Seattle startup bringing test drives to your driveway

Tred keeps dealers out of your hair with a clever car delivery service, but can it truly replace the traditional walk-in experience?

While the number of Internet car shopping and research sites approaches overkill, dealerships still hold the keys. But while eBay Motors has made car buying as easy as typing out an offer, buyers usually end up paying extra shipping fees -- and they have no way to check out the car in person. 

The Seattle startup Tred is also an Internet middleman, but in this case, it's a delivery service for local dealerships staffed with salespeople who don't work for a dealer or an automaker. So far, about 40 dealers representing 14 automakers in the Seattle and Bellevue, Wash., areas have put some of their inventories on Tred's website -- including Toyota, Subaru, Audi and Mercedes-Benz (but likely not the SLS AMG shown above). The website lets a user pick a car, schedule a test drive and have the car come to them. 

The fee is $19 per car, and that price allows up to 15 miles per test drive anywhere the customer wants to take it (aside from a race track, we presume). Buyers who have a trade-in can swap cars and keep the new car overnight. This lets the driver put up to 30 miles on the prospective purchase and have a trade-in offer from the dealer for their old vehicle within a few hours.  

autos.msn.com