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Ready Set Car - Consumer access to wholesale?

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Todd Caputo

Todd Caputo

8 Pounder Veteran
Feb 9, 2012
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Todd
#1
anyone out there seen this?? www.readysetcar.com

I am not too happy about doing business with Manheim anymore after seeing this...

How Does Ready Set Car Work?

Ready Set Car provides you access to view wholesale auction inventory- which means you see it here before a dealer buys it at the auction and puts it on their lot for retail sale. The cars on the site are real and so are the amazing savings. All you have to do is browse through the inventory, choose the car you love, then you select a dealer to work with to help you buy it. We have established relationships with trusted dealers who are experts at navigating the auction marketplace and can help you get the best possible auction price. - Ready Set Car, A Cox Automotive Company
 
#2
Todd, you can even follow them on Twitter! @readysetcar

Take a look at these potential savings!!

Screen Shot 2015-06-13 at 3.28.39 AM.png

This is a mess. I would venture to say that the actual end experience the customer will receive from this perceived savings of a lifetime opportunity will be a colossal FAIL.

Is the price I see the price I pay?
We list the Estimated Auction Price. This is the price a vehicle is expected to sell for at the auction. The actual price could be above or below this number. The dealer you work with may add additional fees to this price such as auction and transportation fees, service fees, tag and title fees and taxes.

Is there a guarantee I will get the car I want?
No, these cars are at the auction and as you will see are priced below retail. So they are in demand. Your selected dealer will work with you to establish a maximum bid price to help you get the car you want at a price you are comfortable paying. However, vehicles listed for auction may not be sold at auction, may be sold to another bidder, or may otherwise become unavailable for purchase.

Anyone that's been to a dealer auction in search to purchase a particular vehicle for either a customer, friend or family member will tell you (due to all the unknown and uncertain variables), it's typically a pain in the ass. A pain in the ass... and make no money.
 
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#3
GSA (Government Services Administration) hosts open auto auctions all over the country. These sales are attended by Dealers as well as the general public.

At these sales, 85% of the vehicles are purchased by dealers. The retail buyers are standing right there, and all they have to do is buy the vehicle for dealer cost. They know it is dealer cost because the dealer is who they are bidding against!

The retail buyer won't pay what the dealer will pay.

The only thing that I can see this doing is pissing dealers off. I can see dealers (Todd Caputo's post above) really giving Mannheim some heartburn over this. It is the principal of what they are doing that rubs me wrong, even though I don't see it working.
 
#6
Grant,

Those 2 issues are smaller than you think.

Nowadays it is much easier than it was to get financing at a local credit union or bank.

Businesses selling online are much better than before at making sure the description is accurate so there are no surprises and they get the sale.
 
#7
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#8
Jeff Kershner said:
I would venture to say that the actual end experience the customer will receive from this perceived savings of a lifetime opportunity will be a colossal FAIL.
Click to expand...

I agree with you Jeff. Many negative reviews are the result of inventory no longer being available when the consumer arrives or inaccurate inventory feeds. Consumers are too quick to accuse a dealer of "bait & switch" tactics when that happens. I don't think it matters how large and BOLD the font is on the disclaimer text, some consumers are going to miss that the dealer doesn't actually own the car when they are working with them.

Also, the VIN in the VDP is interesting to me. If I were in market for an 07 Tahoe like this one http://www.readysetcar.com/buy/2007-chevrolet-tahoe-lt/
I might just search for the VIN https://www.google.com/search?q=1GNFC13JX7R295181+&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
and head over to Devan Lowe http://www.devanlowegm.com/VehicleDetails/used-2007-Chevrolet-Tahoe--Fort_Payne-AL/2266486933
with an offer of $13,500.
 
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#9
Good point Ryan. I wonder how many consumers have searched by VIN numbers?

I encourage dealers to do this all the time. It's amazing what all you'll sometimes find out about your own inventory (mostly descriptions and pricing discrepancies across the listing sites. :)
 
#10
Chris Leslie said:
Just to bring a bit more awareness the scale of this..

These are all Cox Automotive Companies

Vehicle Finance:
http://www.coxautoinc.com/go-financial/

Vehicle Transport:
http://www.coxautoinc.com/ready-auto-transport/

Vehicle Assurance:
http://www.coxautoinc.com/dealshield/
(if they offer to dealers they can offer to people too)

Vehicle Reconditioning:
https://www.manheim.com/services/frontline_services?WT.svl=m_hdr_mnav_services_recon
(manheim's Retail Ready Program)
Click to expand...

A bit on the scary side... for dealers.
 
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