Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Buying a vehicle over the phone?

I've always been someone that has to look at what I'm buying before money is exchanged. With that said, have you purchased a new vehicle over the phone and had a carrier deliver? If so, couple questions:

1) When did you provide payment - before or after delivery?
2) Any issues with delivery (damage, item not described properly)?
3) Any warranty issues where you need the (remote) dealer to stand behind you?


Gathering information here. Appreciate the responses.

We have bought several from Henson in Madisonville
Texas. They bring it to us, sign papers in living room. They have best price, same warranty as everyone else.

Did it with a motorcycle. New.

1. Payment before, sellers aren't likely to send a vehicle without getting their money
2. No issues with vehicle - agreed upon inspection time period but the guys that move these for a living, they/their insurance pay the claims. They take a lot of care
3. No warranty issues - can't comment there. Assuming in your situation there simply is not a branded dealer in your area?

Bought our last two new vehicles over the internet from dealers. 1st was in the process of moving from Texas to Wyoming and literally had the vehicle delivered to our new Wyoming address as we were moving in. Second was remote from Michigan to Wyoming. Great dealings in both cases and much better pricing that we could have gotten locally. In both cases, we paid cash and had the vehicles delivered, so I don't know how they would potentially have handled financing etc. We were really pleased with both transactions and I would definitely buy that way again without concern. Discovered a very small chip in the windshield about 3 months after delivery in the second one, so was never sure if it was a delivery issue or something that happened after. No big deal, I had the chip repaired and moved on.

Bought several over the phone from dealerships. Have not bought anything over the phone from a private individual sight unseen.

My wife’s son, who lives in CA, bought a Porsche sight unseen in Florida. I think it was carvana, had it shipped. Vehicle was as described and delivered promptly, he was happy. No problem.

Buying at auction would be close to that.

Forgot, in regard to the warranty question, my second truck (ford) was actually enrolled in a loaner program and had 400 or so miles on it. Dealership gave me a major discount and a lifetime drivetrain warranty. Its honored by ford nationwide, and I got the paperwork for it at delivery. Trucks were both delivered to my door btw. We haven't had any issues, so I haven't had to worry about it, but it shouldn't be any issue since its covered at any ford dealership.

We have dealers here. However, they have no inventory and dealers today are reluctant to transfer/swap vehicles. Dealers here don't have a similar vehicle to swap with another dealer. Price is another issue locally (ordering won't allow for negotiating). Therefore, I'm doing something I've never done and am looking nationwide.

I bought a new Toyota in Colorado last November but I drove there to pick it up. Everything went smooth and it was worth the drive to avoid the Gulf States Toyota monopoly.

My coworker did the same but had it shipped from Connecticut. Everything went smooth and he's happy.

I would never do the same for a used car...

I bought two different new sports cars over the phone from a dealer six hours from me. They delivered in an enclosed trailer, I handed them a check, and we shook hands. That’s it. They had what I wanted and I didn’t have to deal with local A hole car salesmen.

Bought a motorcycle via phone & email. California to Texas delivery.