We’ve been talking about how the auto analyst firm TrueCar is providing online pricing services to many thousands of American car buyers. A new press release out Monday shows that the company is now teaming up with the American Automobile Association or AAA in many regions of the country to get this new pricing tool out to as many individual drivers and families as possible.
As many of America’s cash-strapped consumers are still pondering upgrading to a newer set of wheels, it’s important for them to be able to get access to the best pricing information out there. TrueCar, which bills itself as “the only transparent publisher of real-time new and used vehicle pricing in the U.S. market” is partnering with AAA organizations to show prospective car buyers what other people already paid for their vehicles. These prices, which get reported to TrueCar in real-time from thousands of American car dealers, are called “transaction prices” and they provide a very handy reference for those who are preparing to negotiate with car dealerships. In the past, many buyers used blue book values as a reference, and that’s not a bad idea. The thing is that transaction prices dial in actual current values more effectively than blue book values, because they represent the real price offers that are being made on dealer’s lots at any given time, and since these numbers can change pretty quickly, getting the best new information is key when it comes to saving money on a car purchase.
In addition to having a simple online presence, TrueCar is also accessible through new social media like Twitter and Facebook. If you’re considering a new or used car purchase in the near future, find these unique pricing tools online or through your local AAA chapter in order to get the best tools for setting your own price at a local dealership. Making sure that you get the best model pricing is a critically important part of preparing to buy a car. Another key element is to make sure you know what financing interest rates are getting offered according to your area, you credit score, and the current market environment, including the prime lending rate, which in today’s market has been slashed to some of the lowest rates in recent history. Don’t let dealers pad the interest rates of your financing agreement. Shop around and see what other third-party lenders offer in order to buy your next car for less.
