Columbiana car dealership features virtual reality
One car dealership in the Valley is trying to bring the future of car buying into the present, using virtual reality as a big tool to seal the deal. "We were excited about the idea of going to the next level," said Don Brady, the general manager at Columbiana Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet.
COLUMBIANA, Ohio - One car dealership in the Valley is trying to bring the future of car buying into the present, using virtual reality as a big tool to seal the deal.
When you walk into the dealership, you see the unexpected setup: a room with a TV and a VR headset.
"We were excited about the idea of going to the next level," said Don Brady, General Manager at Columbiana Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet.
The way they see it, this is the future of car buying. It's the only Cadillac dealership in Ohio doing this, and it's not a test drive; just a way to see some other options.
"It doesn't replace the salesperson showing them the car and them physically touching the car and driving the car and smelling the car; the new car part of it. But it definitely enhances it," said Brady.
For anything that's not currently in their inventory out there on the lot, all they have to do is slide on the headset and all of a sudden every single option is right there in front of you.
"Any kind of package, option or color they can choose right on the fly," said salesperson Wayne Ulery. "With the click of a button they can change the interior. They can pop the deck lid or open the trunk. They can open the door. They can position themselves in the driver's seat."
The video doesn't even really do it justice. Wayne said he's had several people instinctively trying to touch the car even though it's not really there. It looks that real.
"They're using actual AutoCAD drawings and tech specs, so this car is to spec. It's exactly the same size. You can bend down and read what the tire pressure is on the tires. It's so detailed," said Ulery.
They only started doing this a few months ago and so far it's only been tied to around 10-15 percent of sales; numbers they expect to grow in the future as it expands the possibilities well beyond what's on the lot.
"Before virtual reality, a customer would want to see a car. We may not have it, but it might be at one of our local competitors. They would say, well we'll just drive over there and look at it and we'll come back and purchase the car," said Brady. "Now we can bring them into this virtual reality room. They can see the car and see the colors and we can go ahead and order one for them or we can do a dealer trade and get them one."
At the very least, it's something new and different and maybe a glimpse into the future right here in Columbiana.
Brady says GM has been keeping tabs on these VR experiences and might expand it to include more brands in 2019. It's one of the reasons Ulery is encouraging people to check it out, even if they are not necessarily in the market for a Cadillac.
