A new survey by carsales confirms what many car buyers already feel: trust, speed, and clarity now matter more than ever. According to the July 2025 Dealership Experience Survey, 65% of Australians still want to buy their next car through a dealership—a figure that’s rising, not falling. But only 22% say they’ve returned to the same dealership again.
So what’s happening in between?
The data shows it clearly: it’s not the product holding buyers back. It’s an experience that has customer needs, front of mind.
The report highlights a few key insights:
- Only 36% of buyers say they fully trust the information provided to them
- 68% say they weren’t contacted promptly after making an enquiry
- Most customers don’t enjoy haggling—and many are open to fixed or hybrid pricing
- Just 12% feel like repeat customers are recognised or rewarded
For car buyers, that creates a tricky space: you want the confidence of buying from a dealer, but not the uncertainty that sometimes comes with it.
Trust, responsiveness, and pricing clarity are now the real differentiators.
At carconnect, we’ve built our entire model around this idea: the best car buying experience is one where everyone feels seen, heard, and supported. We’re proud to work with hundreds of dealer partners across Australia. They provide the vehicles. We provide the bridge—between the buyer and the best-fit deal.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
We speak human. We explain things in everyday language—what’s a fair price, what’s included, what you might expect long-term. No jargon. No games. Our Sydney-based team are great listeners. Our Google Reviews speak for themselves.
We handle the communication. Our team does the follow-up, the negotiation, and the paperwork. So our customers never have to chase quotes or feel ignored.
We’re transparent from the start. We don’t push particular brands or models. Our only priority is what’s right for you. That’s why over 57,000 Australians have trusted us to help them buy better.
In short? We help dealerships do what they do best—while giving customers the experience they deserve.
A Win-Win Model
We know dealerships are busy. We know customer expectations are rising. That’s why we work in the middle—to make life easier for both sides.
For buyers, that means faster responses, fewer headaches, no need to be a car expert, and often, a better price.
For dealers, it means working with ready-to-buy customers who already know what they want—and just need help finalising the last few steps.
The Bottom Line
The carsales survey tells us what we’ve seen for years: buying a car is no longer just about price or product. It’s about clarity, trust, and care.
That’s what we’re here for.
So if you’re in the market for a new car—but want help cutting through the noise—we’ll match you with the right car, the right deal, and the right experience.
You do life. We’ll do the car hunting.