Website offers car buying confidence

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Buying a new car can be a stressful process for anyone feeling insecure negotiating or knowing what really is a good deal.

A lot of websites offer assistance in searching for a vehicle but a relatively new domain helps consumers understand what their pocket book is getting into.

TrueCar.com keeps tabs on nearly half of all vehicle purchases made throughout the country. The site goes beyond providing average sticker or book prices; it tracks what real consumers actually pay for vehicles.

The data is gathered from dealer management systems, banks and other lenders.

The site also tracks demand trends for certain models of vehicles by how long the inventory sits on dealership lots giving buyers what Jesse Toprek, Vice President of Industry and Insights for TrueCar called negotiating power.

"When you walk in with no information at all [dealers] are going to try to naturally maximize their profit like any other business," Toprek said. "When you walk in equipped with the information it cuts down on the negotiating process."

According to Toprek educated consumers not only save time, they save money.

"You're saving on average probably five to ten percent on every car purchase and on a $30,000 car, we're talking $3,000. That's nothing to sneeze at," he said.

Each month, TrueCar pinpoints the best day to purchase a car based on dealer incentives expiring and MSRP. Toprek said Thursday, September 30 may not only be the ideal date of the month but it could be one of the best of the year. He said that is due to dealership incentive programs expiring and the arrival of 2011 models arriving on lots.

NewsChannel 15 contacted several Fort Wayne area car dealerships for comment on the impact of TrueCar.com, none of the phone calls were returned.