OT: Beware of Buying a Car Online

Dawgpile

Well-known member
May 23, 2006
2,110
624
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I don't know about national brands like Carvana, Vroom, etc., but my experience with an online dealer willing to ship has sucked so far. Mis-represented the condition of the car and the reconditioning, and when I called them on it, have been tap-dancing since. More importantly, they didn't pay the sales taxes despite them being on the contract.

I'll never do this again.
 
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Trojanbulldog19

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2014
8,859
4,337
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Yikes. Cars are something I want to buy the old fashioned way. Test drive one at the dealership & buy the one I drove. And get an independent inspection if I’m buying a used car. Good luck.
Yeah I'll never buy a car or house without seeing it first walking through and doing all the usual inspections. I couldn't believe back a couple of years ago people were buying houses no inspections or not even seeing the house in person. Same for cars. Even if brand new, I want to see that thing in person, drive it before I buy.
 

Dawgbite

Well-known member
Nov 1, 2011
6,217
4,632
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Years ago I bought several vehicles on eBay motors. I guess that I was lucky since I never had a bad experience but I don’t think that I’d do it today.
 

DesotoCountyDawg

Well-known member
Nov 16, 2005
22,080
9,410
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Years ago I bought several vehicles on eBay motors. I guess that I was lucky since I never had a bad experience but I don’t think that I’d do it today.
I think you could years ago but people don’t take care of stuff now. I have always gone and looked at vehicles, equipment, and property/houses before buying because you really can’t trust people today to be selling it on the up and up.
 

aTotal360

Well-known member
Nov 12, 2009
18,728
7,496
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I used Carmax one time. I liked the business model because you could request to have a car shipped to your closest dealership. Then you get to inspect it. As a buyer, you don't have any skin in the game until you buy. Overall, it was one of the best car buying experiences of my life. Part of that was because the guy helping me out was lazy. He just let me walk around while he sat in the air-conditioned showroom. He flipped me keys as I needed them. Took a couple of vehicles on a test drive by myself. Came back 45 mins later and made a purchase. The fact he stayed away from me, made me happy.
 

The Peeper

Well-known member
Feb 26, 2008
12,081
5,292
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I have a friend in Brandon that was having a re-occurring issue w/ a 1 year old pickup. It has been back to the dealer multiple times and he finally got fed up with it. He posted the vehicle online and sold it to someone in Indianapolis that sent a transport truck to pick it up and deliver it to them. Just a good example of why not to buy online because they had no idea of the issue. I guess there will be dealership records from Brandon that the Indy dealer could see because the times he took it back in for repairs were all warranty issues but he was just fed up w/ the truck, the dealership, and Dodge so he said 17 it and sold it.
 

Mobile Bay

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2020
3,838
1,527
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I don't know about national brands like Carvana, Vroom, etc., but my experience with an online dealer willing to ship has sucked so far. Mis-represented the condition of the car and the reconditioning, and when I called them on it, have been tap-dancing since. More importantly, they didn't pay the sales taxes despite them being on the contract.

I'll never do this again.
A used car salesman being dishonest, no, you dont say?****************

I bet you think the stripper really likes you to.
 

Mobile Bay

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2020
3,838
1,527
113
Yeah I'll never buy a car or house without seeing it first walking through and doing all the usual inspections. I couldn't believe back a couple of years ago people were buying houses no inspections or not even seeing the house in person. Same for cars. Even if brand new, I want to see that thing in person, drive it before I buy.
I would wave inspection on a house before a car.
 
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horshack.sixpack

Well-known member
Oct 30, 2012
9,063
5,065
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I have a friend in Brandon that was having a re-occurring issue w/ a 1 year old pickup. It has been back to the dealer multiple times and he finally got fed up with it. He posted the vehicle online and sold it to someone in Indianapolis that sent a transport truck to pick it up and deliver it to them. Just a good example of why not to buy online because they had no idea of the issue. I guess there will be dealership records from Brandon that the Indy dealer could see because the times he took it back in for repairs were all warranty issues but he was just fed up w/ the truck, the dealership, and Dodge so he said 17 it and sold it.
Well, he bought a Dodge without expecting quality issues...
 
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StateCollege

Well-known member
Oct 17, 2022
488
745
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I've used Carvana twice and had great experiences both times. Much prefer searching a national inventory and getting exactly what I want rather than sitting in a small cube while a salesperson tries to buddy up to me.
 

The Peeper

Well-known member
Feb 26, 2008
12,081
5,292
113
Well, he bought a Dodge without expecting quality issues...
I have the same opinion. I was a co-op student while going to school here and was working w/ federal govt. They were mandated to buy Dodge/Chrysler/Plymouth at the time because the govt was bailing them out of bankruptcy and I learned a hatred of all of those products then that last to this day over 3 decades later
 

LordMcBuckethead

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2022
1,077
831
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I bought a classic car, site unseen, Feb of 2022. I had a car inspector check it out prior to buying it. The toughest thing was shipping. Car was awesome though.
 
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