Have you been searching around, typing into Google, “where can I find used trucks near me?” The results aren’t always what you expect. Sometimes you may find a listing that offers a price that you can’t beat, and the vehicle is in flawless condition with low mileage. One little problem, and it’s that the truck is located across state borders. While you might have never bought a truck from out of state before, it isn’t that difficult. If you’re curious about what it entails to make such a large purchase in another state and then translate all of the ownership and paperwork over to your state of choice, then keep reading.
How to buy a truck out of state is a question that gets asked a lot, and it’s something that you shouldn’t feel bad about not knowing. To some, the idea of going to another state for vehicle shopping may sound rather a niche or even foreign. Many times these drivers would rather shop for a truck within their state. The truth is, restricting yourself to a single state while vehicle shopping can sometimes result in spending thousands of dollars more than you need to. In some cases, it may even mean that you are unable to buy the used truck you really want and have to settle for a lesser option. To walk you through buying a truck from out of state, let’s start with the very first step of the shopping process.
Search Around
This is commonplace for any driver when shopping for a vehicle. Search around and explore your options. Perhaps you can search dealership listings and private sales from across the country, and this can help you narrow down an average of what the used truck you want may cost. The last thing you’ll want is to pay more than you have to. Next is to utilize a used car search engine such as Edmunds, CarGurus, or CARFAX. There are a large number of online car shopping sites today, and they will allow you to narrow down your search to find the exact use truck that you are looking for.
Here comes the difference-maker; what you should now do is to extend the range of your search. Does 100 miles sound too far? Very few car shoppers ever consider driving more than half an hour for a new vehicle, but spending a couple of hours on the road is nothing in the grand scheme of things when it comes to getting a good deal on a truck you love. Don’t be afraid to look at options 200 miles or more away from you. Understandably, you may not have the ability to travel to the dealership lot when it comes to the shopping process, so you’ll likely be doing your shopping online.
Getting in contact with the dealership is the next order of business. This doesn’t have to be a phone call during business hours either – modern dealerships will respond to email or have online contact forms if you can’t make time during your day to call. This is where we must stress that it’s vital that you get a clearer picture of the vehicle that you want to purchase. The easiest way to do this is by requesting a CARFAX report, and this is what you should do regardless of if you’re shopping with a dealership in another state or a private seller. If a CARFAX report isn’t available, this should be seen as a red flag, and you should take your business elsewhere. If the vehicle has a clean history and the CARFAX report can prove it, then you can freely begin the transaction process and not worry about this too much.
Pickup or Delivery?
Typically depending on the dealership, you may have a few options for transporting your vehicle back to your residence. This is something that we recommend figuring out before you plan a day to visit a dealership. One way, and perhaps the easiest, is if you were planning on trading in your current vehicle. Simply drive to the dealership in your old vehicle, pick up your new truck, and drive home in it.
Another way that you can find a ride to the dealership if you don’t have a vehicle to trade in is to ask around with your family and friends if any of them wouldn’t mind taking a quick road trip with you. Make a fun day out of it while you’re at it. If you are traveling a particularly long distance, you could even book a flight to the city where the dealership is and then drive back in your new car.
While there are still more ways to obtain a vehicle that you’ve purchased in another state, one way that is quite common and popular is to have it delivered to you. There are a few ways to acquire this service, but dealerships will sometimes offer this amenity to those who live in other states. Granted, there are a few caveats that you should consider when you go this route, and that includes the price. You have to carefully weigh your budget in this situation, especially if you’re running low on funds after making your purchase. But don’t forget to factor in your gas money and potential food and lodging costs when determining if the cost of delivery is too much.
Other Things to Consider
Ah yes, sales tax. If you don’t live in one of the five states that don’t have a sales tax, this has likely crossed your mind during this process. The easy answer is that you’ll be paying the sales tax for your state, even if you purchase it in one of the five aforementioned states. However, you won’t be paying this sales tax at the time of the purchase. Instead, you’ll be paying the tax the moment that you register your vehicle at home.
Driving your new vehicle from one state to another brings up another concern, and that’s the act of transporting the vehicle before you have proper registration. Talk to the employee at the dealership about this, and if necessary, they can facilitate the necessary paperwork to get you back home easily. You might not need to register the vehicle right away, although it’s a good idea to do so sooner than later, you will at least have a little breathing room between the day you initially purchase the vehicle and the day it officially becomes registered in your state.
Go For It
If you’ve been hesitant to travel to another state to purchase a vehicle, we encourage you to give it a shot. Yes, this is more than simply buying smaller goods from another state, and the intimidation factor can be at an all-time high. But as complicated as it may seem, vehicles are still products that are for sale, and no matter where the sale is being conducted, this doesn’t mean that you’re not allowed to make the purchase. The truth is, it’s immensely easier to purchase a vehicle in your home state, but if you’re intrigued by the prices or the selection of a dealership that is in an entirely different state, contact the dealership and convey your interest in a used truck. They’ll help you figure everything out from there.
