicle. The customer adds: “[TrueCar] offered a financing feature, but I was already pre-approved with Navy Fed. [I]found the dealer with the best price ($2k below average!) and vehicle match. “Derek” was then able to buy his “dream car” and could not be happier.
Customer Number Four
This customer found that the pricing of a car on the TrueCar was not even close to the expectations that he/she had. The customer wrote: “TrueCar price wasn’t even close to the price at the dealer, I thought the point of this service was that you get up front pricing. What a joke. I sent TrueCar an email after that experience and no reply, awful service and awful customer support.”
Customer Number Five
“Scott”, another customer, had a less-than-favorable circumstance with TrueCar. “Scott” went to the dealership for a car that piqued interest. “Scott” added that the dealer hiked up the price by $1895, which was higher from the TrueCar guaranteed price, despite efforts to confirm the price.
TrueCar And The Truth
While it appears as if TrueCar has a sound business model, it also appears as if some of the dealers and the TrueCar prices are not the same. This can make a car buyer feel flustered. While the company has its best intensions in helping folks buy a car, it may prove to be beneficial to have better communication with partnering dealers. Leasing a car with TrueCar is quite revolutionary- as competing sites don’t offer leases. But one aspect of doing business stands true here: have your figures in writing, while holding parties responsible for their part in your experience.
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