Buying a car sight unseen

[OPButtrey]

I found a certified used car of the make, model and year I’ve been looking for at a dealership 6 hours away. The price and mileage is considerably less than anything I’ve seen locally and they will deliver it to my door for free.

I’ve seen pictures and they assure me the car is extremely clean but I haven’t seen it in person or driven it. Has anyone here ever bought a car site unseen? What was your experience?

 

[CloneGuy8]

I've never done this, but just be sure the seller isn't scamming you.

 

[CyCloned]

Where is it located? What price range are you looking at? If it is a fairly new car, I would rather do the 12 hour of driving than buy something without looking at it in person or driving it. Do you know anyone that lives near it that owes you a favor?

 

[CycloneErik]

I wouldn't want to buy one sight unseen.

 

[IcSyU]

Rent a car to go check it out. If you like it return your rental and have the dealer pick you up. If you don't you drive your rental back. The dealer might be giving you the correct story but they also have incentive to not give you the whole story.

 

[Macloney]

I tried to do this and when it was time to fly out to the dealer in Ohio, they told me that the car was sold and there was a big mistake. Car dealers are huge pieces of ****. Try to find a good one, they are few and far between.

 

[3TrueFans]

In general I trust car salesmen about as far as I can throw them unless they've proven otherwise.

 

[mywayorcyway]

I did it once (lived in KC, car was in Columbus), got lucky and what I was told was exactly what I got. The car was 11 years old when I bought it and they were somewhat rare, so local purchase wasn't an option. Not sure I would do it again, feel fortunate to have gotten away with it once.

I just sold the same car (last week, actually) and I had buyers looking at it from a few different states. One sent an independent inspector to my house and the inspector went through the car from every direction. I recommend you do that - for $100-200 you can have some peace of mind, and the inspectors probably know more than you do. This guy really knew his stuff. Literally took 100+ pictures, crawled under the car, turned everything on/off, the whole nine yards. He came from LemonSquad, CarChex is another popular one.

If the dealership isn't willing to let you send an inspector, you've probably saved a lot more than $100-200.

 

[OPButtrey]

I did it once (lived in KC, car was in Columbus), got lucky and what I was told was exactly what I got. The car was 11 years old when I bought it and they were somewhat rare, so local purchase wasn't an option. Not sure I would do it again, feel fortunate to have gotten away with it once.

I just sold the same car (last week, actually) and I had buyers looking at it from a few different states. One sent an independent inspector to my house and the inspector went through the car from every direction. I recommend you do that - for $100-200 you can have some peace of mind, and the inspectors probably know more than you do. This guy really knew his stuff. Literally took 100+ pictures, crawled under the car, turned everything on/off, the whole nine yards. He came from LemonSquad, CarChex is another popular one.

If the dealership isn't willing to let you send an inspector, you've probably saved a lot more than $100-200.

This a great idea. I didn’t know hiring an inspector was a thing.

 

[cmjh10]

If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.

 

[madguy30]

This a great idea. I didn’t know hiring an inspector was a thing.

Me neither but it's more incentive to have my next car have a few years and pay cash money after a solid inspection to avoid the loan and being passively pushed around by a slimy dealer.

 

[bpmdu]

Paying an independent inspector to look at a vehicle is big business now. With all the money in classic cars and the auctions around the nation, that service came and exploded quickly. There's tons of inspection groups out there but with a newer car just about any competent group can get it done for you. Alternatively, you could try an online car community - many times members are happy to do inspections if in the area.

 

[lakeliving]

I purchased a car that way in Rochester Minnesota. It was the make, model, color that I wanted. The dealership was very honest in their representation of the car.
I also purchased a pickup in Okoboji that way. Again, the dealership was very honest in their representation.
I almost forgot, I also purchased a SUV in Kansas City that way.
Note- all vehicles had less than 10,000 miles when I purchased them.

