Drivers Can Now Get More than Just Car Insurance Online

While drivers have long known that they can find good bargains shopping for car insurance online, General Motors recently announced a promotion that could result in more of them shopping for vehicles online as well. While drivers have long known that they can find good bargains shopping for car insurance online, General Motors recently announced a promotion that could result in more of them shopping for vehicles online as well.

This week, GM announced a new partnership with eBay Motors that will allow consumers to purchase new cars and trucks from participating dealers in California until September 8. According to the automaker, consumers can browse from as many as 20,000 vehicles available from 225 California GM dealers, while also arranging financing for such purchases, negotiating prices and asking for information from sales professionals. "As the dealer showroom expands from the parking lot to the laptop, this makes it easier for a customer to browse available new-car inventory, make an offer, buy it now, or send a message asking for more information from a dealer - all at the customer's convenience," said Mark LaNeve of GM.

The program is likely to be a sign of things to come for consumers, since GM also cited a J.D. Power & Associates study which found that 75 percent of consumers who bought new vehicles in 2008 used the Internet to help in the research as well as shopping, up from 70 percent in 2007. Consumers have increasingly shopped for car insurance online in recent years, so shopping for vehicles online comes as little surprise.

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