Car buyers reported a noticeably smoother purchasing experience in March, driven largely by improvements in the Finance & Insurance phase, according to CDK’s latest Ease of Purchase Score.
The details: The Ease of Purchase score rose to 88% last month, up from 81% in February, with the biggest gains coming in the final steps of the process—financing, add-ons, and paperwork—traditionally the most stressful stage for buyers.
Price agreement improved, with more buyers saying negotiations were easier (69% vs. 58% the previous month), potentially helped by tax refund season.
Selecting protection products and add-ons, along with completing documentation during F&I, posted monthly gains of 11 and 12 percentage points, respectively.
Buyers’ ability to find the vehicle they wanted rose to 78% from 71%, agreement on trade-in value edged up to 51% from 50%, and applying for credit increased to 65% from 59%.
Why it matters: For dealers, smoother F&I interactions often boost satisfaction, improve trust and transparency, and increase the odds of closing deals without sacrificing the customer experience.
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Between the lines: While overall Ease of Purchase satisfaction improved, the data still points to lingering friction, particularly around time efficiency and inventory availability.
More buyers said the process took less time than expected in March (18% vs. 13% in February), though 28% still said it took longer than expected, up slightly from 27%.
Car buyers visited fewer stores in March, but 57% (down from 59%), still said their desired vehicle was not in stock, while 6% (down from 9%), said alternatives were also unavailable.
What they’re saying: “If historic trends repeat, this should be the first of more positive spring and summer months in terms of consumer experience at the dealership,” noted CDK industry analyst David Thomas, per the report. “It’ll be important to see if the month-to-month data outpaces what we saw in 2025.”
Bottom line: Dealers appear to be making progress where it counts most by getting customers through F&I with less stress. That said, the gains will matter most if stores can also continue to improve speed, inventory availability, and overall consistency across the full purchase process.
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