Free CarWoo Car Buying Service & 75% Off Plus Service Plan

Said before saying it again. It would be a great service for people looking to buy an easily available car with financing, without any trade-ins. For any other transaction, it is horrible. Here is why, the system lets the dealers give offers for cars that are not in their lots, and cars that they can't really get in any way. So basically the idea is trying to give you the offer and make you take the trip and then pressure you to buying what they have. Second is, if you have a trade-in, then the offer you get doesn't really help as the discount the seller makes can easily be compensated by offering a low price for your trade-in.

Quote from demirhan13 : Said before saying it again. It would be a great service for people looking to buy an easily available car with financing, without any trade-ins. For any other transaction, it is horrible. Here is why, the system lets the dealers give offers for cars that are not in their lots, and cars that they can't really get in any way. So basically the idea is trying to give you the offer and make you take the trip and then pressure you to buying what they have. Second is, if you have a trade-in, then the offer you get doesn't really help as the discount the seller makes can easily be compensated by offering a low price for your trade-in.

I think you're incorrect about the car not being on the lot. That is one thing that separates Carwoo from a site like Truecar.com [truecar.com]. As I understand the service, the offers are based on actual VINs. You will receive an offer on a "Pearl White 2012 Mazda CX-9 Touring, VIN abcdefg". With Truecar, you get a "savings certificate" good for $x off of the sticker price, but no promise of a particular trim level or options.

You're right that a trade-in complicates the transaction (as does financing), but that's not something that CarWoo really tries to address. A good place to get started on a trade in (or used car sale) is Truecar's clearbook.com. There, you can find a price based on the black book. Depending on a number of conditions, you can get an idea of whether or not a trade-in offer is reasonable.

I used Carwoo last year when we bought my husband's car. We had 5 offers, one with a really great deal. The dealer was super easy to work with and there were no funny games like showing up with the offer and it suddenly becoming more expensive at the dealer, or the car not having all of the options requested (which happened to me with the shotgun method).

Quote from thelnel52 : I think you're incorrect about the car not being on the lot. That is one thing that separates Carwoo from a site like Truecar.com [truecar.com]. As I understand the service, the offers are based on actual VINs. You will receive an offer on a "Pearl White 2012 Mazda CX-9 Touring, VIN abcdefg". With Truecar, you get a "savings certificate" good for $x off of the sticker price, but no promise of a particular trim level or options.

I am 100% correct about the car not being on the lot. I've been offered 4 different Hyundai Veloster Turbo's that was not on the lot and was told that, they would be obtained from another dealer. I knew the exact status of the cars that left the port and the nearest car I wanted was in North Carolina and reserved before getting to the dealer.

The dealers are not required to give an actual VIN! They just write not on the lot, dealer trade and they are good to go to give the offer. This is something CarWoo has to fix about its system.

Quote from demirhan13 : I am 100% correct about the car not being on the lot. I've been offered 4 different Hyundai Veloster Turbo's that was not on the lot and was told that, they would be obtained from another dealer. I knew the exact status of the cars that left the port and the nearest car I wanted was in North Carolina and reserved before getting to the dealer. The dealers are not required to give an actual VIN! They just write not on the lot, dealer trade and they are good to go to give the offer. This is something CarWoo has to fix about its system.

I stand corrected. I don't know much about the Hyundai Veloster Turbo market, but it sounds like it's not a car that's particularly suited for the CarWoo/Carsdirect/Truecars of the world. If the dealer can sell it to someone else for $25k, he's not going to bend over backwards to sell it to you for $20k.

Quote from thelnel52 : I stand corrected. I don't know much about the Hyundai Veloster Turbo market, but it sounds like it's not a car that's particularly suited for the CarWoo/Carsdirect/Truecars of the world. If the dealer can sell it to someone else for $25k, he's not going to bend over backwards to sell it to you for $20k.

That's exactly the problem. Then they should go ahead and do that, instead of giving offers of $200 - $800 under MSRP.

