Motorists still won’t buy online, says Manheim

Motorists lack the confidence to buy a car online, research by Manheim Auctions has revealed.

Despite spending an average of 18 hours online researching a car before they make a purchase, taking the plunge and buying online is still a step too far.

Two thirds of motorists admitted they wouldn’t have the confidence to buy online, whilst 25% said that although they’d be happy to find a car and agree a price online, they wouldn’t part with any cash until they’d seen it.

“There is no question that the internet has become the primary research tool for motorists looking for a car,” explained Craig Mailey, marketing director, Manheim Auctions.

“But when it comes to actually buying online, without seeing the vehicle first, consumers are just not ready to take the plunge. Motorists are wary and despite the rise in the number of used car websites, we’ve found that consumers are not confident enough to make this sort of purchase online.”

He added: “As a search and research tool the internet is second to none and there’s a wealth of information out there. As well as the traditional car websites, motorists can also search the Manheim Auctions website or access the mobile version on their smart phones to see what vehicles are coming up for sale. It’ll help consumers to get a feel for the used car market as a whole and pick up a bargain.”

The study also showed that motorists spend hours trawling the internet researching their next car, looking at the best deals on the market, comparing makes and models on a variety of websites and checking out insurance, tax brackets and increasingly fuel consumption for vehicles. Over half of motorists even admitted to surfing car websites just for fun, searching for their ‘dream’.