re: Disadvantages of buying a car from a non-local dealership?

Yeah they didn’t try to change fees, they straight up didn’t have the vehicle (with a specified VIN an OTD price) we agreed on. It was not out of state, but still a little drive from my house. That situation would have pissed me off if it weren’t for bending on the trade.

I’ll say I bought another vehicle out of state that everything with the new sale went well but they lowballed the shite out of my trade. In this case I was getting a Tacoma more than $3k under sticker which was ridiculous at the time so I was not surprised they were trying to make up for it. That all worked out as well with just a little negotiation.

They can also hassle you at the finance table even for warranties and what not. This may just be an annoyance rather than a game but something that could make a transaction not go as smooth as it should.

Don’t ever underestimate the dealer playing games because they have endless variables they can play with. If they can squeeze you for another $100 they will. This isn’t unique to buying from an out of state dealer but they have you far away from home if you get there.

I am an advocate of buying where you can get the best deal, and increasing your radius is the best way to do it, I just want the OP to remember they are still messing with a car dealer and all the same rules still apply (don’t be afraid to walk and threaten it if necessary).