Supercharge Your Search with AI at the Used Car Dealership

Posted Tuesday, Jul 04, 2023

The AI graveyard is filled with the corpses of Machine Learning (ML) and self-driving AI gone wrong. In the midst of all the buzz (and chaos) surrounding Artificial Intelligence has emerged an unlikely co-pilot in the used car buying process. Without further ado, let’s unbox how the hot-button trend helps you leave the used car dealership as a happy camper.

Power Your Search with AI

It seems that everything we do, from shopping online to finding out what’s hot on streaming platforms is powered by artificial intelligence algorithms. It is a fact that AI is transforming the way consumers find, engage and acquire whatever they need. Nowadays, AI that uses Natural Language Processing can easily give you an answer to almost everything and anything.

While these AI-driven platforms still have a ways to go to becoming HAL 9000 in ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (minus the homicidal tendencies), consumers can still harness its power to take away some of the confusion when buying another car. For instance, if you are interested in getting another car, ChatGPT can help you answer the all-important question; “Should I buy a new or used car in California?” or “What questions should I ask when buying a used car from a dealership?”

This makes tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT not just another buzzword, but an actual opportunity that can be leveraged with real-world experience by both the consumer and auto dealerships.

Shopping Experience Through Chatbots

Even with many new and used auto dealerships switching to digital, buying a car (new or pre-owned) has always been a largely “physical” experience. But, thanks to the advancements in Artificial Intelligence, consumers can now reach out to chatbots for guidance during every stage of the buying process.

From finding out the options at a used car dealership to comparing car financing services offered at the dealership and choosing the method of payment, chatbots powered with AI and natural language processing enables consumers to get the answers they want whenever they need it.

For the consumer this means, no longer having to wait for the office timings to phone a dealership whenever they need information. The use of AI-powered chatbots can help consumers find the specific car they need and all the useful information that goes along with it without having to email or speak to a salesperson doing away with the overwhelming feeling of information overload.

Narrow Down the Options

Not too long ago, the car-buying experience of a consumer involved having to make several trips to used car dealerships in town. Today, consumers have the opportunity to assess far more information from their personal devices without having to speak with a salesperson or visit a dealership. The advancement in AI has enhanced the consumer’s buying experience even further, putting the consumer in the driver’s seat.

Rather than having to spend hours and days trying to find the right vehicle for one’s needs, today, all you have to do is use an artificial intelligence chatbot to narrow down your search based on your needs and preferences.

This puts the consumer in complete control over the pre-purchasing stage of the buying experience; as in, finding out vehicle specifications, mileage, and other important information with just a few prompts. You can further narrow down your search for a used car by size, budget, trim and feature options. Using AI creates a personalized buying experience that you can take advantage of from the comfort of your home.

Customer Reviews and Feedback

Unlike asking a person, an AI-powered chatbot does not respond with an emotional or slightly skewed answer. AI chatbots are programmed to provide their answers based on cold, hard facts, which means, they will scour the internet and provide you with an answer on a particular automobile based on the user reviews and feedback submitted by other users.

Because of its remarkable potential, ChatGPT has received a lot of attention over the past few months, and rightly so. People have reported their experiences with using AI to automate things such as taking over their work obligations and choosing the right products that meet their specific needs. The technology is a great tool for acquiring insights on data that would otherwise be unavailable to individuals.

In short, AI chatbots such as ChatGPT can quickly and precisely analyze huge volumes of data, enabling buyers in uncovering pricing or availability patterns, as well as identify possible cost savings or deals that they would have missed out on otherwise.

AI is the Future of Your Use Car Buying Experience

We already mentioned how AI assistants can work for both consumers as well as used car dealerships. Car dealerships have traditionally depended on salesmen to educate consumers about their vehicles and assist them in making purchase decisions.

AI-generated ad material is one of the ways automakers use AI to help consumers with their searches. For instance, the automaker Kia Motors has also jumped on the AI bandwagon, using ChatGPT to produce car descriptions that are factual, brief, captivating, and personalized to each buyer's specific preferences.

Furthermore, it can help purchasers make more educated decisions by providing extensive product comparisons from other sellers or drawing attention to user evaluations and comments.

Ending Note

So, you’ve decided which used car you want. Congratulations! Now, all you have to do is go out and find it. If the thought of having to search through used car lots and choosing the right car financing fills you with dread, then it’s time to hire professionals who will do the legwork for you.

Founded in 2016, Inside Car Guys is a group of car dealership veterans & auto brokers in California. The company works closely with all of the major dealerships in Southern California, from Los Angeles County to Orange County and Ventura, along with San Diego and the Inland Empire.