Discovering the Best Auto Dealers Near You

Car dealers

They are the place where you buy your dream car and one that you may end up driving for the next 20 years.

Americans bought over 15 million vehicles in 2021 from the top car dealerships.

However, buying a car is a big responsibility and a big financial commitment. With that in mind, people should be looking for the top car dealers and the best car dealerships.

What should you look for in car dealers? What does it take to be the best car dealer?

This is your guide on how to find the best car dealerships.

Know What You Want

The first thing that you need to do before buying a vehicle is to know what type of car you want. Do you want a sedan? Do you want an SUV? Do you want a truck?

Do research on these classes and then start looking at cars within a certain class. Once you do this, you will see what car dealers have these available, and you can start to narrow down what the best car dealer would be for you in this situation.

To do this, think about what is a priority for you. You may need a larger SUV because you are driving your spouse and children around. You may need a truck because you want to drive off-road and be able to tow heavier objects. Or, you could just need a car with great gas mileage.

Plus, you need to figure out how much driving you are going to do. If your driving is more limited, you could try to buy a used car from top-rated used car dealerships. Top car dealerships will have certified pre-owned vehicles on their lot.

Or, maybe you want a classic car as a collector or just to look good? In this case, look up the best classic car dealers.

The top car dealerships should be able to meet whatever you may need, and the best car dealerships may even have all of these types of cars on the same lot.

The Right Price

The next thing that you need to figure out before going to car dealers is what you are willing to spend on a car. Be realistic about what you can spend on a car, and then look at what car dealers offer in your price range.

The best car dealer for you may be one with an abundance of options in your price range. Or, maybe top car dealers for you to have more inventory of a particular car that you want. The latter can help when it comes to negotiating a price for that car.

Do not be afraid to look into top-rated used car dealerships too for the right price. The truth is, some dealers are going to overcharge for these types of cars. Look into ones that offer a better value for the same car.

Next, you are going to have to test out your negotiation skills with car dealers. Sometimes, if you sell the car that you already have, that can help you get closer to the price that you want.

However, it may be difficult to get a deal even from the best car dealer or the largest car dealership in the world. This is because, in 2022, the average price of a car is over $48,000 from car dealers.

So, see who is the best car dealer when it comes to negotiating the price. And look for car dealers that allow you to trade or sell your car for a solid deal on your next vehicle purchase.

Inventory

Next, check to see what the inventory is for the top car dealers near you. The best car dealerships tend to make their inventory openly available on their websites for you to see.

Part of the inventory has to do with how the best car dealerships handle their car shipping. Are they shipping cars between dealerships? How often does the best car dealer ask for more inventory?

These are things that you have to take into consideration when it comes to car dealers. If you find that there is low inventory available at certain car dealers, you may as well not even bother showing up there.

See what the top car dealers in inventory are and maybe consider how much inventory the top-rated used car dealerships have.

Best Dealership Per State

How much does car shipping cost from one state to another? The thing is, there’s no way to tell you that without some extra information about your car transporter needs.

For example, the price of an auto shipment will depend on whether you want to use an open or enclosed car hauler. Enclosed car haulers can cost you a fair amount more than open car haulers when shipping cars across the country or even just across state lines. With that being said, you’ll also have to consider how far you have to ship a car. Obviously, a vehicle shipment from Southern California to Northern California will cost a lot less than direct express auto transport from California to New York.

Depending on the time of year you need auto shipping services, the car shipping route may change. For example, if the car transport driver needs to go through a mountain passage but it gets flooded or snowed in during certain times of the year, they’ll need to take a detour. Such detours and added work for your vehicle shipment driver means added car transportation costs.

Lastly, your military car shipping price will depend on how quickly you need to move a car. For instance, Planet Auto Transport has 3 tiers of service: economy, standard, and expedited car hauling service. Economy auto shipping is the slowest but the cheapest military auto shipping option, while expedited vehicle shipping is the quickest yet most expensive military car shipment option.

