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Many consumers are going through car-buying Web sites to make their purchases. While there are some obvious advantages to using these sites, there are also some not-so-obvious disadvantages.

In general, car-buying Web sites allow you to specify the model, trim level, and options you're interested in and to get price quotes from dealerships in your area. Each site is contracted with a network of dealerships. Typically, when you ask for a price quote online, your information is forwarded to appropriate dealerships close to your ZIP code that will then contact you with what they feel is a competitive price.

The price quotes are free to consumers and there's no obligation to buy, so whether you buy online or not, it's an easy way to get a sense of what the price might be for the vehicle configuration you want. Indeed, our own automotive experts often use the Internet along with e-mail and the phone when anonymously buying the more than 80 cars and trucks Consumer Reports tests annually.

On the other hand, the quote you get may not be the lowest price. Even if you get quotes through different Web sites, they may be contracted with the same dealerships in your area, and therefore they may not be very competitive. Of course, you will still need to go to the dealership to wrap up the details face-to-face, so you will still have to confront many of the same negotiating pressures when discussing a trade-in, financing, options, dealer extras, and so on.

Consumer Reports now offers a new service called Build & Buy, which allows subscribers to get competitive guaranteed price quotes from local dealers.

Tags:  pros and cons of buying online