Shopping For A Car Just Got Easier

When you're in the market for a new car, finding the information you need to negotiate the best deal usually requires a lot of legwork. Typically, it's meant driving from dealership to dealership, checking the blue books in your local library, and digging for deals in the Sunday newspaper. Thanks to the Internet, those days are over, and a lot of the homework can be done online.

If you already know the make and model that you want, you can visit the manufacturer's web site for price quotes, financing options and other information. If you haven't reached that point of the decision-making process, surfing the manufacturer's sites could still take a lot of time and effort. National City recently introduced a new feature, NCAutoChannel that helps streamline this entire process and offers valuable automotive information. It's the nation's first bank-sponsored automotive shopping site available to consumers that combines Internet technology with a network of 4,000+ auto dealers.

"Our goal is to provide the right car at the right price from the right dealer, right now," says Jeffrey Siler of National City Corporation. By partnering with their dealers, National City has created an open marketplace where consumers have the ability to easily find information on a variety of vehicles, compare the manufacturer's suggested retail price to the dealership's price, and then find a local dealer to help them with the purchase.

If you've ever been in the situation of buying a car, you understand that when it comes to negotiating, information is power. At NCAutoChannel.com, you can request a quote from up to three dealers in your area, determine the value of your trade-in, and even calculate your loan payments. This is exactly the type of information you need to be armed with before attempting to strike a deal with the dealership. If you walk into the dealership with an unrealistic expectation, chances are that you won't be happy with the outcome.

"Dealers want to sell cars and make a reasonable profit. If you make a reasonable offer, they'll be likely to take it," explains Mark Dubis, who works in National City's Dealer Finance division. While he currently oversees the AutoChannel, he is quite familiar with the dealership world having worked in various positions at three large dealerships. "If you do your homework, know the value of a new car and the fair market value of your trade-in, you?ll be able to negotiate a deal that everyone can live with."