 

[Cyclonesrule91]

I would also at the very least advise you to hire the inspector to give it a thorough inspection before committing to it. I bought a car from Chicago checking out pictures. It was priced better than I lot I was looking for and had all the options I wanted. They told me that if anything went wrong with it within a month they would do the repairs for at most $500. I got it in September and really wished I would have had someone go over everything. 1 month went by and all was good and then before I knew it winter was here and we got the first snow. Since this was my first AWD car I wanted to see how much better it performed and the front wheels just spun. Turns out the transfer case shucked out and in the process filled the transmission up with metal filings shelling the transmission as well. Cost me $5,700 to replace both and the car was a major piece of **** from then on. Mark me down as someone that will never buy a car unseen unless I know that it has been thoroughly gone through and inspected by someone with my best interest in mind. I also really believe the if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Don't want to be the debby downer, but that was my experience. I have also had friends that have had no problems so maybe it was just my case. As of October that experience is over for me thank goodness.

 

[Bobber]

Trust, but verify. Love that quote from the great Ronald Reagan.

 

[aauummm]

I found a certified used car of the make, model and year I’ve been looking for at a dealership 6 hours away. The price and mileage is considerably less than anything I’ve seen locally and they will deliver it to my door for free.

I’ve seen pictures and they assure me the car is extremely clean but I haven’t seen it in person or driven it. Has anyone here ever bought a car site unseen? What was your experience?

I've bought four of them sight unseen over the internet. Had two of them delivered by an auto transport company, went and picked up the other two. All turned out great, but I've always been pretty lucky. I particularly like these guys out of Phoenix, bought one from them and can vouch for their integrity, decent prices and high quality cars.
http://www.shoponlineautos.com/used-cars-phoenix-az

 

[BoxsterCy]

Cannot offer an opinion since you didn't specify the car color. Color is everything.

 

[Clonepackof1]

I've bought two cars this way through dealerships, and sold one this way myself.

I bought a car from a dealership in DSM (I live in CR). It was a "mutual gamble" as they agreed to a number on my trade without seeing my old 4Runner and I was buying their certified late model used. Worked out great.

I sold a car this way when a guy from Oklahoma flew to CR and he bought my car and drove away after giving me a cashier's check. That worked out great too (though there is NO WAY I myself would buy from a private seller this way.

Last, my wife just bought a car yesterday in Chicago. Because we don't trust Chicago dealers, she had actually called a mechanic who was close to the dealership and when we test drove it, she informed the sales guy we would be making a stop. $20 cash to the mechanic and 20 awkward minutes of the bewildered sales guy nervously watching his car get the once over we decided to do the transaction when it got a clean bill of health. Checking carfax and having a non-certified car get looked at by someone who knows what they are doing makes it work.

As a post script, we decided to pay the $500 to have them certify it and extend all the warranties and stuff that came with it. When the guy handed my wife the key fob, she asked "where's the other one?". He said, "we only have one". She then replied with, "it's certified - which means it comes with two. Looks like you need to order one for me." The finance guy attempted to argue, but there it was in the contract they just sold us. The fobs are $350 per...glad we bought the certification!

 

[vmbplayer]

Inspection is a great idea. If you don't do that I'd suggest at least getting a carfax report (even if one is provided by the dealer).

If there is a too good to be true price on it there may be something going on. If a dealer is shady and willing to hide something about a vehicle they won't think twice about providing a forged carfax report.

Get your own report then pay close attention to what it says compared to what you've been told about the vehicle. If something differs I'd walk away from it immediately. If it's clearly wrong I'd let law enforcement know so the next customer doesn't get taken.

 

[CYEATHAWK]

I found a certified used car of the make, model and year I’ve been looking for at a dealership 6 hours away. The price and mileage is considerably less than anything I’ve seen locally and they will deliver it to my door for free.

I’ve seen pictures and they assure me the car is extremely clean but I haven’t seen it in person or driven it. Has anyone here ever bought a car site unseen? What was your experience?

I would do it in a heartbeat. Bought many cars on eBay in the last 18 years. Majority from Texas. Not a one did we have inspected. Just flew down...drove home. And just like you found, even considering the cost of a one way ticket, and fuel for the drive home....was quite a bit cheaper than buying local. Wife and I will not buy new even though we can afford it because these used cars from areas that don't get the winter we do look outstanding, run great and at a fraction of the cost of new. So by all means.......do it.