Quote from thelnel52 : I think you're incorrect about the car not being on the lot. That is one thing that separates Carwoo from a site like Truecar.com [truecar.com]. As I understand the service, the offers are based on actual VINs. You will receive an offer on a "Pearl White 2012 Mazda CX-9 Touring, VIN abcdefg". With Truecar, you get a "savings certificate" good for $x off of the sticker price, but no promise of a particular trim level or options.

When I was shopping around for my CRZ last year, TrueCar only gave me results of dealers in the LA/San Diego Counties that had the vehicle in stock, in the trim, color, etc that I wanted. Of course it also showed other, but #1 was what I wanted and the others were BELOW. Yes, I did contact/visit many of the dealers and they all confirmed on their websites and phone that the one I wanted was IN stock. And the "cerficiate" was honored at the dealer I ended up getting the vehicle at, when even other DEALERS TOLD me they wouldn't based on the price. Not saying they maybe have changed how they do business, but I'd give them a shot to! Or else you just won't be a SD'r!

Quote from Hellion : When I was shopping around for my CRZ last year, TrueCar only gave me results of dealers in the LA/San Diego Counties that had the vehicle in stock, in the trim, color, etc that I wanted. Of course it also showed other, but #1 was what I wanted and the others were BELOW. Yes, I did contact/visit many of the dealers and they all confirmed on their websites and phone that the one I wanted was IN stock. And the "cerficiate" was honored at the dealer I ended up getting the vehicle at, when even other DEALERS TOLD me they wouldn't based on the price. Not saying they maybe have changed how they do business, but I'd give them a shot to! Or else you just won't be a SD'r!

You have a good point- since there's no cost to the consumer, really no major downside to trying out Truecar.com [truecar.com] alongside Carwoo.com [carwoo.com]. The only negative (outside of time, which shouldn't be a huge issue for most on a $20k+ purchase) is the fact that you're probably signing up for a handful of phone calls and email when you do truecar.

Quote from chuckywang : Really? Cause by emailing dealerships I was able to get $1200 below invoice for a factory order 2013 Impreza Wagon. You didn't read that wrong. $1200 below invoice, not $1200 below sticker. Do you work for CarWoo, since you use the term "we" to refer to them? Look, I'm not hating on your business if you do work for them. It's a snazzy site and my issue is not with your site, but with dealerships submitting their offers to me. I don't know how much say you have over dealership offers, but nobody that uses your site is looking to pay MSRP. The sooner dealerships recognize this, and makes competitive offers, the more business you will generate.

I wasn't being serious. Nor do I work for CarWoo. I was just making fun of slimy car salespeople.

When I bought my CRv, I got a better deal going to the dealer, too. But I went in with a strong hand at the end of the month, and I was able to negotiate with the GM. I ended up below Edmunds pricing on a popular model and Honda's captive buy rate was the best financing at the time.

Many people don't feel comfortable setting up such a scenario. For them, a buying service of some kind may very well be their best experience. Obviously CarWoo wouldn't be the best place to go if people are just getting MSRP quotes. It seems like it may come down to the particular market whether this is a good solution.

Quote from MySD012 : I used them, but never got offer of any kind from the dealers...

thats very likely to happen. It gets frustrating after few weeks?

Quote from thelnel52 : I think you're incorrect about the car not being on the lot. That is one thing that separates Carwoo from a site like Truecar.com [truecar.com]. As I understand the service, the offers are based on actual VINs. You will receive an offer on a "Pearl White 2012 Mazda CX-9 Touring, VIN abcdefg". With Truecar, you get a "savings certificate" good for $x off of the sticker price, but no promise of a particular trim level or options. You're right that a trade-in complicates the transaction (as does financing), but that's not something that CarWoo really tries to address. A good place to get started on a trade in (or used car sale) is Truecar's clearbook.com. There, you can find a price based on the black book. Depending on a number of conditions, you can get an idea of whether or not a trade-in offer is reasonable.

I want to chime in. Amongst all posts i read upto page 4 for this thread, your post here defy GRAvity.
You Claim one thing that separates Carwoo from a site like Truecar.com [truecar.com]. is that the offers are based on actual VINs As I understand the service, the offers are based on actual VINs.

