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Find what you want and email the dealer about the price. I've bought 30+ cars this way. The last two were over $350,000 combined. I've had them delivered to my house without ever visiting the dealership.
30+ cars? Good grief!
I got my driver's license over 50 years ago. I've only bought 8 vehicles over that period of time, and many of those years were before email and the internet!
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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For me it's not so much seeing in person as driving it. Before spending on a new vehicle I have to be sure it's comfortable, has good visibility, enough power, and handles well. Sitting on a lot for over a year is a red flag for me, in that time chances are that many people test drove it and passed on it. There had to be a reason.
For me it's not so much seeing in person as driving it. Before spending on a new vehicle I have to be sure it's comfortable, has good visibility, enough power, and handles well. Sitting on a lot for over a year is a red flag for me, in that time chances are that many people test drove it and passed on it. There had to be a reason.
But you can do that evaluation at Carmax or a dealer local to you to determine all those characteristics. Buying a new vehicle from a remote dealer is much less of a crapshoot than a used one, because as it hasn't been put in service yet, it is just a commodity. The last 10 new cars I have bought/leased were all bought sight unseen - I was negotiating remotely, then going into the dealer to pick the car up (or have it delivered). Prior to making those decisions, I went to my local Carmax to sit in the vehicle (and its competitors) to narrow down what was acceptable.
I got my driver's license over 50 years ago. I've only bought 8 vehicles over that period of time, and many of those years were before email and the internet!
No 30+ was just buying via email.
I've likely had 55+ cars/trucks and I'd bet 48-50 of those were brand new.
Funny my last 2 were crazy expensive, I saw neither in person before I bought them. One I picked up at the factory, I saw pictures in emails but didn't actually see the car until I got to the factory 12 hours away (flight + train)
Any concerns over buying a NEW 2023 car that's been sitting on the dealer's lot (or multiple dealers lots) for 200, 300 or nearly 400 days? The last time I bought a new car was 2006 and nowadays the "nationwide" internet searching is an efficient tool. But when I see AGING new cars in Florida, I wonder if they were exposed to hurricanes, or in Nevada, I wonder if they are sun-bleached by now...
I have very little capacity to travel more than 100 miles to see these cars in person, but does anyone have experience/opinions on buying a car sight unseen from an out-of-state retail dealer?... and what about these cars that have been sitting available for about a year?
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a car that was sitting 300-400 days. I bought a sports car that sat that long for a large discount and it ran like a top.
I would never buy a car built during the supply chain crisis caused by the incessant Covid shut-downs around the world, especially with the massive chip shortage. Absolutely no way. I would not buy a car built in 2020-2022. Probably not 2023 either.
I could never be able to trust the quality control on a car built during those years. I am sure the vast majority are fine but I am not a big fan of playing Russian Roulette.
PANDEMIC CAR SHORTAGE INCREASES RISK OF BUYING A LEMON
Thank you all-- Yes, I've shopped at my local dealer, but they don't have the combination of color & optional equipment I'd prefer. They offered to "locate & trade" and I told them to please do that, but 10 days later, I've not heard back other than a text to ask if I was interested in anything on their lot. I have driven & evaluated the model car in general, but yes-- I agree with the notion that a car 300 days old may be a red flag... And a lot of cars in Florida have deep discounts, but I'm not sure if they were exposed to the last couple of hurricanes, so I'm likely out on those.
Agreed- if it were a used car that I had to have from an unknown out-of-state source-- I'd pay a regional evaluator or pass altogether.
My current interest would be for the "new" car. With the unveiling of the 2025 Daytona, I wonder if the 2023 Challengers will be a tougher sell, hence the steep discounts. Again, I've seen wild price differences for the same color/equipment combination... but the lowest price cars are the ones that have the most "age" on them.... but we're only talking about an extra 100-150 days difference. One claimed 376 days on the lot old, so presumably a Feb 2023 build.
Find what you want and email the dealer about the price. I've bought 30+ cars this way. The last two were over $350,000 combined. I've had them delivered to my house without ever visiting the dealership.
You are a car nut after my own heart. I only wish I had had the money to buy a new car every year my whole life.
In 50 years of driving,I have only owned 9 cars, 4 new and 5 used. It is just the money of it.
As a car nut, I would have killed to have the money to drive a bunch of different fun cars every year or two.
Where is the "green with envy and I'm a not even trying to hide it" smilie?
I have alwasys wished I could own two cars at a time, but it is always been just too darn expensive to do continually. I am not even looking forward to the soaring insurance payment when I eventually add an SUV for the dog. Boy, money is freedom!
Thank you all-- Yes, I've shopped at my local dealer, but they don't have the combination of color & optional equipment I'd prefer. They offered to "locate & trade" and I told them to please do that, but 10 days later, I've not heard back other than a text to ask if I was interested in anything on their lot. I have driven & evaluated the model car in general, but yes-- I agree with the notion that a car 300 days old may be a red flag... And a lot of cars in Florida have deep discounts, but I'm not sure if they were exposed to the last couple of hurricanes, so I'm likely out on those.
Agreed- if it were a used car that I had to have from an unknown out-of-state source-- I'd pay a regional evaluator or pass altogether.
My current interest would be for the "new" car. With the unveiling of the 2025 Daytona, I wonder if the 2023 Challengers will be a tougher sell, hence the steep discounts. Again, I've seen wild price differences for the same color/equipment combination... but the lowest price cars are the ones that have the most "age" on them.... but we're only talking about an extra 100-150 days difference. One claimed 376 days on the lot old, so presumably a Feb 2023 build.
As for days on lot, there are a few dealership groups that havent pivoted as quickly from the "we can charge over MSRP on all our vehicles" mantra of 2021-22 and are holding vehicles for a long time. You are now seeing some of those discounted to move the metal as floorplan costs come due (at higher interest rates). Re: Florida, there are a couple of high volume dealers (or groups who want to become high volume) who will discount the price of the vehicle tremendously, but also charge a $1498 doc fee (where other parts of the country are $75, 500 or 799 doc fee) to make up for some of the discount.
For me it's not so much seeing in person as driving it. Before spending on a new vehicle I have to be sure it's comfortable, has good visibility, enough power, and handles well. Sitting on a lot for over a year is a red flag for me, in that time chances are that many people test drove it and passed on it. There had to be a reason.
I agree.
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