What to Expect Buying Out of State?

[uwfargo]

(I didn't find an answer searching the forums so please refer me if someone has asked and answered, and I can remove the post).

Encouraged by everyone's seemingly lack of troubles with purchasing out of state, I decided to look outside Georgia because every dealer was selling 4Runners with what I thought were overpriced, unnecessary options added (i.e. $80 phone cables and first aid kids, and more).

I almost bought in Tennessee, but the dealer there was going to "require" me to finance with one of their lenders.

So, I put down a deposit in Alabama for a 4Runner with almost zero add-ons.

One caveat so far is they are also limiting my purchase to their lenders or cash, debit card or bank wire. At least I'm not forced to take a loan. But, no out of state or cashier's or certified checks accepted seems a little drastic.

I guess the second is the non-refundable deposit!

But, what should I expect when I drive hours to get my 4Runner? Extended warranty offers, I'm sure (please comment on the best prices and places to buy them, if not on the spot). Can I buy one later, for sure?

What if there's a problem right there with maybe sub-par tire brands or something that is not specified on 4Runner specs? Their deposit and purchase sheets don't seem to make them responsible for much.

Also, if there's a problem with the vehicle in some sort of way when I get it home, will my local dealership 100% take on warranty work and any other small issues I may have?

First time buying out of state, but hoping it's a good experience.

Please let me know any advice! Thank you!

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[Crankpin]

My wife and I traveled to Louisville, KY to purchase, 944 miles. The guy that handles all paperwork when you check out, does it all. We financed $12K with Toyota Finance of the total after trade-in and cash,
which was a wire to their dealership.
They gave us the original title to take to the DMV here in Florida. The DMV here kept the title, and we were finished. I guess they will work with the KY dealer.
MSRP was $54,970.00 + $1948.00 options, before taxes, etc., and their $500.00 fee. We paid the usual tax to FL, and there was a small charge for KY.
In 2008, a dealer in VA picked me up at the airport, took me to their dealership, showed me a row of 4Runners, take your pick. I paid cash, drove back to NC, where we lived at the time. This was our first of 7
4Runners to date.
Here in FL, I could not deal with their crazy option and market adjustment fees at the time. My purchase VIN : JTEVA5BR2S5004371.
We have purchased many Toyotas, and never buy the extra warranty, I trade every two years, best ROI. The extra warrantys they sell, can be negotiated down 50% or more.
Vince

 

[Mudbath]

I bought my Pro out of state. Entire process was easy peasy.

I took the train from Seattle down to Albany, Oregon (about a 5-hour trip) and the dealer had a driver pick me up and drove me out to the dealership, which was a small dealer in a small town (Toyota of Newport, Newport Oregon).

Everything had been agreed on beforehand (they supplied a "vspec" document) that had everything laid out (price, what was on the truck, etc.). I had my own financing arranged, and a cashier's check for my down payment. I did agree to give them a shot through one of their lenders, which I did wind up accepting. Previous to coming down I had inquired about an extended factory warranty; I have purchased a few new Toyotas vehicles and am familiar with the process. I knew what I wanted and what I was willing to pay, and they made that happened. It cost me a few dollars more than if I had purchased it from one of the dealers who will sell you a warranty after the fact, but I wanted to give the dealership my business and it was rolled up into the vehicle contract.

The tires on your truck will be what Toyota puts on at the factory. Warranty work can be done at any dealership, the dealer bills Toyota for their time. Do you bank with an institution that has branches in both your state and the dealers state? If not, a wire is stupid easy these days, just let your bank know ahead of time what's going on.

With regards to a non-refundable deposit, I wouldn't agree, or sign to that. If you feel you don't have a choice, you will have a credit at the dealership, worst case. Maybe you could buy some tires down the road.

The reason you are seeing all those ridiculous items added to trucks you are looking at is because you are looking at dealerships run by the cartels known as Gulf States Toyota (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas) and Southeast Toyota Distributors (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina). They control every Toyota dealership in those states. Put another way, there is no competition, so no reason to be aggressive on pricing.

If you don't feel comfortable with them, I can help you find a truck. I have helped several people here locate the Pro they want. IM me what color(s) you want and where you are located and I can send you some options.

 

[uwfargo]

I bought my Pro out of state. Entire process was easy peasy.

I took the train from Seattle down to Albany, Oregon (about a 5-hour trip) and the dealer had a driver pick me up and drove me out to the dealership, which was a small dealer in a small town (Toyota of Newport, Newport Oregon).

