Study: Buyers Want to Keep Key Car Buying Practices the Old-School Way
Purchasing a new car in person can be daunting for most buyers
For most car buyers, walking into a car dealership to buy a new car can be the most nerve-wracking experience that they’ll ever feel, as it can feel like stepping into enemy territory. Apart from a house, a car may be the second-largest purchase that most Americans make, which can be a very daunting prospect.
In today’s digital world, there are many ways to buy a car from the comfort of your couch and without leaving home. For instance, the online used car marketplace known as Carvana has grown significantly within the past few years, which has led its stock price to balloon last month. At the same time, Hertz has launched a dedicated online car-buying platform, and even Amazon has stepped into the ring with Amazon Autos.
However, while the digital car-buying experience may be tempting, some buyers may feel that it is too easy to get a new set of wheels. New data from both dealer software leader CDK Global and online car-buying platform CarGurus show that, despite advances in technology, certain important aspects of car buying are still perceived as better left on paper and in real life, even by young buyers.
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CDK Global: Paperless ain’t perfect
Despite there being an industry-wide push for car dealers to go entirely paperless, two studies show that most car buyers want to keep important discussions about their purchases in real life and take home hard paper copies of key purchase documents.
According to CDK Global’s 2025 F&I Shopper Study, 55% of the customers it surveyed signed paper copies of important documents pertaining to their car purchases, and 53% said that such a practice was the one they preferred. On the other hand, only 25% of customers surveyed signed the same documents on a tablet, with 29% indicating that they prefer this method.
At the same time, 20% of customers surveyed signed some important documents physically and some digitally. However, this was the least preferred option, with just 17% choosing the “hybrid” solution. CDK also found that 26% of surveyed car buyers received a digital copy of their key paperwork at the end of their purchase, though 22% said that this was their preference. About 26% of car buyers said they prefer to receive both a physical and digital copy of some paperwork, but in reality, just 11% of consumers actually receive both digital and physical paper copies of these documents.
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CDK also found that the preference for paper defies generational bounds, as at least half of every demographic studied, including the coveted Generation Z consumers between 18-26 years old, said they wanted all signatures to be on paper. In addition, at least 47% of every generation ultimately wanted paper copies of all documents, including 70% of respondents aged 59 and older.
In a statement to Automotive News, CDK product marketer Jason Swiech said that the “most interesting thing” he observed from the survey conducted was the digital-to-paper question, as many dealerships have adopted digitization. He added that consumers view a vehicle as a “huge purchase, just like a house,” which may explain the need for feeling “comfort in paper.”
“From a dealer perspective or a vendor perspective, we all think paperless,” Swiech said. “And I still think that’s the right way, but it was very interesting to hear about how many people still really value paper. And really value that hand-holding of it when they leave the dealership.”
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CarGurus: Car buyers want to discuss financing in person
On the topic of car buying being a major purchase for most Americans, the results of a CarGurus survey released in December found that the weight of a car purchase is curbing the consumer appeal for online financing.
They found that 31% of car buyers prefer to set up vehicle financing online, a figure that is 5 percentage points down from results collected in 2023 and 15 percentage points from 2022, the first year it collected this data. Alternatively, 29% of buyers stated that they prefer to inquire about and receive help with the financing process in person. In 2025, 33% of car buyers obtained financing for their cars online, while 32% worked on financing both online and in-person at the dealer, and the remaining 34% completed their entire financing deal exclusively in-person.
In a statement, David Undercoffler, CarGurus’ head of consumer insights, told Automotive News that COVID caused consumers to rethink how they buy cars, though things are different now.
“I think now what we’re seeing is sort of a natural kind of pendulum swinging back into sort of the natural balance, the natural order of things,” Undercoffler said. “It’s nice to have a human in front of you when you’re talking about putting thousands of dollars and your credit on the line.”
However, one part of the financing process that they found better as a digital experience was the preliminary auto finance step of prequalification; a kind of credit check that doesn’t affect a buyer’s credit score, but lays out the kind of loan rates and terms available. CarGurus found that 31% of car buyers preferred to conduct this process online; though 55% of car buyers requested it online, 29% got prequalification both online and in person, while 15% got prequalified in person.
Final thoughts
Despite online platforms like Carvana and established names like Hertz continuing to grow by offering transparent, pressure-free alternatives, these insights show that there are certain aspects of car buying that some still feel are best left to traditional dealerships.
As a bona fide car enthusiast, I believe that seeing cars up close and actually taking the time to understand the terms is an essential part of the car-buying process. Cars are a significant purchase for many Americans, which not only needs a “touch-and-feel” retail experience, but also one where dealers can explain every process in easy-to-understand detail.
