> Dealers are the human face of the company. Someone to talk to in your town if things go wrong. Assurance that there is a mechanic that can fix it if something breaks (not just the engine, there are many other parts that can breaks. Assurance someone will be able to get the parts you need.

Basically all of those things died with the rise of the internet, because you then have direct access to the manufacturer via their website and could order parts and have them shipped to you. It would also be a lot easier to find a local mechanic if the manufacturers would publish the service documentation for their vehicles on their websites, which they don't do primarily to placate the dealerships who don't want the competition.

It's almost surprising that you can't buy cars on Amazon yet. You can buy cars on eBay, although presumably not direct from the manufacturer as a result of the nonsense dealership laws.