Scion Wants You to Skip the Dealership and Buy Online

Jason Siu
by Jason Siu

Scion wants buyers to be able to purchase a brand new vehicle online.

With the ability to purchase nearly anything online with a few strokes of a keyboard and a few clicks of a mouse, or simply by tapping on a tablet or mobile device, Scion is looking take advantage of the Internet to sell new cars. The Japanese automaker has been testing its Pure Process Plus Internet buying system for the last few months, starting with 10 dealerships and and now up to 60. Essentially an upgraded version of Scion’s Pure Process, which eliminates haggling over the price of Scion vehicles, the automaker wants consumers to use a website to customize their vehicle, get a final price, arrange financing and when possible, have the vehicle delivered to them.

SEE ALSO: 2016 Scion tC gets Slight Price Bump

The majority of Scion models don’t offer a ton of options, leaving the choices to be made involving exterior color choice, transmission type and whether or not a buyer wants navigation. According to Scion, the average time during the pilot program was about four hours from beginning to end, but in over half of the cases, it took about two hours to purchase a new car online.

The program is currently being used in Phoenix and San Diego but is expected to branch out to the 1,000 or so dealerships nationwide by the middle of next year.

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

Discuss this story at our Scion iM Forum

Jason Siu
Jason Siu

Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.

More by Jason Siu

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 10 comments
  • Cody Beisel Cody Beisel on Aug 05, 2015

    I suggest anyone who is interested in a scion drive one first. Outside of the frs these cars are a huge yawn. Don't buy before you drive you might find yourself an expensive lesson

  • Gedster314 Gedster314 on Aug 05, 2015

    I always hate buying a car from a dealer. You spend several hours negotiating and when its all said and done, you still feel like you got screwed. I'm for fixed pricing but online purchasing, no. I still need to drive it. Re Cody Beisel, all toyotas are boring to drive. Scions are just where old Toyota platforms go to die. FRS not included. My XB is the previous generation Camry engine and transmission. Read an article that my XB was rated most reliable compact car, Toyota had almost 15 years to work out the bugs. Sure it's uninspiring but it is a basic car with proven Toyota hardware. I have had 3 Toyotas in my life and all have lasted over 200K without headaches.

Next