TrueCar

From CarDealerWiki

Revision as of 10:29, 6 December 2011

What Is TrueCar

TrueCar is a consumer web based car shopping tool which asserts that it can display the "true" prices that dealers have sold cars for in any local market. The service was formerly called ZAG.

According to TrueCar TV commercials, the consumer requests a price from local dealers and when a price is settled the consumer prints a price certificate to bring into the dealership. The dealership is supposed to honor this price but this may not always be the case.

Consumers who purchase a car through this service are not charged a fee. TrueCar will collect a fee from the dealer selling the car. Current, dealers are charged $299 per new car sold and potentially higher commission for used car sales.

TrueCar obtains the selling prices of previously sold cars through a variety of sources including data they extract from the dealers financial software system, called the Dealer Management System (DMS).

Is TrueCar A Scam?

Automotive Trainer Jerry Thibeau shares his opinion in this YouTube video about the TrueCar program. He also claims to have obtained email complaints from consumers who use this service, in the video below.

What Dealers Are Writing ABout TrueCar

Members of the Automotive Industry has expressed their concerns about the TrueCar platform. You can read some of the most popular discussion thread from their resources listed below:

• James Ziegler's Post "True Car and ZAG - Cyber Bandits or Good for the Business?

• Jeff Kershner's Post "Edmunds TMV vs TrueCar – Dealers, wake up!"
• Arlene Sawyers "Painter's vision: Sales with no sales staff"

In Defense of TrueCar

Here are resources and links to articles that are supportive of the TrueCar platform:

• [bslashc.com/2011/11/30/in-defense-of-truecar.aspx Arnold Tijerina]