Everything had been agreed on beforehand (they supplied a "vspec" document) that had everything laid out (price, what was on the truck, etc.). I had my own financing arranged, and a cashier's check for my down payment. I did agree to give them a shot through one of their lenders, which I did wind up accepting. Previous to coming down I had inquired about an extended factory warranty; I have purchased a few new Toyotas vehicles and am familiar with the process. I knew what I wanted and what I was willing to pay, and they made that happened. It cost me a few dollars more than if I had purchased it from one of the dealers who will sell you a warranty after the fact, but I wanted to give the dealership my business and it was rolled up into the vehicle contract.

The tires on your truck will be what Toyota puts on at the factory. Warranty work can be done at any dealership, the dealer bills Toyota for their time. Do you bank with an institution that has branches in both your state and the dealers state? If not, a wire is stupid easy these days, just let your bank know ahead of time what's going on.

With regards to a non-refundable deposit, I wouldn't agree, or sign to that. If you feel you don't have a choice, you will have a credit at the dealership, worst case. Maybe you could buy some tires down the road.

The reason you are seeing all those ridiculous items added to trucks you are looking at is because you are looking at dealerships run by the cartels known as Gulf States Toyota (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas) and Southeast Toyota Distributors (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina). They control every Toyota dealership in those states. Put another way, there is no competition, so no reason to be aggressive on pricing.

If you don't feel comfortable with them, I can help you find a truck. I have helped several people here locate the Pro they want. IM me what color(s) you want and where you are located and I can send you some options.

Thank you a lot! Yeah, I knew about the cartels, so I tried Tennessee...They weren't better with their captive financing "fraud protection" for themselves. I think it will be fine with the current dealer, as long as I don't have to go there for any service (and the 4R makes it home!! ). I did sign a non-refundable deposit agreement, which I had resisted for months. But, I wanted this one with literally only a moonroof and all-weather mats add-ons. But, I bank with the same bank they wanted me to wire money to....so their "fraud protection" makes no good sense to me here, either..

 

[uwfargo]

I bought my Pro out of state. Entire process was easy peasy.

I took the train from Seattle down to Albany, Oregon (about a 5-hour trip) and the dealer had a driver pick me up and drove me out to the dealership, which was a small dealer in a small town (Toyota of Newport, Newport Oregon).

Everything had been agreed on beforehand (they supplied a "vspec" document) that had everything laid out (price, what was on the truck, etc.). I had my own financing arranged, and a cashier's check for my down payment. I did agree to give them a shot through one of their lenders, which I did wind up accepting. Previous to coming down I had inquired about an extended factory warranty; I have purchased a few new Toyotas vehicles and am familiar with the process. I knew what I wanted and what I was willing to pay, and they made that happened. It cost me a few dollars more than if I had purchased it from one of the dealers who will sell you a warranty after the fact, but I wanted to give the dealership my business and it was rolled up into the vehicle contract.

The tires on your truck will be what Toyota puts on at the factory. Warranty work can be done at any dealership, the dealer bills Toyota for their time. Do you bank with an institution that has branches in both your state and the dealers state? If not, a wire is stupid easy these days, just let your bank know ahead of time what's going on.

With regards to a non-refundable deposit, I wouldn't agree, or sign to that. If you feel you don't have a choice, you will have a credit at the dealership, worst case. Maybe you could buy some tires down the road.

The reason you are seeing all those ridiculous items added to trucks you are looking at is because you are looking at dealerships run by the cartels known as Gulf States Toyota (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas) and Southeast Toyota Distributors (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina). They control every Toyota dealership in those states. Put another way, there is no competition, so no reason to be aggressive on pricing.

If you don't feel comfortable with them, I can help you find a truck. I have helped several people here locate the Pro they want. IM me what color(s) you want and where you are located and I can send you some options.

And, I would have gotten the exact 4R as yours if I could justify the higher price (I can't with my minimal off-roading...I even thought I was going to go SR5 for a minute and do aftermarket stuff). Love that Mudbath!!

 

[TrdProGirl84]

I bought my Pro in Tennessee and I live in Georgia. I had no issues. It was smooth. I even got my new tag within a week which is way faster than I ever have when I bought all my other vehicles prior in my state. It was also delivered, didn’t have to go to the dealership at all.

