Purchasing remotely

I live in the PNW, and $10k markups on Type Rs are commonplace. I've been calling around to various dealerships across the country, and found a few selling at MSRP that are willing to work with me remotely and ship the car out.

What should I be looking for and cautious of heading into a transaction like this? Does anyone have any experience purchasing a new car sight unseen from a dealership? What should I be looking for in a shipping company?

niknatar said:

I live in the PNW, and $10k markups on Type Rs are commonplace. I've been calling around to various dealerships across the country, and found a few selling at MSRP that are willing to work with me remotely and ship the car out.

What should I be looking for and cautious of heading into a transaction like this? Does anyone have any experience purchasing a new car sight unseen from a dealership? What should I be looking for in a shipping company?

Click to expand...

It’s easier than you think. If you’ve decided what you want, contact the dealer and set up deposit and email purchase order for signature. They can arrange one way shipping for you. Only do covered double decker trailers. I’ve always used O’gara Motorsports which does super cars white glove and not bad at all for one way. They can also setup your state registration.

Once all set up, wait for delivery. The driver will have you sign final docs etc. upon delivery before releasing to you. If you didn’t set up registration with the dealer, then you need your memo title to apply for your state’s registration.

Half my cars are bought unseen and all by email and text. I’ve done my Lambos from Newport Beach, CA, and Porsches from East Coast no problems last 10 years. One way shipping via O’gara Motorsports has been $1500 for me per car from Cali to Ohio.

Go for it! Ohio is mostly MSRP sold. Call Honda Marysville if you want the red 2019 incoming. Ask for Todd Francis and tell him I sent you. My CW came from there in March 2018 for MSRP.

ctrmofo said:

It’s easier than you think. If you’ve decided what you want, contact the dealer and set up deposit and email purchase order for signature. They can arrange one way shipping for you. Only do covered double decker trailers. I’ve always used O’gara Motorsports which does super cars white glove and not bad at all for one way. They can also setup your state registration.

Once all set up, wait for delivery. The driver will have you sign final docs etc. upon delivery before releasing to you. If you didn’t set up registration with the dealer, then you need your memo title to apply for your state’s registration.

Half my cars are bought unseen and all by email and text. I’ve done my Lambos from Newport Beach, CA, and Porsches from East Coast no problems last 10 years. One way shipping via O’gara Motorsports has been $1500 for me per car from Cali to Ohio.

Go for it! Ohio is mostly MSRP sold. Call Honda Marysville if you want the red 2019 incoming. Ask for Todd Francis and tell him I sent you. My CW came from there in March 2018 for MSRP.

Click to expand...

Dayton Honda dealers are also msrp. Castrucci in Dayton has a 2019 for bids

I just bought from a dealer in Ohio; I'm in Portland. In my case, the dealer did not collect sales taxes, arrange registration or find shipping.

Compared with paying ADM it was a wash, financially.

A $500 deposit held the car while we worked out the details. The dealer won't release the car to a shipper until the transaction is funded and you have signed and returned some overnighted paperwork. In my case this was a cash transaction; I signed a privacy notice, a buyer's order, a delivery report (vouching for car's delivery condition) and a reassignment of ownership, to be filed with Ohio. I had to supply a copy of my driver's license. They also had to talk to me live on video, which apparently is some anti money laundering requirement.

All in, the process took less than 36 hours. It took less time to overnight paperwork both ways than for wired funds to arrive.

I used Montway for enclosed shipping; it was $1,800. They give you windows for pickup and delivery. The price is about what I expected to pay.

I've bought perhaps 20 cars via email or phone, though usually much closer to home, and have shipped maybe 10 times. I've had more problems with registration and taxes than with sales and delivery, because every state has different rules about what is charged and when. It's best to ask the dealer about how they customarily handle out of state purchases. If they don't do many, you may want to handle taxes and registration yourself.

You do have to trust the dealer you buy from. I've had sellers do a quick video walkaround to verify condition on used cars as they go on a truck. You might get yours to do the same or perhaps use Facetime.

Regarding the shipper it does not pay to go with the lowest bid. At the ragged edge some shippers farm out the work to subcontractors and your chances for redress for damages decline sharply.

A car that is shipped on an open trailer is exposed at the very least to weather and road grim and at worst to rocks and debris. In an enclosed it arrives looking the like the new car it is. Montway's enclosed rate was about $400 higher than open.

Thanks for the replies, all the info has been super helpful. I'll go with enclosed shipping and check rates for Montway and O'Gara. I think I have a lead on a 19 CW in Florida, but I'll try those Ohio dealerships if this one falls through.

