On the Dash:
- CDK Global reports Ease of Purchase rose to 89%, but more buyers are ordering vehicles in transit due to tight inventory.
- Nearly three-quarters of buyers completed deals on-site, preferring quick transactions.
- Test drive and delivery satisfaction fell, showing that limited vehicle access is affecting the buyer experience.
U.S. car dealers are seeing buyers return to a smoother purchase process, yet limited vehicle availability is creating new challenges on the lot. According to CDK Global research, the overall Ease of Purchase score reached 89% in August, up from 86% in July and well above June’s 77%. The score remains below last August’s peak of 93%, indicating there is still room for improvement.
A key factor driving the gap is the increasing number of buyers who must order vehicles in transit. In August, 29% of buyers purchased a car that was not immediately available, up from 19% in July and higher than 25% in August 2024. Analysts link this trend to a tightening new car inventory combined with consumers accelerating purchases ahead of expiring EV incentives and potential price increases tied to tariffs.
Despite these inventory constraints, most buyers are completing their deals directly at dealerships. Nearly three-quarters, or 74%, finished the entire purchase on-site, reflecting a preference for rapid transaction completion once buyers are present. Steps in the purchase process showed a mixed performance. Traditional friction points such as price negotiation, trade-in evaluation, credit application, and financing either improved slightly from July or remained steady, although they still trailed year-ago levels.
Physical access to vehicles, however, has become a growing challenge. The number of buyers reporting an easy test drive fell to 72% in August, down from 79% in July and only slightly above June’s 69%, at historically low levels. Limited inventory appears to be restricting dealers’ ability to get customers into cars for hands-on evaluation. Delivery experiences also suffered, with 68% of buyers describing the process as easy, compared with 75% in July and 69% in June. Delivery delays could negatively affect buyer satisfaction and Net Promoter Scores if restrictions continue.
The spike in summer sales, combined with constrained inventory, created pressure similar to what was seen in June. Despite these hurdles, buyers expressed strong satisfaction with completing their purchases, likely driven by relief at securing a vehicle before anticipated price increases.
