Mercedes Benz

Starting in September, EchoPark customers in Colorado and San Antonio will be able to use an app to obtain a dollar-figure appraisal of their vehicles good for 14 days for a trade-in or outright purchase. Photo credit: DAVID PHILLIPS Sonic Automotive Inc. late next month will pilot an online car-buying tool that will allow customers to prequalify for financing on specific vehicles. The tool, being developed in partnership with Capital One, will start with one or two lenders and add more. The tool, tentatively called Digital One Stop, will allow customers of Sonic's used-only EchoPark store in New Braunfels, Texas, to choose as much of the car-buying process they want to do online, minus a few signatures still needed in the store or upon delivery, said David Jezierny, vice president of application development for Sonic and EchoPark. Jezierny said the technology and tool will quickly give customers options. The prequalification includes only a soft pull of a customer's credit. ...