CARWOO come back to EARTH.. dont live in carwooVILLE. I know you are only really interested in "surveys". YTou can statistically map the pro's and con's and come up with a better way of understanding what exactly to charge/importance/comments from buyers. You chose a place/forum like this to vent out your TRIALS.
In my previous quests over using CARWOO FOR MORE THAN 4 MONTHS IN TRYING GETTING A NEW CAR, this is what has happened?

a) When you are ready to reserve the car for their bid price, you find out the CAR IS SOLD. You talk about VIN#. you take that exact certificate to them locate the car on the inventory lot and go find the car yourself, and becoz they bid that car sooooo low, and you ask around at other dealerships what is the going price for this exact model and you come to realization that this car cant be sold at the price they are offering you; I have one such car dealership i have reserved the car for and guess what that dealerships answer remains? Hint: "S**d. But ican find you a very similar car give me sometime to find you one, can you take this color, would this feature/options be alright????? . In one case, the dealership actually knew the kind of car/features everything was not at all available on the lot and they were bidding for it accordingly. they actually knew the kind of car i wanted was with another dealership some 200+_mi away from their dealership and they would actually have to charge me more for TTL (Transport & Delivery). In so knowing, it was one of their internet managers who made this awfully low bid soo low that they would end up with upto 2k in losses if they agreed to
(CarWoo estimates of TTL, give or take $50) or they would have to trade-in one of their precious cars to get the car i bid on. T
At this time, they are now running back and forth to the manager to see how can they recover more than $2k in losses in making the bid thru CARWOO. Every other dealer i reported the price to said the dealership cannot afford to sell at that price.PERIOD. they made the bid alright. the Manager's name is OK. He is a INTERNET MANAGER, if anyone understands that term. And he confirms he made the bid.

So the claim that CARWOO bids come with VIN# is so false, they cannot actually back up their claim. CARWOO is a TRIAL & ERROR HIT OR MISS institution. Try & Try and you will succeed.
Anybody on either side is not liable or hold harmless for the bids they make or for the buyer he doesnt have to claim it.

So then the question becomes " why " bother with CARWOO.

I have found that CARWOO IS A GOOD INDICATOR of where a particular car will sell for & nothing more. Thier offers cant be trusted, their claims cant be trusted they have no say in holding either the buyer or the Dealership in contempt!!!!!!!!1...lol. I wouldnt ever pay a dime to find out their service if all i can get from them is "INDICATIONS" OF PRICE.


TOO MUCH DISAPPOINTED AFTER ATLEAST TWO DIFFERENT CAR TRIES AND TWO DIFFERENT REGIONS OF DEALERSHIPS .

CARWOO DOESN'T WORK!!!!!!! CARWOO DOESN'T WORK!!!!! CARWOO DOESN'T WORK!!!!! CARWOO DOESN'T WORK!!!!! CARWOO DOESN'T WORK!!!!! CARWOO DOESN'T WORK!!!!!

I recently used Carwoo about 3 weeks ago and had a great experience. I initially tried using Carwoo about 2 months ago to get a 2012 KIA Optima SX but never received any offers. I submitted another search for a 2013 Optima SX about a month or so later and ended up receiving 5 different offers. I was able to easily email back and forth and negotiate between 3 of the dealers and got the dealer closest to me down to about $700 below invoice before rebates. Ended up getting the car for $27k before TT&L (msrp $32,525).

All of the cars I was offered had a vin, and at least in regards to the car I ended up buying, the VIN matched what they submitted on the offer. The process was very simple and easy, and I enjoyed being able to walk into the dealer and not having to do any haggling. That being said, you could accomplish the same exact thing as Carwoo by emailing the dealers yourself directly. The benefit of Carwoo in my opinion, is that it consolidates all the offers and communication in the same area. It also keeps the dealers from having any of your information until you are ready to make a deal (although setting up a fake email would accomplish the same thing).

Quote from chuckywang : Dealers never gave me anything but MSRP through CarWoo ... was trying to buy a Subaru Impreza wagon.

Sorry to hear that you were not happy with the price the dealer offered. You do have the ability to use our CounterOffer functionality. CarWoo is an open marketplace for consumers and dealers. Dealer are in charge of the pricing that they offer.