Buyng a car online

[TMR013]

Just read on Motor Authority that BMW plans on selling it's i-Line cars over the internet.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...ng-cars-online

I know buying a car online happens a lot on the pre-owned side, but how would you feel about buying a new car sight unseen?
I guess, I have already. As I never saw my 1er until delivery, but at least I was able to test drive a 135i or two before I signed on the dotted line.
Is a test drive that important anymore? Or is it just an anachronism us petrol heads hang on to doggedly?

[Section147]

Originally Posted by TMR013

Is a test drive that important anymore?

I for one would never purchase a vehicle (especially at this price point) without a thorough test drive. Nothing would
be more insane than to sign the papers on a 40k+ purchase and then get behind the wheel to discover you're not in
love...let alone hate the thing you're now trapped with. The test drives are what put me in my 135 over a TTS.

[singular]

When you custom order a car, which many of us did, you are effectively buying it sight unseen. Of course, you can always back out at the last minute, but you might have to walk away from some or all of your down-payment.

I gave my initial offer to the dealership via FAX and negotiated via email for a car that had not been built yet, so I'm not sure that is much different than buying on-line.

[yaymitch]

I ordered my 2009 C63 without ever having driven one. I sat in one and started the engine, but that was it. None were available for a test drive as it was just being released and all the cars coming in had already been purchased. Thankfully, I loved the car and never looked back after I drove away from the dealership.

[Section147]

Originally Posted by singular

When you custom order a car, which many of us did, you are effectively buying it sight unseen.

You're being way too literal. Technically you are correct, but let's use my experience with the 1er for example. It was easy
enough to find a dealer that had a 135 M-sport vert with DCT to test drive. Even though that particular vehicle didn't have
some of the items that I "custom" ordered when I had it built, the car was hardly surprising to me in any way, shape or
form when I took delivery...other than how surprised I was at how quickly I fell totally in love with it!

[gr997s]

Bought my new 911 on line.

[JimD]

I had never driven a 1 series convertible with a manual transmission when I bought mine (ordered mine). I had driven a 128i convertibles but they were automatics. I also drove a 3 series coupe with the n52 motor and a manual transmission. This was as close as I could get. When I was ready to buy, I asked for offers over email and I went to the dealer I purchased from after we settled on price and schedule to give them a check and sign the purchase agreement.

I've purchased several new cars what I would now call "the old fashioned way". I bought a Hyundai Elantra for my daughter in 2008 and my vert in 2009. If there are lots of cars on the lot, the old fashioned way isn't bad. There were two Hyundai dealers in my area so some competition which helps. But the key thing to getting a good deal was having pricing information I got over the internet. We had to do the normal "you name a price" garbage and I had to walk out once but we got there. Email was much more pleasant and to get competition for a bimmer around here you almost have to do it this way, there's only one dealer in town.

I need to sit in a car and make sure it fits and I really want to drive at least something close to what I am buying to be sure before spending the kind of money that even an Elantra costs. That may have been the point of the OP. How you get to the right price is a separate topic from getting to a decision on what you want - at least it is to me. I also needed to see convertibles to decide what type top I wanted (black or moonlight).

Jim