Sep07
MORE LEASETRADER.COM DRIVERS GET CARS WITHOUT TEST DRIVING THEM FIRST
Low Commitment & Online Shopping Technology Raise Level of Comfort
MIAMI – (September 07, 2011) – Would you get a car without ever driving it first? Internet car shopping has been around for a while now, but the number of people car shopping without a test drive appears to be on the rise. LeaseTrader.com, the most recognized name in car leasing, says about 6.5 percent of all lease takeovers today happen blindly, compared with less than 3 percent in 2007.
“The fact that this segment for us has more than doubled in a short amount of time says people are taking advantage of some wonderful online technology that can eliminate the need to check out the car in person,” said Sergio Stiberman, CEO and founder of LeaseTrader.com. “In addition to more overall exposure with online shopping for big-ticket items, many auto websites today provide you with a great virtual experience from designing the car to even seeing how it handles.”
Prior to 2007 the majority of blind lease takeovers on LeaseTrader.com happened with foreign vehicles such as the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C230. Today, however, domestic vehicle leases have closed a significant amount of the performance gap and people are more comfortable with committing to a Ford, Lincoln or GM vehicle without ever sitting inside or stepping on the gas peddle.
Popular lease models that have been taken over by drivers recently who say they never drove them beforehand include the Toyota Rav-4, Lexus IS 250, Volkswagen Jetta, Lincoln MKX, Ford Edge, Chevy Equinox and Cadillac CTS.
Percentage of blind takeovers since Sept. 2010
“I’m really not too concerned about getting the car and then not liking it because I’ve done plenty of homework on the vehicle ahead of time,” said Chris Garrison, a Michigan resident who recently used LeaseTrader.com to grab a Chevy Equinox. “It should also be pointed out that the car came with just 14 months remaining on the contract, so I’m comfortable making this move with such little commitment.”
This story posted by LeaseTrader.com, the automotive service company that lets people transfer out of their Car Leases early. If you're looking to swap a lease or transfer out of your car lease, please visit www.leasetrader.com