One other question--how does titling on the new car work? I currently have a 2014 Si that I'll be selling once I get a Type R. If I have the dealer transfer plates from my current car, will that impact my ability to sell the Si?

niknatar said:

Thanks for the replies, all the info has been super helpful. I'll go with enclosed shipping and check rates for Montway and O'Gara. I think I have a lead on a 19 CW in Florida, but I'll try those Ohio dealerships if this one falls through.

One other question--how does titling on the new car work? I currently have a 2014 Si that I'll be selling once I get a Type R. If I have the dealer transfer plates from my current car, will that impact my ability to sell the Si?

Click to expand...

Titling is done at your DMV and whatever that process is. You should be able to find on their website or email and ask.

Plate transfer won’t impact your ability to sell the old car at all.

destoups said:

I used Montway for enclosed shipping; it was $1,800. They give you windows for pickup and delivery. The price is about what I expected to pay.

Click to expand...

I'm interested in shipping.
Was the Montway enclosed shipping truly enclosed in hard shell container? or I've seen some called enclosed, but really just some flaps wrapped around the open trailer

ctrmofo said:

It’s easier than you think. If you’ve decided what you want, contact the dealer and set up deposit and email purchase order for signature. They can arrange one way shipping for you. Only do covered double decker trailers. I’ve always used O’gara Motorsports which does super cars white glove and not bad at all for one way. They can also setup your state registration.

Once all set up, wait for delivery. The driver will have you sign final docs etc. upon delivery before releasing to you. If you didn’t set up registration with the dealer, then you need your memo title to apply for your state’s registration.

Half my cars are bought unseen and all by email and text. I’ve done my Lambos from Newport Beach, CA, and Porsches from East Coast no problems last 10 years. One way shipping via O’gara Motorsports has been $1500 for me per car from Cali to Ohio.

Go for it! Ohio is mostly MSRP sold. Call Honda Marysville if you want the red 2019 incoming. Ask for Todd Francis and tell him I sent you. My CW came from there in March 2018 for MSRP.

Click to expand...

thats awesome ! def will keep this noted also do you know any other honda dealerships in ohio selling ctr at msrp?

pjw7454 said:

Dayton Honda dealers are also msrp. Castrucci in Dayton has a 2019 for bids

Click to expand...

any other dealerships in ohio im from cincy area selling at msrp

Enclosed is good and all but when the R is initially delivered to the dealership, it's on a open trailer and they don't seem to have many issues with it. Just a thought.

s2k_du said:

any other dealerships in ohio im from cincy area selling at msrp

Click to expand...

I bought mine in May from Performance Honda at the Kings Auto Mall on Fields-Ertel. It was listed for $3000 over sticker but I asked (didn't haggle) and got MSRP pricing.

Iilac said:

Enclosed is good and all but when the R is initially delivered to the dealership, it's on a open trailer and they don't seem to have many issues with it. Just a thought.

Click to expand...

Most of the times the dealership destinations aren't too far from the port compared to being transported from Florida to Washington which is cross country.

Chee_hu said:

Most of the times the dealership destinations aren't too far from the port compared to being transported from Florida to Washington which is cross country.

Click to expand...

True but looking at it logically and from each person's sensitivity to risk, is it worth the extra cost??? My car went open trailer from New York to California. It was dirty as hell but no scratches or dents was on my car.

ctrmofo said:

It’s easier than you think. If you’ve decided what you want, contact the dealer and set up deposit and email purchase order for signature. They can arrange one way shipping for you. Only do covered double decker trailers. I’ve always used O’gara Motorsports which does super cars white glove and not bad at all for one way. They can also setup your state registration.

Once all set up, wait for delivery. The driver will have you sign final docs etc. upon delivery before releasing to you. If you didn’t set up registration with the dealer, then you need your memo title to apply for your state’s registration.

Half my cars are bought unseen and all by email and text. I’ve done my Lambos from Newport Beach, CA, and Porsches from East Coast no problems last 10 years. One way shipping via O’gara Motorsports has been $1500 for me per car from Cali to Ohio.

Go for it! Ohio is mostly MSRP sold. Call Honda Marysville if you want the red 2019 incoming. Ask for Todd Francis and tell him I sent you. My CW came from there in March 2018 for MSRP.

Click to expand...

Absolutely second the covered transport. When I sold my audi the buyer had an uncovered pick it up from the north east and you should have seen the other cars on the transport. Covered in snow rocks and mud, felt terrible putting the car on that thing but it was no longer mine. Lesson learned for the future

@automaticdman You might find a couple transport companies in this thread