The new study makes it clear car buyers want dealers to listen and help them make the right decision.

How satisfied you are with the process of purchasing your next vehicle will likely be influenced by whether – and where – you do your research online, according to a new study.

Among the various brands, Lexus achieved the highest level of satisfaction among luxury brands but Mini wasn’t very far behind.

Nearly 80% of all American car buyers go online during at least some part of the purchase process, according to the latest annual Sales Satisfaction Index from J.D. Power and Associates.  And about a third of all shoppers rely on ratings and review sites to help them pick a dealer.  But buyers who consult social networking sites, such as Facebook, tend to be more satisfied.

“For years, new-vehicle buyers have accessed the Internet to research model information, vehicle features, configurations and pricing,” said Chris Sutton, senior director of the Automotive Retail Practice at J.D. Power and Associates. “Now, neutral online ratings/review sites are playing a key role in dealer selection. Whether the online reviews are positive or negative, they impact buyers’ willingness to visit a dealer.”

There’s a definite gender gap at work, Power’s SSI reveals. Men are far more likely to turn to ratings and review sites.  Women are more reliant upon social networking outlets – and they are also more likely to post more positive comments about their dealer experiences.  That may come as a surprise as research has traditionally found women more uncomfortable about purchasing a vehicle.

The 2012 SSI shows that overall satisfaction with the sales process has improved measurably since the 2011 study was conducted – rising from 648 points on a 1,000-point scale to 664.  Satisfaction rose in three of four categories and, intriguingly, the biggest positive jump involved the dealer salesperson.

The “results indicate that customers prefer salespeople who invest the time up front to listen to them and ensure they select the right vehicle,” according to an analysis of the data.  If anything, the study suggests buyers would have liked the salesperson to spend even more time with them.

Another significant tidbit to emerge from the 2012 SSI is that even when it comes to dealers potential buyers “rejected” by going elsewhere to ship, satisfaction rose over the last year.

Automakers have been putting an increasing emphasis on sales satisfaction knowing that it not only helps win customers in the short-term but also helps keep them in the brand when it comes time to trade in.

As in past year, luxury brands tended to out-perform mainstream marques. Lexus topped the chart for the second consecutive year with a score of 737, followed by Infiniti, at 728, and Cadillac at 725. Infiniti, in fact, had the biggest year-over-year gain, climbing 52 points and jumping from eighth in 2011 to second this year.

But Mini – which led the mass market – wasn’t far behind at 712.  It has led the segment for three years running, in 2012 followed by Buick, at 706, and GMC, at 683. Honda had the biggest increase among mainstream brands, bettering its score by 30 points and jumping from 12^th to eighth.