Internet car buying resources can help your business save money and time when purchasing cars. Additionally, they can provide you with valuable "cars for sale" advice and ratings that can help ensure that you buy exactly the right car for your company's needs and budget.

Buying cars for business involves making tough decisions that might make you want to turn everything over to automotive buying services. But you can get through most of the process on your own. Just make sure you complete the following steps as you begin your search:

1. Get general advice on traditional and Internet automobile purchasing and financing.

2. Learn how to deal with Internet car buying services.

3. And seek out unbiased ratings for new and used cars.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get expert advice before you begin traditional or Internet car buying

Before you visit dealerships or browse the websites of online buying services, you should get basic advice about purchasing a car. This includes how to pick the right model, how to figure out how much to spend and whether you should buy or lease.

I recommend: The website for Consumer Reports, published by Consumers Union of U.S., has a Car Buying Guide with excellent advice on a wide range of topics that include, car financing, pricing and insurance. The site also has information on trading in cars and how to handle yourself at the dealership. Kelley Blue Book has similar car buying advice on its website. Topics include financing, insurance, negotiating with the salesperson, buying certified pre-owned cars and how to select a car with a good resale value.

Make online automotive buying services work for you

Online car buying services will either sell you a car directly or give you multiple quotes from local dealerships that you can compare. Because the dealers work with the websites to provide discounts and the direct online sale eliminates the middleman, either method can provide you with significant savings, and make it worth it to buy a car online.

I recommend: Before you buy used cars online or buy new cars online, check out ConsumerNet. The website has solid advice on dealing with all types of online automobile buying services. Powersource Press has good advice on how to avoid scams and dealer tricks related to buying a car online.

Use unbiased ratings to drive your traditional or Internet car buying

Unbiased ratings are a great tool to help you select the car that will be right for your company's needs. The ratings typically compare reliability, fuel efficiency, performance and other factors. You should check out the ratings before you sign up for online car buying services or visit a local dealership.

I recommend: J.D. Power and Associates is a respected firm that has been providing honest information about products and consumer satisfaction since 1968. For another source of reliable ratings, check out Edmunds. The company provides unbiased reviews on dozens of new and used cars.

When you need another car for your business, access online automotive buying services before you walk onto the first dealership lot or talk to the first salesman. Leaving money on the table doesn't sit well with most business owners, particularly when profit margins are slim and you want the best deal possible. Not only can online automobile buying services save money on your next vehicle, but you'll save travel expenses, since you don't have to gas up your car to drive from dealership to dealership for quotes and viewing available car selections. You also save money when you shop insurance providers online through car buying services for competing quotes that can lower the price you ultimately pay.

A new car for your company may represent one of the largest purchases you make, so arm yourself with all the information you need for the best deal possible. Gain the following benefits with an Internet car buying service to:

1. Find out everything about a particular make and model using Internet car buying services.

2. Get free price quotes through an online car buying service.

3. Shop for competing insurance quotes through an Internet car buying service.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy a car online for company use

You can buy new cars online, and you can buy used cars online, too, without stepping one foot on a dealer's lot.

I recommend: Start your search for a new or used car at CarsDirect, the first online car buying service to let you purchase direct from them online, match to a dealer near you, and find you the used car you want. Their comprehensive services include numerous online research tools and financing via loans and leases. Also check out The Auto Buying Service for Internet automobile purchasing through their website, where you can order, buy and finance your car, as well as purchase gap insurance or extended warranties.

Go direct to a manufacturer to buy new cars online

If you know exactly what vehicle you want, you can also head straight to the website for that make of car.

I recommend: Visit Southeast Toyota Distributors to build and price your own car, locate a dealer and find out how many vehicles are available in your region. At Ford Direct, you can choose from Ford, Lincoln and Mercury and then build or locate your next vehicle. Chevrolet fans can also build and price their next car, compare vehicles, request quotes, receive trade-in appraisals and make use of their calculators and GMAC credit application. If you love Nissans, build your own Nissan at NissanUSA.com.

Get price quotes from an online automobile buying service

Researching and getting quotes on cars through online automotive buying services can save thousands on your next purchase.

I recommend: Go to PriceQuotes.com for quotes on the new or used car you want; they can also provide quotes for your auto insurance and warranties, too. Research different cars at CarsBelowInvoice.com. Once you find the car you want, select the make/model and type in your zip code at CarsBelowInvoice.com; they'll provide you with the invoice price of that car and contact information for local dealers so you can negotiate the best price possible when you work with a salesman. At Cars.com, you can research different new and used cars, compare vehicles side by side, figure your loan rates and payments with their calculators, look at Kelley Blue Book values and read car reviews.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Most online car buying services that provide quotes will first require you to submit your name, address, phone number and email address before you get the information you want. They'll forward that information to dealers, so make sure you're ready for those dealer calls before you release your personal information online.
• •  Some online car buying services don't offer local options, so you'll pay for shipping costs that could add up to another $1,000 or so to the car price.

Internet car buying is no different than traditional car buying when it comes to saving money on cars for sale. You still want to pay as little money as possible, and the dealer still wants to charge as much money as possible. The only difference is that an Internet car buying service has brought the two of you together.

Whether you are using online automotive buying services to buy used cars online or buy new cars online, you will have three main opportunities to lower the price. Those chances come when you:

1. Negotiate the new car's price with the salesman, in person or through the Internet buying service;

2. Trade in your old car when you buy a car online;

3. And negotiate financing for the purchase of a car through an online car buying service.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Lower the price you pay when purchasing through online car buying services

When you shop for a car online, you are connected to a dealer in your local area through a website. As part of the deal with the website, the dealer's initial offer is typically discounted, but that does not mean you can't independently try to talk the dealer down even more. For example, use several online automotive buying services to get quotes from several dealers, even dealers who are not in your immediate area. Then show the lower quotes to the local salesman, and tell him if he doesn't match the price, then you will buy your car somewhere else.

I recommend: Check out the excellent negotiating tips from Bankrate. Autoadvice reveals the sneaky stuff that some car salesmen try to pull, and it provides a glossary of industry terms so you'll know what the salesmen are talking about.

Get the maximum value when you trade in a car through automobile buying services

Internet car buying is just like traditional car buying when it comes to your trade-in vehicle. You want to get the most money for your trade, and the dealer wants to give you as little as possible. But you can gain an advantage by knowing how much your trade-in vehicle is worth. It's key to bring it to the dealership in good, clean condition and--most importantly--to not mention your trade-in vehicle until after you have agreed on a purchase price for the new car.

I recommend: For additional advice on how to maximize your trade-in vehicle's value, take a look at the tips from eHow. Edmunds also gives good advice on navigating the process of trading in a vehicle.

Purchase cars through fleet sales online

Automobile dealer fleet sales managers sell cars in quantity to business buyers at discounted prices, but will also work with individuals if approached directly or through middlemen. Corporate and government fleet managers sell used vehicles from their fleets, another source of bargains.

I recommend: Fleet Solutions is a broker for fleet dealers. Buy your next vehicle from Uncle Sam through the fleet sales department of the General Services Administration.

Don't forget to negotiate the financing when you are Internet car buying

By the time you haggle over the price of the new car and agree on a value for your trade-in vehicle, you might think you're done negotiating. But you're not. Dealers can make--and you can lose--a good deal of money off the car's financing. So don't forget, the Internet car buying process is not complete until you negotiate a good deal on the financing rate.

I recommend: Cars.com has an excellent article that reveals how car dealers use financing to make additional profits off a sale.