Has anyone bought a car entirely online during lockdown?

This_is_JRR

Like on Carvana or Vroom, or bought a car from a dealer and had it delivered sight unseen? I'm looking for real reviews of the experience. Thanks.

qbrozen

Yup. I've now done it 3 times, the most recent being a couple of weeks ago. Carvana/Vroom are good choices thanks to the great detail they offer. I urge looking for ads where you can see movement, as in their 360 degree view or a video. It helps to spot dings/dents and paint imperfections or inconsistencies. And get someone on the phone to talk you through it and maybe even do a live video call to walk you around it. I was slightly disappointed in my first purchase, but it was a 50-yr old car, so that's a lot tougher. Next was an 11-yr-old Charger Daytona. No disappointments there. In spectacular condition. Finally, a 13-yr-old ML63 AMG. Dealer was 800 miles away but has a great deal of online experience (more of a boutique than a dealer). He sent me multiple videos, explained all the recent maintenance, and his personal test drive experience. It had a few minor issues when it got here, but nothing surprising. You have to temper your expectations. You can also, if still concerned, arrange for an independent inspection. There are several companies out there who do it, a couple are nationwide.

oh, and be careful with shipping. Get everything in writing, and ask the seller to take videos just before it gets on the trailer. I haven't had any damage occur, but have read about some who have. And don't sign for the car until you check it over for cosmetic damage when it arrives. Don't take the cheapest bid. They are all shipping brokers, so the person who transports your vehicle is not the person or company you will speak with on the phone, and you don't want the broker to scrape the bottom of the barrel for you. With the Charger, I had to charge back my $100 deposit via AMEX because the driver wanted full payment, including that deposit, when he dropped off the car, and I couldn't get the broker to refund me.