[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/online-car-buying\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/online-car-buying\/","headline":"Is the future of car-buying online?","name":"Is the future of car-buying online?","description":"They say buying a car is the second most important purchasing decision an adult can make, after choosing where to live, and it\u2019s probably true. Motorists typically go to extraordinary lengths when shopping for their next car. Research from 2015 found that used car buyers on average spend 27 hours researching a vehicle, travel 48 miles and attend four viewings before parting with their cash. The sad thing is that even after all this groundwork, many still regret their purchase […]","datePublished":"2016-12-08","dateModified":"2017-01-24","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/matthew-collett\/#Person","name":"Matthew Collett","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/matthew-collett\/","identifier":5,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/64eca1152247aa111ace79ff1c03782b175df9dc21d2092364ff21e1cf5e38fa?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/64eca1152247aa111ace79ff1c03782b175df9dc21d2092364ff21e1cf5e38fa?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/feature-10.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/feature-10.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/online-car-buying\/","about":["BLOG"],"wordCount":601,"keywords":["Car buying","Fiat","Fiat 500","hyundai","hyundai i10","Online shopping","tesla"],"articleBody":"They say buying a car is the second most important purchasing decision an adult can make, after choosing where to live, and it\u2019s probably true.Motorists typically go to extraordinary lengths when shopping for their next car. Research from 2015 found that used car buyers on average spend 27 hours researching a vehicle, travel 48 miles and attend four viewings before parting with their cash.The sad thing is that even after all this groundwork, many still regret their purchase – almost seven in ten actually, according to a survey of 1,000 drivers conducted by online used car seller Carspring.Click to buySo with this level of personal investment – both time and financially – would you ever buy a car with the click of a button?Well, from 2017, you will be able to when Hyundai launches its \u2018Click To Buy\u2019 service.This means that customers will be able to purchase a brand new car in about five minutes through Hyundai\u2019s website. No showroom, no forecourt, no salesperson, no haggling, not even a test drive – it sounds about as simple as ordering a new duvet set through Argos.Once ordered and paid for, the new car can be delivered to a nearby Hyundai dealership for collection or delivered to your home for a fee. So, technically, it\u2019s possible to buy a new car without getting out of bed.Those buying on finance – which is almost everyone (around 94 per cent apparently) – have to drop by a dealership to sort out payment plans, while those part-exchanging would have to whizz their old wheels round first.Hyundai\u2019s Click To Buy website launches on January 6th, 2017, and only the i10, i20, i30, Tucson and Santa Fe will be available through it initially. Other models like the electronically-fueled Ioniq will be added later in the year.Discounts without dealersFor some time, going online was the only way you could buy a new Tesla in the UK. It\u2019s only in the past couple of years that the electric car manufacturer has opened bricks-and-mortar showrooms, and even then, they\u2019re more like futuristic retail stores in the vein of Apple.Meanwhile in Italy, you can buy a new Fiat 500, 500L or Panda through Amazon, with a third off the retail asking price in certain cases.It\u2019s not as self-contained this time though because buyers have to visit a dealership to complete the purchase, but is it another nail in the coffin of car showrooms?Most likely. With the possibility of a hefty discount, it seems fair to assume that there would be plenty of motorists ready to ditch dealerships, especially when it comes to cars as innocuous as the Fiat 500 or Hyundai i10 – safe models where you know what you\u2019re getting.We\u2019ve already seen it on the high street with shoppers opting to buy online, leading to the demise of certain chains. What\u2019s not to say this could happen in the car industry?Personally, there does feel something reductive about the online car-buying process.Buying a new car should be a memorable life event, not the extent of your wedding or the birth of your first child, but there are stats to prove that cars are a major part of our life.Cars may be little more than a means of getting to and from work to some people, but people keep a new car for a considerable amount of time, six years on average, while the vast majority plan on keeping their car for ten years of more.Doesn\u2019t it deserve a little more respect and consideration than just clicking \u2018buy now\u2019?"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Is the future of car-buying online?","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/online-car-buying\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]