Something new at Wal-Mart -- cars

If you're in the market for a new car, you might head to Wal-Mart. That's right -- car shopping at Wal-Mart.

Live X Auto Exchange is setting up shop at two Valley Wal-Mart Super Centers. The showroom floor features music, televisions and computer screens to bring sellers and buyers together.

"It's a window to the world, if you will, in a one-stop shop where you can get financing, you can look at all of the vehicles across town," said Patrick Dial, president and chief executive officer of Live X.

"We've come up with something that's like buying a car at an Apple store or at a coffee bar, as opposed to the traditional way that people would expect."

Live X uses a pricing intelligence system that takes the haggling out of car buying, Dial said, adding you do plenty of browsing in the virtual atmosphere and have some fun at the same time.

There's one car on each showroom floor, which attracts people initially, Dial said.

"When they come in and they ask, 'What are you guys doing?' we step them over to our technology and say, 'We're now in the car business, let me step you through it.'"

He said, "It's funny to watch their reaction, because they go from standing up straight with their arms crossed to, 'Oh, my gosh, that is the coolest thing we have ever seen.'"

Trading assistants are at each of the showrooms to help people navigate through the online inventory, which features new and used cars from all over the Valley. Buyers and sellers can set up free trading accounts and even get a glimpse of cars on their home computers.

The Live X show rooms are at Wal-Marts, near Arizona Avenue and the Loop 202 in Chandler, and at Greenfield and the U.S. 60 in Meas.