Buying a new car over the internet..

[def90]

OK, so looking for a new (2023) Dodge Challenger R/T Scatpack. No local inventory but there is still a fairly large inventory available across the country. I've been looking at a number of cars via the Dodge website and contacting the dealers that have the particular cars in stock. My experience so far is that most dealers don't even want to respond to someone that isn't walking in to their front door as well as a lot of dealers have discounts listed on their sites for particular cars that have requirements such as must be a return customer, have a retailable trade in and finance through the dealer. For instance a dealer in Houston is advertising a $12K discount on a $50k car and when asked for the details they responded with the previous requirements. Another dealer responded with how would you ship/deliver it and I responded that an open air car hauler / trailer would cost $850 from Houston to Denver as if they've never dealt with shipping a car before.

These cars are close to two years old though they are new on the lot. I would think these guys would be looking to offload them on anyone willing to buy.

Anyways, if you have bought a new car across country from a dealer how did you navigate the deal?

 

[Dirtscoots]

I bought a used Tacoma 2 years old at the time sight unseen off the internet from a dealer. Shipping was going to be 500 bucks but then they tossed it in. Smooth transaction I would do it again. I’m actually pickup shopping and have been looking all over the country for best deal. If the price seems right I would definitely go for it.

 

[Loper]

In December I was looking for a specific vehicle and when looking locallly, none of the dealers had what I wanted. Some showed it on their sote, but then when I called they said it just sold.

Ended up looking at every dealer’s website in the state for what I wanted. Found exactly what I was looking for 2 hours away. The first person I talked to was willing to sell the car without me having to go into the dealership..Talked through all the details over the phone and they requested pictures and videos of my trade in. I and signed all the paperwork online. They had someone deliver the vehicle to my house, pick up the check.and drive my trade-in back.

I much preferred buying a car this way than going into a dealership and dealing with the sales people. .

 

[Beagle1]

I have bought our last four cars over the internet. I decided the geographic area I was willing to deal with then sent every dealer in it an email stating the car I wanted to purchase and requested an out the door price. I made it clear I would not waste their time if they didn’t waste mine. Usually three or so serious offers came back then negotiations for the best deal ensued over a week or so. Once a deal was struck and the deposit and paperwork were completed my wife and I drove out to pick up our vehicle. I would never walk into a dealership to buy a car. That’s their turf and they have the advantage.

 

[Snowwolfe]

Call them up and ask them what the out the door price is. If you agree to it have them email you a sales agreement and lock in the deposit with a credit card.
Go pick up the car.

 

[GunsAreFun]

I bought a truck and shipped it from NY to MO for less than $1000. Pretty painless. I wound only do it if the vehicle had a bumper to bumper warranty and if the dealer provided you an inspection report (if used) as well as a very detailed walk around and walk through video.

I’ve also bought three other used vehicles out of town that I drove to pick up after closing the deal remotely.

 

[Sevens]

I. December I was looking for a specific vehicle and when looking locallly, none of the dealers had what I wanted. Some showed it on their sote, but then when I called they said it just sold.

Ended up looking at every dealer’s website in the state for what I wanted. Found exactly what I was looking for 2 hours away. The first person I talked to was willing to sell the car without me having to go into the dealership..Talked through all the details over the phone and they requested pictures and videos of my trade in. I and signed all the paperwork online. They had someone deliver the vehicle to my house, pick up the check.
and drive my trade in back.

I much preferred buying a car this way than going into a dealership and dealing with the sales people. .

Similar experience for me. Car was 300 miles away, negotiated delivery to my door as part of the deal (car was CPO).

Much preferred the transaction this way and didn’t spend all day at a dealership negotiating.

 

[GunsAreFun]

Much preferred the transaction this way and didn’t spend all day at a dealership negotiating.

Very much agreed on benefits of negotiating this way. It allowed me to cast a very wide net that I would not have had time to travel to all these dealers. I probably made 60 offers on different trucks because I wasn’t in a rush and could wait for a great deal.

The truck I shipped from NY was literally the easiest of any car buying experience I had. Got the deal negotiated in a few text in less than a couple hours, including time talking to the shipper they recommended to get sn estimate. Did some DocuSigns, went to the bank and wired the money, they took care of logistics with shipper, and a few days later the truck was deliver to my curb. Some of the paperwork followed in the mail a couple days later.

 

[Loper]

I probably would have walked out of the dealership if I had to negotiate with the sales people in their office. There’s a lot less pressure when you are at home and you can just tell the sales guy you’ll think about it and call him back. Additionally, having a spreadsheet on my computer as I’m negotiating numbers is a big help too.

 

[Dr.Spaniel]

I’ve read that they only made maybe 1000 of those challengers with the Scat Pack. That year there were 200,000 plus Tacomas made. I wonder if the dealer wants it sold on the lot to a customer they know they will see again. If that is a good experience, the dealer will hope that you will trade that car in there for another “luxury” vehicle. They probably want you to have the maintenance done there as well.
My experience with this process is with my watch dealer. I wanted a Rolex that I had seen. I went in to ask about it and was informed there is a wait list for the watch that I wanted. They told me they only get so few and that since they had customers who have done thousands of dollars of business with them, that I’m low man on the totem pole. This made sense. I’ve bought a few Grand Seikos from them and I’ve been moving up the waitlist faster because I’m spending more money.
I wonder if your issue comes from the low volume and the vehicle being important for long term customer relationships for the dealer. I could definitely be wrong about the number of the cars made with the scat pack.
Let’s say I was a Dodge dealer and I just had a guy come in and buy a giant Cummins dualy from me. While he’s there his soon to be sixteen year old daughter is fawning over that car, of which there is only one in the dealership. I would be trying to sell it to him for her, no matter how long it took. Their business is more important to my long term relationship with this man and his family. He doesn’t know you. Said with no offense.

 

[def90]

Not sure how many were produced, I see numbers online of 1000 but when you search the dodge website for nationwide inventory there are still 492 of them sitting in lots over a year after they ended production of them. I’ve seen dealership photos showing door tags of cars that came off the production line two years ago and are still in their lot. The demand doesn’t seem to be there.