Truecar Prices too good to be true?

Warning, long post...

We bought our first Subaru in 2014 using Truecar. Back then Truecar gave you three dealers, and the price from each dealer. It doesn't work like that anymore. Now, at least here in CT, you have to go to the dealer to get the price that dealer would charge for the vehicle. So, in 2014, you knew upfront who was cheapest, now you don't.

I did some reading on this. Truecar get roughly 299 for each car. That fee is paid by the dealer. Therefore, the dealers are their actual customers. The earlier Truecar model ad some dealers engaging in pricing wars to get the sale, and a movement began to drop Truecar. Truecar did right by their customers, changing to basing if the prices off MSRP, and making you have to contact a dealer to get their price. That works for the dealer, but if the dealers are making more it means we're paying more.

I believe in paying a fair price. I have an interest in my dealer being in business. So the old Truecar model appealed to me. I got a low price with no haggle. With the new pricing model I have to contact each dealer.

Last year I insisted my wife trade in her Forester for a newer one with eyesight. Our salesman gave us their truecar price on the vehicle, which he was getting from another local dealer. Now our first subarus were bought at this dealership, under the old truecar pricing they were the cheapest, and the closest. We got home after ordering the vehicle to an email from the other dealer (the one who actually had the car) and their price was significantly lower. In the earlier model this wouldn't have happened.

HAppy ending, we showed our salesman the email. He said, "Wow, that's your car. Wow, what a price. Obviously we'll match it"

I hope I haven't rambled too much. In my experience, the newer Truecar is nowhere near as beneficial to the end purchaser as the first version was. You used to be able to get a solid price with no haggle. That's no longer true.

Paul