"Long-distance" deal

[bb37]

I'm in the market for a new 2024 Expedition. I've located one that checks all the boxes for color, packages, and options at a dealer that's about 3 hours from me.

How do I approach this? Can I expect to make the deal by phone or email? What will I have to do to convince the dealership that I'm serious? In all my past car purchases, I've been able to make the deal face-to-face. I assume that there will be some face-to-face negotiation in this deal, but I really don't want to drive 3 hours one-way only to come home empty-handed.

To add to the complication, there will be a trade-in involved. It's financed, but I'm not upside down. I assume that the dealer will want to see photos of my trade beforehand.

Thoughts from those who have been down this road before?

 

[Fastcar]

Maybe try to get a local dealer to do a "dealer swap"?

 

[BigOleFordFan]

Maybe try to get a local dealer to do a "dealer swap"?

^^THIS^^ will make everything so much simpler for all concerned, but may slow things down a little while you wait for the swap to take place and the required paperwork to be completed before you can proceed with the purchase..

With not being face to face in the early stages of the process, be 100% certain to document EVERYTHING, all discussions, offers ect, keeping copies of all notes, emails, photos etc...

A moderate down payment would be the easiest way to convince the dealer that you are serious, but get it in writing that it is 100% REFUNDABLE if no deal happens..

The trade-in could complicate things a bit, especially if your new machine will come from out of state....be sure to check with your bank/loan company etc if they are able to do the payoff, title transfers etc BEFORE making a deal...

If it is an out of state transaction, you will most likely have to get plates & register the new vehicle in it's home state, and then get new plates & registration in your state within 60-90 days....all of which you will have to pay for out of pocket, so be prepared for that...

The other dealer will most likely want to inspect your trade-in before finalizing a deal, but that should ALWAYS be the final step in this process, just be certain that the price of the new one is set in stone first (in writing) before you start talking about the trade-in value...

Good luck & please keep us posted on your progress

 

[LegalBrief]

Weird things happen with lemon law rights if purchase state is different then registration state. I’d be cautious!

Better to let the dealers trade or swap the vehicle.

In my life when ever I bought even a local dealer swap vehicle there have been issues, like missing accessories or damage suposedly in transit.

 

[bb37]

The Expedition that I've located is in the same state as me. I would be very reluctant to travel across state lines to buy a new vehicle.

 

[BigOleFordFan]

Weird things happen with lemon law rights if purchase state is different then registration state. I’d be cautious!

Better to let the dealers trade or swap the vehicle.

In my life when ever I bought even a local dealer swap vehicle there have been issues, like missing accessories or damage suposedly in transit.

If a swap, I would ask for a bunch of before & after photos inside & out, under the hood & the underside of the vehicle, and make the deal contingent on getting them BEFORE finalizing the deal....

 

[Fastcar]

Weird things happen with lemon law rights if purchase state is different then registration state. I’d be cautious!

Better to let the dealers trade or swap the vehicle.

In my life when ever I bought even a local dealer swap vehicle there have been issues, like missing accessories or damage suposedly in transit.

I'm confused. If I buy a new car/truck in one state and move to another that would endanger my rights under a lemon law claim?

 

[LegalBrief]

I'm confused. If I buy a new car/truck in one state and move to another that would endanger my rights under a lemon law claim?

If you buy a car in one state and register it in another at time of sale things can get wonky. Federal law still applies, but that’s federal court.

 

[bb37]

"Wonky" must be a legal term that I'm not familiar with.

Since lemon laws are enacted at the state level, one would have to research their state laws to see how they might apply to a potential lemon law situation. In my brief research of the Indiana lemon law, it only protects Indiana residents if they have purchased the vehicle from an Indiana dealer.

As I stated above, "the Expedition that I've located is in the same state as me" so discussions of things going "wonky" by buying across state lines does not apply in this situation.

 

[cekkk]

WONKY. Definition. Midway between SNAFU and FUBAR.

 

[cekkk]

Over the years, I have purchased two automobiles by telephone. The first was a Virginia dealership whose salesman drove from Fairfax to Richmond to pick up the car that we had negotiated price over the phone for. I lived in Maryland at the time and there was a trade in involved. When he got the car back to his dealership, I drove my trade in over.They looked it over, we signed the papers and off I went in the new car.

The second was my wife's expedition. I knew pretty much exactly what I wanted for her and I found one existed in colorado, but I could not pin down which dealership had it. Every dealership, I would call said yeah, we can get that car, but they didn't tell me where it was. I don't remember exactly how, but I did negotiate price with a dealer in
that technical center outside of denver. The deal went off smoothly. And it was a bit humorous, because when I looked the car over the name of the dealership that had the automobile was on the rear of the truck.

 

[BigOleFordFan]

hahahaha... FUBAR....that word always puts a smile on my face, regardless of the cirumstances...

I remember the 1st time I told my grandpa that something of his was FUBARRED, and he tried to wack me on the mouth, for cussin in his house

 

[bb37]

Your definitions are different from mine. I rank them from bad to worse as: WONKY, SNAFU, FUBAR. Wonky is OK. I can deal with wonky. SNAFU is situation normal, but more effed up than wonky. But, FUBAR is pretty much beyond hope for recovery.

 

[BigOleFordFan]

OR:

Wonky = 85-95% fixable
SNAFU = 40-50% fixable
FUBAR = no way, 'Jose, into the round file it goes !

And for those who don't know: FUBAR stands for "effed up beyond all recognition"

 

[aksarben]

SO, did you end up getting the vehicle? How did the deal go??

 

[bb37]

It came down to two new, as in un-titled, 2024 Expedition (non-Max) Limited with 304A, HD Towing, CCD, 3.73 ELSD, and 15.5" LCD. A Dark Matter one that was about an hour away and the aforementioned Iconic Silver one that was about 2 1/2 hours away. I ended up going with the Dark Matter one. The only downside to the Dark Matter one was that it had been the dealership VP's vehicle and had about 3,500 miles on it when I bought it (with a discount). The warranty started at the date/mileage that I bought it.