 

[Crankpin]

We purchased 3 new Toyotas from Fox Toyota in Clinton, TN when living up there. Sales rep : KC Ramsey. He is well informed, and excellent follow up.
V

 

[GeoJay2020]

I'm also in GA. Purchased my Pro in NC. Everything went smooth as far as trade-in and purchase of the new vehicle. NC included GA's ad valorem tax into final price, but for some reason I'm going on about day 40 with no tag transfer yet. Sales claims everything gets sent to corporate for processing. Even though GA is an electronic submittal state, they still don't have any record of a transaction yet.

 

[jagndag]

Perhaps we have gone the farthest… we live in Colorado and I found close to what I wanted AND a dealer who would sell to out of state purchaser in Pennsylvania. We flew out and drove it back. We flew into Buffalo and dealer had a driver pick us up and take us to the dealership. Took 3 hours at most. Everyone was great at dealership.
Yes they try to hit you with extended warranty ( all of them do) but it was no problem. They got the no and it wasn’t a big deal. It is just a required thing they do.
We wired the money. It makes sense that a dealer won’t take a check out of state —-that’s a huge loss if it bounces for them.
We had tax option of there or at home. We had them not charge us sales tax so we can pay in Colorado—we are in unincorporated area so it should be a cheaper. Only thing is waiting for Colorado to send us tax info THEN we have to apply for our tags. But dealer gave us 2 month temp tags and Colorado will replace if takes longer. Gives me time to decide what tags I want.
It was easy and I would do it again for sure.

 

[Nodak]

(I didn't find an answer searching the forums so please refer me if someone has asked and answered, and I can remove the post).

Encouraged by everyone's seemingly lack of troubles with purchasing out of state, I decided to look outside Georgia because every dealer was selling 4Runners with what I thought were overpriced, unnecessary options added (i.e. $80 phone cables and first aid kids, and more).

I almost bought in Tennessee, but the dealer there was going to "require" me to finance with one of their lenders.

So, I put down a deposit in Alabama for a 4Runner with almost zero add-ons.

One caveat so far is they are also limiting my purchase to their lenders or cash, debit card or bank wire. At least I'm not forced to take a loan. But, no out of state or cashier's or certified checks accepted seems a little drastic.

I guess the second is the non-refundable deposit!

But, what should I expect when I drive hours to get my 4Runner? Extended warranty offers, I'm sure (please comment on the best prices and places to buy them, if not on the spot). Can I buy one later, for sure?

What if there's a problem right there with maybe sub-par tire brands or something that is not specified on 4Runner specs? Their deposit and purchase sheets don't seem to make them responsible for much.

Also, if there's a problem with the vehicle in some sort of way when I get it home, will my local dealership 100% take on warranty work and any other small issues I may have?

First time buying out of state, but hoping it's a good experience.

Please let me know any advice! Thank you!

well technically you still stayed in SET region going to bama

either region imo sucks but thats just me.

SET region :
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina

GST region:
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas

 

[alpa_chino]

Try the Facebook group "No mark up Toyota" they have dealers from all over that can help find what you are looking for or help get one. I found my salesman through that group

 

[uwfargo]

well technically you still stayed in SET region going to bama

either region imo sucks but thats just me.

SET region :
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina

GST region:
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas

I did. It was the "having" only two options added that I loved. But, now I'm hearing I needed to "break in" the vehicle before driving it home. Oh well! Guess it got it's speed part....and now it will be in town traffic more. I'll be sure to punch it! The Bama guys didn't seem overly knowledgeable about break in periods as they mentioned nothing. I literally told the salesman "I guess they sell themselves, eh?"

 

[Nodak]

I did. It was the "having" only two options added that I loved. But, now I'm hearing I needed to "break in" the vehicle before driving it home. Oh well! Guess it got it's speed part....and now it will be in town traffic more. I'll be sure to punch it! The Bama guys didn't seem overly knowledgeable about break in periods as they mentioned nothing. I literally told the salesman "I guess they sell themselves, eh?"

dont worry mostly forum people will point fingers at people not doing a proper break in cycle.

for 60-80% of the general clueless public, they have no idea what a break in period is on a new vehicle. they just drive it.

ask any non car person from gen Z and they will give you a blank stare most likely of what a break in period is.

they just get in an go, some can barely put gas in a vehicle and drive. you expect them to know how to break in a vehicle engine or for that matter your brake pads (thats a whole sub thread in of itself)



ive seen people rag a new vehicle from mile 1, tow the next day, and beat the crap offroading within the first 100 miles.

they still survive.

 

[TrdProGirl84]

I’ll tell you what I got mine out of state and I got my new license plate and tag without 7 days buying from Georgia every time (where I am from and live) it always took 3 weeks!!

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