Car-Buying Moves To The Internet

The car-buying world is becoming a much smaller place. Millions of Americans are turning to the Internet to find their next new car. <br><br>Chris Pautler of Tulsa prefers shopping on the Internet in

Sunday, September 12th 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The car-buying world is becoming a much smaller place. Millions of Americans are turning to the Internet to find their next new car.

Chris Pautler of Tulsa prefers shopping on the Internet in what he calls the new world of car buying.

"It takes distance out of the equation, you don't have to go anywhere," says Pautler.

Pautler recently bought a car and spent 90% of his shopping time on the Internet, researching, checking prices, and striking a deal.

"It wasn't the typical let me go check with my sales manager," says Pautler.

During his search he found autoweb.com, typed in what he was looking for, a price he wanted, and there it was, a dealership from Joplin, Missouri called a half hour later.

"We did everything on the phone, we didn't sign any contracts, we didn't fax anything," says Pautler.

He says the half-hour trip to finalize the deal at a honda dealership in Joplin, Missouri was worth the savings.

Bartlesville Car Dealer Mark Roberts says the Internet side of his business is booming. Roberts has recently shipped car to Cheyenne, Wyoming, Warenton, North Carolina and Anchorage Alaska. During the last two years, the site has sold more than a thousand cars to customers in 44 states.

"I am very surprised, it has done better than I thought it would," says Roberts.

Although it's easier to shop in the new world of car buying, Dealers and customers believe the old values of earning trust is still the key.