Pros/cons of buying from a dealership 4 hours away?

[Muckle]

In the hunt for the elusive creature known as a 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road w/ Premium Package. I've managed to locate one approximately four hours away. MSRP with PIOs I actually want, in the color I want. It's near family so I'll make a trip out of it - that's not a big deal.

What are the pros/cons of buyingfrom a dealership 4 hours away?

• If something goes wrong with the truck, would a local dealership be any less 'inclined' to resolve the issue vs. if I had waited to buy one local and took it back to that same dealership, should an issue arise? I understand they are under warranty but wondering if there is any unwritten rules around this.
• Picking up the truck: I am obviously pot committed when I pick up the truck in terms of the cost to get over there. If something is awry, there's damage, or I refuse purchase of the truck, I'm out the cost and time of traveling to get it. Not a big deal.

What else should I be thinking about?

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[Ruissimo]

Careful not to do the first 1,000 miles all on the highway on constant speeds/idle on your way home from the dealership. Engine break-in should be as varied as possible.

Your local dealer will service your truck, no matter where you bought it. I've dealt with some scumbag dealerships in my lifetime, but none that ever did that.

 

[Muckle]

Careful not to do the first 1,000 miles all on the highway on constant speeds/idle on your way home from the dealership. Engine break-in should be as varied as possible.

Your local dealer will service your truck, no matter where you bought it. I've dealt with some scumbag dealerships in my lifetime, but none that ever did that.

It would be 300 miles at highway speeds, then once I get home, a majority of city driving. Any concern with that?

 

[Ruissimo]

It would be 300 miles at highway speeds, then once I get home, a majority of city driving. Any concern with that?

I would take some back roads if it were me. But I am overly cautious.

 

[ridetime]

1. Absolutely not. The service department is a business that exists to make money for the dealership. Working on your car is no different than working on mine or anyone else's local or not.

2. Yes your committed to the cost of transportation no way around that. However the chances of there being a problem with the truck are pretty slim. As far as purchase price you should already know exactly what your going to pay before you ever leave your house. Get a copy of the signed buyers order so there is no misunderstanding the total cost.

3. I'm not personally real big on break-in schedules except for hard acceleration and braking for the first 1000. You can vary your speed drive 65 for awhile drive 80 for awhile. Select a lower gear to vary your RPM's (drive in 6th, 7th, 8th gears. Slow down to 60 and make light pulls to 80 traffic permitting. Use your imagination to vary load and rpm's. Or just set the cruise at you preferred speed and drive. The truck will never know the difference.

4. Have a plan when you step in the finance office. They are the true salesmen at the dealership.

 

[Kielly]

I've heard stories about my local dealer refusing to service a vehicle bought from another dealership. I'd do some research on the legality of that and possibly finding some answers in that regard. It would truly suck to have to drive 4 hours for an oil change every so often lol

 

[Drakka01]

• If something goes wrong with the truck, would a local dealership be any less 'inclined' to resolve the issue vs. if I had waited to buy one local and took it back to that same dealership, should an issue arise? I understand they are under warranty but wondering if there is any unwritten rules around this.

Toyota pays the dealer for warranty repairs so to them, it's free service dept. income which is one of the main profit centers of most dealerships. They'll appreciate getting it from some other dealers' sale since the sale itself yields minimal profit for the dealer unless they can get you to pay the 5x markup on protection packages, etc.

 

[ldudiaz]

The dealer had mine at 48 PSI, stopped at a gas station and brought it down to 33 PSI

 

[dshargs]

I purchased from a dealership 8 hours away (I had reason to be in that location). It was a very easy process, and they assured me any Toyota dealer would service it, etc. The only thing that's a bit of a pain is that I still need to get it registered in my state (and pay taxes here) -- things a local dealer would handle for you.

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