Buying a car in a different state is an idea that most of us think of in a lifetime. Fortunately for us, we live in a country that has 50 different states. That’s 50 different places with perhaps lower rates, better car buying systems and advantages your state does not have. Also, it gives you much more options outside of your own area. Suddenly, in the era of internet, all 300 million of us are potential salesmen and buyers. Because there are great opportunities and options out there, preparation is key. Whether you are researching the market, using available resources or you want to prepare your vehicle for transport, being informed before making a decision is a good idea. Buying a car out of state does not have to be something you are scared of anymore. Let’s dive into some useful tips that will make your purchase a lot easier.
Table of Contents
Go out there if you can when buying a car in a different state
Pretty basic tip to be honest. And one that makes sense but is not available to a lot of people. If you’re one of the lucky ones and have both the time and the money to travel, make sure to do so. Seeing the car in front of you and getting a chance to ask the seller questions live is always a good idea. You can see all the potential problems a car has. We all know that pictures online can be really fraudulent sometimes.
When people sell, they usually blow it out of proportion so if you have the opportunity, go and see the vehicle. It goes without mentioning that you should only do this for vehicles that you are extremely interested in. Buying a car out of state can be a bad experience if you just go and visit every potential vehicle.
Use all available resources at your disposal
In the era of the internet, you can find almost everything about almost everyone. The same thing applies if you are looking to buy a vehicle from someone. Buying a vehicle in another state is now much easier than in the old days. There are many tools you can use to check out all the details you are interested in. If you are buying from a car dealer in another state you can check out their reviews on Yelp, Angie’s list, and many other review Websites.
Going for a car appraisal service is a good option as well. Additionally, resources like CARFAX or Auto Check can help you make sure you are not buying a car with a lot of hidden problems that you might not know about. Planning to get financing on your new vehicle, or determine fuel calculations? Now you can use calculators to instantly determine all variables before making your purchase.
Find a reliable company to ship your vehicle
If you’re in a place where going to the seller to drive the vehicle yourself is not an option or something you want to do, finding a reputable auto shipping company is key. The process of wanting to purchase an out of state vehicle is a lot easier if someone else delivers the vehicle. The same thing applies if you are looking to move your belongings as well, going with someone like bestcrosscountrymovers.com makes you feel a lot safer.
In the era of brokers and bad companies, you really need to make sure that whoever is handling your vehicle shipment is someone you can trust. A scenario where the new vehicle is running late or gets damaged while not being insured is no picnic. Here are some resources you can use in order to make sure the company has value and can be trusted:
- Better Business Bureau
- Yelp
- US Department of Transportation
- com
- Asking for referrals when buying a car in a different state
Think of emission laws and tax systems
First of all, you cannot evade taxes by buying a vehicle from another state. That is a myth not based in reality. Taxes are paid where the vehicle is registered, not where the purchase is made. Tax collectors filled up this loophole a long time ago. If you are looking to buy a car out of state mainly, for this reason, think otherwise. It just does not work anymore. Additionally, emission regulation can deter your plans even more.
California is the state with the strictest air quality standards in the nation, and most manufacturers build vehicles to pass this regulation. Aside from California, fourteen other states and the District of Columbia have adopted the standards set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). This can be tricky though because some cars are made to be sold only in non-CARB states. Pay attention to this when going for your dream car and want to avoid transmission woes.
Run a background check on the vehicle before purchasing it
When you are buying a car from a car dealer in another state, make sure to run a background check the same way as if you were buying from someone down the street. When people try to sell their vehicle, unfortunately, they will probably not be honest 100%.
This is something that you obviously want to avoid. Buying a car in a different state does make this a little trickier, but it can be done. Make sure to get all relevant details before finalizing your purchase. You can save yourself a lot of stress this way. Some of the key information you will need is:
- Whether the car has been damaged.
- Whether the car is listed as stolen.
- Is the car is leased or has a loan taken out on it.
- If the VIN number and registration is legit.
- The sales history.