The old days of traveling from dealer to dealer and walking through each car lot to find out what models were available and what they cost are increasingly becoming a faded memory, The internet has radically changed the process of locating and buying a car and the advantage is definitely in favor of savvy consumers. If you really want to save money and get the car that fits you best, here are the 5 steps to take to buy a car for less online:

1. Do all of your research online before you even begin to think about actually shopping for a car. Every year the car manufacturers change up their model offerings and you need to be up-to-date with the latest changes so you can make an informed and smart decision about the vehicle you will be buying. Get thoroughly familiar with the models that are available and then decide what kind of car will suit your needs best. There are plenty of models to choose from, but there is no one model that fits everyone, so ask yourself if you need an auto or manual transmission, how much cargo space do you need, is four-wheel drive necessary where you live, and other related questions that help establish what you need and not just what you want.

2. Have a clear idea of how much car you can afford to buy. If you are one of the fortunate few who can afford to pay cash for the vehicle, establish your ceiling price for the vehicle you intend to buy. If you plan on financing as most do, set the acceptable monthly payment range that you can afford. Once you have these figures in mind, make sure that you don't spend in excess of them. This will help you avoid a lot of buyers remorse over letting your emotion rule all of your car buying decisions.

3. Arrange your financing in advance on your own. You will almost always make out much better on a car loan if you deal with a finance company directly and cut out the middleman. The car dealer will of course offer easy loan arrangements but you will usually pay much more for this convenience. The internet has made loan shopping easy and fast, so why not do it yourself and save money?

4. Make a search online for the car model that you want and find out where they are located. When you see that a dealer has the model you want start the negotiation process online. Most savvy car dealers have internet salespeople that are specifically trained to work with the internet shopper and so you can usually get to the rock bottom price that you want much faster by communicating with the dealer internet department directly.

5. Once you have agreed on a fair price with the dealer, make an appointment for a test drive and make sure that you are comfortable not only with the deal that was made but also the condition of the vehicle and the way you are treated at that dealership. If all is to your satisfaction, complete the sale.

By following this simple procedure you can actually save thousands because you become an educated consumer that knows what they want and is not ruled by buying emotions. You also avoid costly middlemen in the buying process and stay in control as you complete the sale. All of this will help you buy a car for much less online.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including autos. You can find out more about how to buy used car online and new car buying tips by visiting our Auto Review website.