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Big Box? Nissan Note the First-Ever Car You Can 'Buy' On Amazon

cartechboy writes "You knew the day was coming when they started selling diapers. Amazon is now dipping its toe into car sales by selling a single car: the 2014 Nissan Versa Note. Amazon users hit a real live Versa Note product page, but instead of "Add to cart" you provide your ZIP code so Amazon can connect you with a nearby Nissan dealer. The first 100 Versa Note customers whose car purchases are initiated through Amazon receive $1,000 Amazon gift cards. Best part: Customers who end up actually buying the Note *will* receive them via boxed home delivery. Now, that's a big box." (The linked article says that "some" customers will get their Versa boxed; maybe this is only if you specify gift wrapping.)

9 of 182 comments (clear)

  1. Re:No a real Amazon item by NoNonAlphaCharsHere · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Exactly. We can't let just anyone sell new cars. Otherwise, how would car dealers get their cut? Harumph! Harumph!

  2. Bug your state legislators by tepples · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If the Tesla Motors saga is to be believed, this failure of local dealers to serve their respective markets is something that you should mention to your state legislators.

  3. Re:I wish this was real by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I typically use TrueCar to get a quote from dealers for the car I want, who are nearby, but not the closest 3. I then take the best quote, go to a my nearest dealer and they always match the price of the quote. From there, it's a haggle. My innate indecisiveness and shyness works well for me, because I sit there for a few minutes contemplating the deal they're offering, and I easily outlast even the most patient dealer. They always offer me better deal because they get impatient. This happens a few times, until I feel that I've gotten a good deal, or I can tell they don't want to sell me a car. I have no problem walking out and going to the next closest dealership. By the time I have the deal I want, it's usually about 15-20% below MSRP.

  4. Re:That's nice and all, but... by TheSpoom · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Every time I saw that ad, I thought to myself, "Nope, I'd totally download a car. Why wouldn't you?"

    --
    It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
    - E. Debs
  5. Re:That's nice and all, but... by Anubis+IV · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why not download the specs for use in my 3D printer?

    Whooosh.

    Though I was thinking the same thing. >_>

  6. Re:I wish this was real by Bob+the+Super+Hamste · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sounds like my experience in buying vehicles. For some reason wanting a vehicle with a manual transmission that isn't a civic or real sports car causes sales people at dealerships to look at you like you are retarded, especially if it is a truck or SUV. The last time I bought a vehicle there were a grand total of 6 that I could afford and met my requirements in a 100 mile radius. I also hate only being able to get certain equipment as part of a package that includes a bunch of crap I don't want or need. Why should I have to get the premium audio upgrade + leather trimmed steering wheel + heated seats if I all I want is the uprated locking front and rear axles.

    --
    Time to offend someone
  7. Re:Buying without driving? by pixelpusher220 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Because I drove my friends/parents/rental car and liked it?

    --
    People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people :-D
  8. Re:I wish this was real by h4rr4r · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Grow up, jackass. I have no problem telling them off. What I have a limited amount of is patience and time.
    I want to be able to order the car I want, like it appears you can do with the design your ford website thing or whatever. I do not want to check to see what numbskull ordered what options for their lot.

    Car salesmen are not specialists, most know less about the cars than I do. They are not on your side and are not worth paying.

  9. Re:I wish this was real by tlhIngan · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You don't get to customize them anymore. You pick one of a small number (half a dozen or so) of equally ugly colors with stupid names you don't even recognize, you pick one of a small number (less than three, usually) of standard trims, and you might have one or two options you can select (like alloy vs steel wheels); in most cases, upgrading to option-X requires upgrading the entire trim (or buying it after-market). Oh, make no mistake, I have no doubt you could get it with whatever you want. But whether they say it or not, you will pay for trim-package-B when they "throw in for free" the 17" rims.

    There's a science behind it, and it turns out customers prefer the limited options overwhelmingly to having the ability to pick and choose every little thing. It also turns out to be surprisingly cheaper because you get to standardize parts.

    The trim package one is annoying, but sometimes it's essential because if you want say, leather seats, they come with a bum warmer (because most people buy them with bum warmers in the past, so it's easier to build one seat than two - one with and one without), which requires a button for your dashboard to control it. But that button also requires an extra fusebox relay and a interior control computer to manage it. Of course, the computer software isn't flexible so if you get it with that option, you get the onboard navigation system as well, which means you need the upgraded trim level just to get leather seats.

    Navigation systems generally cause this because to put in the screen requires electronics changes and the dash changes, which means again, upgraded trim level because you're changing so many things (navigation means you need a central screen, perhsps interaction buttons on the steering wheel, integration with the instrument cluster screen, etc. which changes everything.

    Do this more than a few times and the number of parts and assemblies required balloons immensely which just complicates the supply line, complicates the car computer software etc. etc. etc.