Once upon a time, car shopping looked very different than it does now. Car buyers would read magazines and consumer reports, go into several dealerships, and test drive different models until they found “the one.” The internet has changed the car buying process with online reviews for dealerships and models as well as online auto loan services like Approved Loan Store. Aside from test drives and signing the deal, consumers can pretty much go through their entire car shopping experience before they even set foot in the dealership.

For the most part, we at Approved Loan Store like this development. We are constantly striving to make the car buying process simple, even for consumers with difficult credit situations. Unfortunately, some consumers are cutting out an important step in the car buying process: the test drive. A recent study from Maritz Research shows that 11.4 percent of car buyers in 2012 did not take a test drive before purchasing the car. Out of the buyers who did take a test drive, nearly 10 percent scheduled the test drive online.

What does this mean? Well, over 1 in 10 consumers relied entirely on online reviews, word-of-mouth, or previous experience with the car such as a rental. They didn’t get behind the wheel of the car before buying it. While we are all for a quick-and-easy car buying experience, we at Approved Loan Store find this trend a bit distressing. We would rather see car buyers trying a vehicle out instead of completely relying on someone else’s word. Besides that, different drivers have different needs, and that is why a test drive is so essential. A mini-van or SUV might seem huge to a single person or a couple, but a family with young children might notice after a test drive that the back seat on the particular model doesn’t fit comfortably with several car seats and a diaper bag. By skipping the test drive, a car buyer could end up paying for the wrong car.

With Approved Loan Store, we want to get you into the car that is right for you at terms you can afford!  Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and come in to take a test drive and meet with our special finance representative! Also, you can keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

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