A New Way to Car Shop - Carmigo

There’s a new app available… Carmigo.com

… no no, I know, rolled my eyes at first too, but nothing like it has existed before… talk directly to dealers, who are selling your exact car, in your area, in real time, without revealing your contact details, and all for free, forever.

It’s just coming out of beta testing in Ottawa, and available coast-to-coast. Both new and used cars are available (they partnered with Auto Trader,) and they’re on track to connect you to 5,000 dealerships and 200,000 used cars by October.

Built by a Canadian company, Carmigo is brought to you by Michael O’Connor and Shane Hambly, the same guys who opened up Canadian Black Book to the public (non car nerds: that was big deal, as in, it’s okay to invest in this app.)

Here’s how it works.

Basically, Carmigo simplifies a drawn-out and detail-oriented process.

Use either the desktop or mobile app (iPhone now, Android coming soon) start by building your car.

To demonstrate, let’s build my dream Audi RS 5.

1 – specify year / make / model / body type / price

2 – the year tab expanded. I choose 2015

3 – choose the colour. Colour is often a deal breaker, and a common feature many spend more on

It pulls real-time data from dealerships across the country, then organizes it based on how far you say you’re willing to drive.

Below, I say I’m willing to drive in a 200km radius from downtown for my RS 5.

You can send photos through the app – example, show the dealer the car you’re trading in – or receive a pic of the new car’s window sticker spec sheet.

And because all communication happens inside the app, the dealer won’t see your email or phone number #security

What to write to the dealer

One of the only times I’ll promote long-windedness! Be specific, direct, and details, lots and lots of details. Don’t say things “send me your best price,” no one takes that seriously.

I started you a list of talking points:

– how soon are you ready to take delivery
– do you have a trade-in, how much do you want for it, upload a photo
– what are your buying terms
– features and options or a colour you can’t live without
– features you’d like but aren’t 100% attached to
– lease or finance

No more endless emails, remembering dealer’s names, who is where and and how much he quoted you, instead you now have a massive paper trail.

For a barometer: the average user
speaks with 4 – 7 dealers before buying

The * above is the icing – both dealers and shoppers are rated on a 5-star system, accountability all around.

Buying a car can be daunting, so arm yourself with a information.

Here’s a few columns to help you: for bargaining power read Refresh VS Redesign, and remember to Review the Reviewers. The abundance of features can be overwhelming so here’s a Guide to Features, and sometimes the absence of the Littlest Features can have a huge impact. Don’t get caught up in the Autonomous Aids or Hybrid nonsense, there is no getting out of paying the Destination Fee, and confirmed, you still have to Break in a New Car.