---
title: "Buying a car in the age of AI"
date: 2026-09-07
description: "Recently I bought a car, and in the process tried to use AI as much as possible to help out. This post shares my learnings and attempts. Note: I’m not..."
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/blog/buying-a-car-in-age-of-ai
---
# Buying a car in the age of AI
When it comes to using AI for car-buying, I’m not an outlier. [Cox Automotive](https://www.coxautoinc.com/insights/cox-automotive-car-buyer-journey-study-finds-efficiency-digital-tools-and-ai-drive-record-satisfaction/) found that about a quarter of new-vehicle buyers now use AI tools somewhere in the shopping process. In fact, their research found the following:

 - **25%** of new-vehicle buyers engaged AI tools in the shopping process

 - **59%** of respondents reported high satisfaction with AI-powered assistance

 - **84%** of mostly-digital buyers who engaged AI assistants were highly satisfied with the overall vehicle buying process – among the most satisfied buyers in the survey

 - **83%** of consumers say the rise of AI will impact car buying in the future

 - **63%** of auto dealers note that investing in AI tools now is critical to success

Given this research, it would be hard not to see AI as integral in the car-buying process now. How did I use it to buy my car? Read on to find out.

## The sit test

AI can be helpful in giving all kinds of facts and details about a car. However, one of the first useful recommendations AI made was to do a sit test.

Claude:

> … Given what’s already knocked cars out for you, ride height, leg room, seating position, I’d actually push you to spend more time just sitting and feeling before you even move.
> 
> … Beyond that, actually test the things that have burned you before: get in and out a few times to feel that door and leg clearance, adjust the seat all the way, and check your visibility and mirrors from a normal driving posture, not just sitting still in the lot.

In other words, go to different dealerships and just sit in cars for a few minutes to get a sense for how they feel to you. The sit test is the best thing AI recommended I do, and for some reason I hadn’t really considered it before. I’m a big guy, at 6’2”, 240 lbs, and I want to be comfortable in a car. I sometimes like to drive with my left leg slightly splayed out, and my left elbow on the side door, so I want to feel this comfort at this position.

Sitting is way easier to do than test drives. You can go to a Carmax lot or any dealership and just sit in cars for hours, as this requires little of any salesperson to help you (provided the cars are unlocked).

The sit test also turns out to be more or less how the professionals do it. Consumer Reports runs a jury of testers of varying heights through every car they buy, evaluating access, driving position, seat comfort, and visibility. Their tall-driver tester, Ryan Pszczolkowski, happens to be exactly my height — 6’2” — and he says [“Having a steering wheel that can tilt and telescope makes a big difference.”](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/buying-a-car/best-cars-and-suvs-for-tall-people-a7931047074) Their larger finding is one I wish I’d internalized earlier: tall drivers don’t necessarily need a bigger vehicle. A compact sedan with a well-designed cabin can fit you better than an SUV that merely looks roomier from outside.

Start out at Carmax or other dealerships that have a variety of cars that you can just sit in. Spend some time sitting, engine off, holding the wheel, and feeling what you like. I personally like the leather interior and think it’s worth paying for. I also generally like sedans. I think the sedan’s appeal is to be closer to the road for better handling and driveability, but I’m not sure why entirely.

After sitting in cars for an hour, I reported back to Claude:

> You gave me some really good advice that seemed pretty, like, you know, casual, but you said to just sit in the cars and feel them. So I did that for, like, almost an hour. I just sat in different cars. And finally, found my way to the Lexus ES 350 2018 and sat in it and just felt right. Like, it felt perfect.