Autonation.com: Unless You're Close to one of it's Dealers, Forget it!
Written: Feb 10 '02 (Updated May 10 '05)
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Searching for a vehicle can be a time- consuming task if you’re not sure what you want, but with the growth in popularity of the internet, the search is becoming easier and easier all the time. Several well- known web services have been created to assist the buyer with the decision making process of finding a vehicle. One such site is autonation.com, an on- line retailer of new and used cars.
Features of This Service:
From the main page of this web site, you can quickly conduct a search for a new or used vehicle by specifying either a make and model, or a body size. You then enter a zip code, and click on the search icon, to look for matching vehicles.
If a matching vehicle is found, it will display on the next screen, showing you the year, make, model, trim, mileage, and the distance from your zip code to the dealership where the vehicle is located. If you want, you can click on the model description and you will then be taken to another screen where you can view the specifics of the vehicle, the dealership that has the vehicle in stock, and the phone number to call, for more inquires. You can also get a no haggle price quote, but it will require that you enter your e-mail address, and then wait for a response.
Other Services:
There’s more to do in this site than just lookup cars for sale. Some of the other helpful features include the following:
Reasearch- If you want to find out more about a specific line of car, you can check this section for information. All you need to do is select a make and model, then a trim level (if applicable) and you will be presented with an overview of the vehicle, options, features, and other important specifications.
Also included in this area are estimates on trade- in values of used cars; interior and exterior, 360- degree views of vehicles; vehicle reviews; and a comparison tool that allows you to measure up one vehicle against another.
Finance and Insurance:- In this section, you can apply directly for financing, compute monthly payment amounts, and learn all about the different types of insurance that are available. There’s also a quiz to take that will help determine whether or not you should buy or lease your next vehicle.
Info Center- This is a simple listing of frequently asked questions and the corresponding answers. Topics like pricing, trade- in values, and financing are addressed in this area of the site. There’s also a toll- free number to call (The Autonation Corporate Offices), to get more assistance.
Build Your Dream Car- With this feature, you begin by entering your desired make and model, and then your zip code. You will then be asked to select the options that you would like, colors, etc. If there is no Autonation dealer in your vicinity, then you will be linked into an affiliate site called autoweb.com. If autoweb.com cannot find a matching vehicle, it will instruct you to enter your name, address, and e-mail and they will get back with you, when a match is found.
Final Thoughts:
Autonation.com is a weak web service. Compared to other vehicle- related internet sites, this one is lacking in many areas. First and foremost, if you’re searching for a vehicle that’s not available from an Autonation dealership, it will respond with “Autonation does not have any (Chevrolet, Nissan, Pontiac, etc.) dealerships in your area”. If you want, you can then link into autoweb.com, but this is still lame. With other automotive sites, you can get all the information you need, right from within the site.
With the “build your own vehicle” and the interior/exterior pictures sections, similar problems and frustration await you. If the vehicle you want is not available from an Autonation dealer, you will have to link into autoweb.com to find it. Also, the pictures section is too limited. I pulled up several vehicle makes and models, hoping to see some photos, but I discovered that many of them, in fact the majority of them, are not listed. For example, if you select Buick from the list, the only model available to view pictures is Le Sabre, even though Buick offers at least 7 different models. This section is incomplete.
The other features of the site (like financing, price quotes, etc.) are ok, but they are nothing special. I have used other automotive sites that have better web site functions for all of these areas.
Autonation.com is inadequate, and it needs to be improved. There are not enough Autonation dealers in the country to limit the search functions to only those in the Autonation network. I found myself getting frustrated with this site, because most every vehicle that I tried to locate could not be found, because of the lack of Autonation dealers. They need to expand this site, to include vehicles from more dealers.
I also don’t like the way the site will just link you into autoweb.com, if it cannot serve your needs. I guess it’s better then nothing at all, but if I wanted to use autoweb.com, I would have just bypassed autonation.com completely.
In short, autonation.com is a web service to avoid. There’s some useful information to be found here, but there are too many empty holes to earn my recommendation. Don’t waste your time with this inadequate automotive web service.
Be Sure to Click the Links Below to Read More Reviews on Related Web Sites:
Cars Direct.com
Autoweb.com
Invoice Dealers.com
Discount Tire Direct.com
Car Prices.com
Carmax.com
Cars.com
Pricequotes.com
Recommended:
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