Why Can We Not Buy Cars Over The Internet?

Something Is Really Wrong

In the 21^st century, we consumers are still primarily buying cars through those obnoxious car dealerships. A commodity such as a car should be easily sold over the Internet. Why is, e.g., Amazon not selling cars directly?

How It Should Be

1.       Prices are easily comparable across all brands and makes nationwide and worldwide

2.       You order the car of your dreams over the Internet with all the options you like and it is delivered the next day to your doorsteps (little exaggeration ;-)). You don’t care the least where this car is made.

3.       Car dealerships, if you still need them, are there only for kicking the tires and for test driving.

4.       Car prices would be greatly reduced if the large numbers of useless middle men called car dealers are cut out

Let Me Guess Why

I am not an expert to know every detail about how car selling is organized in the US, but I have some hunches:

1.       The lobby of car dealers is very powerful in every state

2.       The Motor Vehicle Departments or state governments gain handsomely in revenues the way the consumer car market is currently organized. Car dealers and state governments are in cahoots to the disadvantage of consumers.

3.       The powerful automotive labor unions prevent more competition and reorganization.

4.       The US government prevents effectively the importation of cars from other countries. Why can I not buy a car made in, e.g. India or Brazil if I desire to do so?

Thus, it is no surprise that the consumer car market is so fragmented, overpriced etc. Like wine, cars cannot be sold cross state border over the Internet.