Buying a vehicle the “webcarsandtrucks” way is a new experience for most people. Here is a list of the most common questions we are asked. If your question isn’t answered here, please give us a call at 805-596-0258 and we’ll do our best to answer it!
The Process
Why Buy This Way?
Four reasons: Price, Choice, Convenience and Integrity.
Price — Our prices are consistently lower than what you’d find on a sales lot. We work hard to buy our vehicles at a good price, we have very low overhead, and we price our vehicles very near Kelley Blue Book wholesale. Here are some examples:
- Volvo XC90 — at wholesale!
- Ford F-150 — at wholesale!
- Ford Taurus SES — $1,525 under wholesale!
- Toyota Tacoma SR5 — $575 over wholesale! ($3,100 under retail!)
Choice — We have access to thousands of vehicles each week, and can search nationwide to locate what you want. This means that, unlike most dealerships, we don’t buy a car and then try to convince you that it’s the right car for you. Rather, you are in the drivers’ seat, and you pick the car!
Convenience — Save yourself the time and hassle of searching. We will do the work, and find the vehicle you are looking for.
Integrity — We have been selling vehicles in San Luis Obispo for nearly 10 years, and have a proven track record, so our customers can buy with confidence. Additionally, we gladly provide a complimentary CarFax Vehicle History Report with each vehicle we sell, so our customers can see the vehicle’s history.
What Are The Disadvantages?
There are no disadvantages! You pick the vehicle, you set the price, you always have final approval, we do the work!
Why Would I Buy A Vehicle Sight-Unseen?
This is a really common question. While it’s true that you don’t “kick the tires” before you commit to buy, it’s not completely sight-unseen.
Each vehicle we look at comes with a very detailed Condition Report, complete with pictures, options, any damage, and even tire tread wear! We are able to send these reports to our customers several days before the sale, and can call the sale with any additional questions.
We work very hard to give you a complete and accurate description of the vehicle, so you will know exactly what you are getting, with no surprises.
Every vehicle we buy also receives a Post-Sale Inspection, to verify the mechanical and frame condition. We also supply a complimentary CarFax report.
What If I Don’t Like The Vehicle You Bought?
You will, because you specify exactly what you want! One of the purposes of the Sales Agreement is to provide, in writing, a detailed description of what you want. This is for your protection; if we buy a vehicle other than what you specified or authorized you are not obligated to buy it.
You have to ask yourself, “Why wouldn’t I like it?” Let’s look at some of the possibilities:
What if it’s not mechanically sound (engine problems, trans problems, etc)?
We do not buy vehicles that aren’t in good shape mechanically. The sellers are required to disclose any problems, and we have the vehicles thoroughly inspected to weed out any problems.
What if it’s been wrecked?
We run a CarFax report to ensure that there are no title brands or any accident history.
We cannot guarantee that a vehicle has never been wrecked. If it has never been reported, there will be no record, anywhere, of the accident. However, we can ensure that there is no frame damage, which is not always the case with other dealerships or private party transactions.
The sellers are required to disclose any frame damage, and we simply do not buy frame-damaged vehicles.
What if the exterior is in poor shape (scratches, rust, etc.)?
We don’t buy vehicles that have not been well-cared for.
We work hard to describe every scratch on the vehicle to you. If the car is not what we have described to you, you are not obligated to buy it.
What if it’s not really the make/model I want?
It’s your responsibility to make sure that you know what you want before you tell us to buy. If we buy the vehicle you specify, you are obligated to buy it.
This is one reason we collect a deposit: to make sure that you are serious, and that you know what you want.
We value your long-term business, and want to have you as a delighted customer for years to come. That can only happen if we buy the highest-quality vehicles, so that you are pleasantly surprised when you see it!
THE VEHICLES
Where Do Your Vehicles Come From?
The vehicles we see fall into several categories:
- Lease Return — The majority of the vehicles we buy are lease return. That means that they are late-model (usually 3 or 4 years old), they have low miles (approx. 12,000/yr), they have been well cared-for, and are being sold directly from the manufacturer (Toyota, Honda, Ford, etc.), or the finance company (Chase, etc.). We like lease returns because the overall quality is superior.
- Rental — Rentals share many of the same characteristics as lease return vehicles. They are late-model, and have been serviced regularly. They typically have higher miles than lease returns, and therefore sell for a little less.
- Repossession — These are typically very new, with very low miles. Sometimes we will find a repo that’s older, with unusually low miles.
- Dealer Consignment — We seldom buy these. They are usually vehicles that have been traded in towards a new car, and are often in rough condition. They typically have higher miles. We occasionally come across consignment cars that are in outstanding condition, and can be excellent values for the customer looking for an older vehicle.
How Do You Ensure They Are High-Quality?
First, we buy from reputable sellers. The major companies are very good about (and are required to) disclosing any frame, transmission, engine, or odometer problems. We do not buy cars with these problems.
Second, most of the vehicles we buy have low miles and are still under manufacturer’s warranty.
Third, we have a thorough post-sale inspection performed on each vehicle we buy.
Finally, the CarFax Vehicle History Report shows us registration history, title brands, odometer rollback, and accident history.
THE DEPOSIT
Why Is A Deposit Necessary?
Several reasons. First, we want to make the best use of our time and resources. It costs several hundred dollars in time and travel expenses to research and purchase one vehicle, and we want to focus our efforts for customers who are serious about buying.
Second, if a customer changes his mind in the middle of the search process, we have already incurred expenses searching for his vehicle. We need to be able to recover some of those expenses, to keep our prices down.
Finally, we want to ensure that our customers don’t get “cold feet” after we’ve purchased a vehicle for them. Unfortunately, we have purchased vehicles for people who have simply backed out (after assuring us they’d buy the vehicle), leaving us stuck with the vehicle. We then incur the costs of advertising this vehicle, ultimately driving up costs for everyone.
Is The Deposit Refundable?
Yes, with interest, provided the terms of the agreement are honored. See The Fine Print, below, for details.
THE FINE PRINT
There isn’t much! We try to keep things as simple as possible. These are the terms of the webcarsandtrucks Sales Agreement:
This is an agreement to hire webcarsandtrucks.com to locate your vehicle. Please read carefully:
- We will find the car you have specified in this agreement. If the vehicle we purchase is different from what you have specified in writing, you are not obligated to purchase it.
- If we fail to find your requested vehicle within 30 days, your deposit will, at your request, be refunded with interest.
- If you cancel this order, you must notify us immediately. We will refund your deposit minus expenses we have incurred.
- If you fail to notify us of cancellation, and we buy a vehicle that meets your specifications, you are obligated to buy that vehicle.
- All vehicles are sold AS-IS, and there is no warranty, expressed or implied, other than any applicable remaining factory warranty.
- Extended warranties may be available at our cost.
Still have questions? Please call us at 805-596-0258 and talk with us! Otherwise, what are you waiting for? Get started by requesting a no-obligation quote!
