5 Things You’ll Wish You Knew First

Going to a dealership to purchase a car can be nerve-wracking. There is a lot of information you’ll have to have prepared before committing to a purchase, such as the value of the car you’re looking for, the performance specifications, and the trim options that you’re willing to pay for. It’s all too easy to feel pressured into making a mistake. Wouldn’t it be easier if you could just do the research from the comfort of your home and then buy the car on Amazon?

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That’s exactly the service that Amazon Autos aims to provide. This new sub-platform of the world’s largest online retailer is designed to allow customers to browse for cars with upfront pricing online, pay for them with either cash or customized financing options, secure optional extra protection, and then simply pick up the keys at a local dealership. “We’re partnering with dealers and brands to redesign car shopping—making it more transparent, convenient, and customer-friendly,” the global head of Amazon Autos, Fan Jin, stated. “With Amazon Autos, we’re bringing the simplicity and ease customers expect from Amazon to car shopping, one of their largest purchases, while offering dealers a new channel to connect with a broad audience.”

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The program just launched its beta version and is currently exclusively selling Hyundai vehicles in 48 cities across the U.S., though the plan is to eventually incorporate several other brands as well. It’s easy to see the appeal of the program, but there might be a few caveats that you’ll want to know about before committing to such a massive purchase.

One of the biggest benefits of the Amazon Autos shopping experience may also be construed as one of its biggest detriments by some car shoppers. All of the prices on cars sold through Amazon Autos are non-negotiable. Amazon markets this as a positive aspect of the shopping experience. “We know car pricing can be confusing—and you deserve better,” the company says. “That’s why we offer clear, transparent pricing when you buy a car with Amazon Autos. You’ll get an upfront breakdown of all your costs so you’ll be better informed about what you’re paying for. Plus, we’ll help you find savings and rebates you’re eligible for and handle your trade-in, too.” 

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This is great for buyers who just want a straightforward price so that they can know exactly how much they are spending and don’t have to haggle. It also alleviates a lot of the pressure that you might feel at a dealership where a salesperson might try to upsell you.

Even so, this same feature might make Amazon Autos less attractive for those who thrive when negotiating for a good bargain. Dealerships that are pressured to move inventory might be better motivated to offer a bargain to someone who may or may not be a customer than as a starting point for an online purchase. That said, you can always use the Amazon Autos pricing as a negotiating point when haggling for a price in person.

If you’re hoping to buy a car through Amazon Auto today and have it delivered to your driveway two days later, then you’re going to be sorely disappointed. There are no deliveries, not even with the destination charges you might see when buying directly from a manufacturer.

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“When you purchase a car on Amazon.com, you are purchasing a car from a specific dealership, who will have your car available to pick up,” the site claims. “You can schedule an appointment to sign documents and pick up your new vehicle within three days of completing your purchase on Amazon.com.” There are two different kinds of pickup appointments that you can schedule where you can meet with a dedicated Amazon Adviser to get a walkthrough of the vehicle before signing the paperwork and driving it home, one with and one without an orientation drive.

Either way, you’ll actually be buying the car from the dealership itself (not Amazon) and you’ll need to show up in person to pick up the vehicle once the purchase is complete. This means that it’s important that you check to make sure that the dealership you’re actually considering buying from is relatively close to you and that you will be able to schedule a time within three days of purchase that you can arrive to pick up the vehicle. 

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Those who’ve purchased a car in a dealership know that the sticker price isn’t all that you should expect to pay. It’s not until you’ve agreed on the price of the vehicle and the paperwork comes out that you learn the tax, warranty, and fees are all extra. Then you suddenly find yourself paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than you originally planned. It’s a fairly common experience and despite Amazon’s advertised price clarity, it’s something you’ll probably have to face when shopping with them too.

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When looking at one of the New 2025 Hyundai Sonata SE models that is currently listed on Amazon Auto, you’ll notice that just below the price, there is a note that states “Excl. govt fees, taxes and $324.00 in dealer fees” That means that you’ll need to pay these fees on top of the amount that Amazon has as the vehicle’s listed price.

Then there’s the matter of added protection. These are plans that are typically offered by the vehicle’s manufacturer. These are currently supplied by Amazon Auto’s exclusive partner, Hyundai. All new vehicles come with Hyundai’s complimentary New Vehicle Warranty and the Hyundai Complementary Maintenance (HCM) plan, but there are four other services available that will each add to your overall cost if you choose to get them: Platinum Vehicle Service Contract, Platinum Vehicle Protection, Hyundai EV Care, and Guaranteed Asset Protection. These plans can be added before checkout and will harbor additional costs.

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Another thing to keep in mind with Amazon Auto is that everything needs to be done on a fairly tight timetable. We’ve already gone over the fact that the company requires you to schedule an appointment to pick up the vehicle within three days of completing a purchase online. This is easy enough to manage if you wait until you have time to pick up the car before ordering it online, but it’s certainly something to keep in mind if you have a busy schedule.

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The other timeline relates to vehicle trade-ins. Amazon Auto does have a trade-in program that allows you to evaluate your current vehicle by answering a series of 20 questions in order to give you a trade-in value — though you should first take every step to make sure you get more for your vehicle trade-in. You can then bring the car into the pickup appointment, where the dealership will perform a confirmatory inspection. This promised value doesn’t last forever, though. 

“Your trade-in valuation is valid for seven days,” Amazon Auto states. “You can extend the duration once during that time frame. If you drive more than 300 miles or your trade-in expires, the trade-in questionnaire will need to be completed again.” So you will need to make sure that you complete the transaction within a week of your actual pickup date (not the purchase date) in order to ensure you receive the vehicle’s promised value.

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Amazon Buisness accounts are incredibly useful for procuring office supplies and keeping the company break room stocked with snacks and coffee pods. It allows businesses to save money by purchasing products at discounted prices and offers payment options that can be helpful for smaller businesses that need to purchase expensive appliances and might not have the budget to buy them outright. It’s a business-only platform that offers bulk discounts and price comparisons to other sellers, but you probably won’t be using it to buy a company car anytime soon.

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“Amazon Autos is not currently available to Amazon Business accounts,” the company stated in the Q&A section. “To buy a car with Amazon Autos, be sure you’re logged into your personal account.” This doesn’t mean that you can’t use a personal account to order a car for your business, but it does mean that you won’t benefit from any of the discounts associated with the Amazon Business account. It also might be something that you have to keep in mind when tax season rolls around, since the car won’t be automatically lumped in with your company’s other Amazon-associated expenses.