To get a better idea of how much of your moving budget you need to allocate to military car shipping, it’s always best to request a vehicle transport quote or two from different auto transport companies. Not only can you get a general idea of how much you’ll need to spend when shipping a car, but you can also be able to parse out the car shipping companies which charge unfair amounts for basic vehicle shipping services.

So how much is shipping a car? You’ll have to request a car shipping quote from the auto transport companies you’re interested in to find out.

Customer Service

Finally, consider what level of customer service the best car dealer is willing to offer to you. Are they offering anything to sweeten the pot and make you want to buy a car from their lot?

One simple example is to allow you to have free oil changes and tire rotations for your car for a certain time.

If the top car dealers want to take it a step further, top car dealerships may even offer free maintenance in their service area at the car dealership for the next few years.

Also, just consider how nice the people are that help you with this big transaction. Sometimes, a gut feeling from a customer is what can make the best car dealerships stand out.

This can help you find top-rated used car dealerships, and it may be a place where you feel comfortable enough to sell your car.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best site to shop for cars?

CarsDirect is our #1 pick for the best website to shop for cars right now. The simple interface of CarsDirect makes it easy to browse new and used listings from car dealers in your area. You can also check out listings from car dealers in other areas, secure low-credit or no-credit loans through a direct approval process, and check out customer-focused buying guides which will help you make a more informed purchasing decision. Other websites to consider include AutoTrader, AutoList, Cars & Bids, AutoTempest, and CarGurus.

What is the most popular car dealership?

If you’re looking to buy a car from branded car dealers in your area, the most popular options in the United States right now are as follows:

Toyota

Ford

Honda

GMC

Chevrolet

Ram

It all depends on what you’re looking for. Each of the five car brands above have a wealth of makes, models, and niche automobiles to choose from. Do you research and look for auto dealers with a good reputation in your area. It’s your best bet when it comes to turning the most popular car dealers into the best car dealers for you.

What car dealership sells the most cars?

While brick-and-mortar car dealers offer a personalized buying experience that’s unable to be duplicated, online car dealerships dominate the landscape when it comes to pure selling power. According to recent sales data, CarMax Inc. sells upwards of 800,000 new and used cars a year. That’s nearly 40 times the sales volume of the best-selling brick-and-mortar car dealers in the United States!

What company owns the most dealerships?

According to data from the 2021 sales year, Penske Automotive Group Inc. owns the most car dealers in the U.S. with 287. Lithia Motors Inc. owns the second most car dealerships with 278, followed by AutoNation Inc. (256), Group 1 Automotive Inc. (202), and Asbury Automotive Group Inc. (162) to round out the top five.

Which car company has the most dealerships in the US?

Ford has the most car dealerships in the United States right now with 2,990 car dealers across all 50 states. Chevrolet follows closely behind with 2,903, followed by Ram with 2,463 car dealerships. These three automotive titans account for nearly 40% of the branded car dealers in the U.S.

Who is the biggest car dealership?

Located in El Monte, California, Longo Toyota has a sheer size which puts other humongous car dealers to shame. With over 120 service bays and a 50-acre set-up, the only way to get a really good look at the entire property is through the air!

Compared to other car dealers, Longo Toyota makes an absolute killing when it comes to pure sales. According to recent sales figures, the car dealers at Longo sell about 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles per year.

Find the Best Car Dealer

These are factors that you need to consider when it comes to finding the best car dealer. Consider what inventory the car dealers offer, the level of customer service, the average prices on their lot, and what car you want.

If you do all of this, you should find the best car dealer for you in no time.

But what about transporting your vehicle to one? Whether you want to work with the largest car dealer in the world or a mom-and-pop standout, Planet has car shipping solutions tailored to your budget.

From shipping cars between dealerships to personalized door-to-door transport service for customers like you, Planet does it all at prices you can afford.

Message us today to find out how to get started.