Forget driving from dealership to dealership or threatening to walk out on a used car deal. A new website lets you use your smartphone to check whether your local used car dealer is trying to get you to pay too much.
While we programmed a similar app -- a post-it note marked "YES" that you can stick on your screen whenever you have a similar question with such an obvious answer -- the folks at Carsala actually used some data to back up their decision-making tool. Just enter the VIN and the price that your dealer is asking, and Carsala will instantly do the homework you should have done before you left the house.
"By using the Price Checker on your iPhone, you can actually evaluate the price of the individual used car you are considering, on the dealer’s lot," Carsala CEO Tyler Elliston said. The site will tell you whether to hold 'em, fold 'em, walk away or run.
Or, if things get really tricky, Carsala will let you call in backup.
If your salesperson doesn't budge even after you tell the manager that your phone says Tricky Ricky's Used Oldsmobile Superstore has the same car for $800 less, you can opt into Carsala's team of professional negotiators who will contact on average 20 additional local dealers to get a better price. For a fee, they'll even arrange to have a mechanic inspect it for you.
While the website is free, the professional negotiators charge a commission equal to 15 percent of the difference between the price you pay and the Kelley Blue Book value. For those who would rather spend their time on more noble pursuits than trying to convince a salesperson you'd rather not take out a 72-month car loan, it seems like a good deal.
We tried out the site and found it to be pretty user friendly. While it didn't have any recommendations on pricing for that '87 Renault Alliance we had our eyes on, it did let us know that a Prius on a local dealer's lot had a price that merited four out of four stars -- a great deal. Plus, were a dealer to pressure us to take it home today just in case we couldn't find another, Carsala also told us to cool our jets -- according to the site, Priuses are a dime a dozen on used car lots.
Photo: Flickr/Robert Couse-Baker. Carsala lets you know whether that used car you've got your eye on is a good deal, right from the dealership floor.
