Anyone buy a used car sign unseen from another state?

Yeah, I did for my last car in 2019. It didn't even have good pictures, including no interior pictures. It was a calculated risk: California car, so likely no rust; it was a car that I know very well (2003 Subaru Legacy wagon); I knew that the interior, electronics, mechanical hold up pretty well; and I would have been happy to pay for a head gasket job and full engine reseal at the selling price ($2,100); I was willing and did put in some time after I bought it to bring all the delayed maintenance up to date and to make the car a long-term keeper. (It could have easily gone the other way with a different buyer, with the car becoming a disposable poopbox.)

I didn't inspect it, or have any locals inspect it, and I didn't negotiate. I had been looking on the sfbay craigslist for a month, and when I saw the ad, I was the first person to call, and I offered full asking price right away. It was a good gamble, and a good car. I wasn't able to travel (to visit my parents) to pick it up until a month later. I put in about $1000 to make it really nice ($250 paintless dent removal for one big dent, fluids, replaced struts/shocks all around even though not really needed, etc.), and then a bit less than another $1K a year later for a shop to put in a new clutch, so about $4K total. That's not counting putting on a set of ultra high performance tires, since that's a wear item.

A car just like mine except auto transmission and low mileage sold for $13K on Bring a Trailer recently and functionally or maintenance-wise isn't going to last any longer (head gaskets already done on mine for one, and longevity will be more determined by the next owner than the car). Pretty good money for a 20-year-old car. So I like to think mine is worth about $10K to me as good transportation and the kind of car that is my all-time favorite (manual trans Gen 2 or 3 Legacy wagons). A 1997 Legacy wagon (essentially the same as my 1996 Legacy wagon except color) sold for $18K recently on BaT, so I guess I'm not the only one that who is really into them.

I did almost 10 years ago. It got delivered. I test drove it and drive it still.

Yes, twice. Both used BMWs. One was from a dealer outside of Boston, and it was a limited edition model with a 6 speed transmission (2004 330i ZHP) with cloth/alcantara seats. Besides a non-documented scratch on the hood, it was a great car. I wish I had kept it.

The other was a 2008 BMW 135i Dinan S3. The original owner had put over $25K in modifications to it on top of the $35K MSRP, and I bought it from the second owner for $18K. That one was a little sketchier as I flew to Ohio to pick it up with the $18K in cash in my backpack. I was going on trust of his reputation on the BMW forums that I used to frequent. That one had seen some track time, so I ended up putting another $8K into it over a few years. I sold it a couple of years later for slightly more than I paid for it, so still worked out fairly well.

The best bet is to buy a car from Florida, Louisiana, or any of the Gulf Coast states after hurricane season.

I live in the USA and bought a vehicle from England based on photos. I paid him the same time that he put it on a ship in Liverpool. Worked out well. I picked it up at the shipping yard in Baltimore a couple of weeks later.

I did. Bought it from some guy in Baltimore. Completely useless. It said, "Yooz'd Kar".

SIGHT unseen

Awwwwww, little sparky is hoping that some of his friends can get a circle jerk going!

You and I might get along.

I've bought two cars, more or less sight unseen.

First was a 2008 Outback LL Bean. A few states over, like a 13hr drive. I had a decent amount of pictures, the dealer even got on the ground and took a few undercarriage pictures for me to verify that rust was minimal. The Carfax pointed out it had been in some wealthy neighborhoods in its life, so that made me feel good about it. I paid $100 for a pre-purchase inpsection—I picked the shop based off proximity to the dealer (they won't drive too far to take it to get inspected!) and reviews. Inspection came back mostly good, a small radiator line leak and a busted CV axle boot. Told the guy at the dealership I wanted it, they said if I gave them $500 down payment they would hold it for me until I could come down in a week or two. Considering how many months it took me to find it, it was worth it. Took the train down, took it on a test drive. Managed to get $250 off because of the CV boot, this was peak-covid-insane-car-price time, they were VERY RELUCTANT to haggle at all. Since then I've had to replace a few bearings and rotors, that's it.

Second was a weirder passion car. Won it on an auction site. It got me home on a long drive. Definitely had a few delayed maintenance items I've put in some good money future-proofing it, probably close to $4,000 and some late nights in my own garage. I got a great deal on it though. I plan on driving it until it falls apart.

The #1 thing you can do is research, research, research. Know that car and its engine and its transmission and all the common problems, inside and out. Find the enthusiast forums and read them front to back.

Four fine cars over two decades here. Prefer doing it from dealers who have reputations online and reputations to lose. Generally get them delivered by a pair of retirees who do delivery work for the dealership. One memorable pair drove from three states over without a map -- just kept calling us periodically.

Yeah, the model has known to have its transmission going out at unpredictable times that cost around $4 grand to rebuild. that’s the main thing I’m worried about so I definitely trying to avoid that cause up front.

Could this be the same person who on numerous occasions on here and in their social media posts writes "I mine as well....."?

Bought a car without looking at it and turned out to have quite a citrusy fragrance.

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I did this. Except I looked at the car first, and bought it from a local dealership.

Bought a Ford focus off of eBay for one of my kids. He drove it for 80000 more miles with just a few hundred bucks in repairs and normal maintenance.

Yeah, I bought a 2009 Porsche 911 TurboTax through a friend of mine in Laguna Beach who had a dealer's license. In 2012. Car was in Florida. Turned out great. Got rid of it though in 2015. Got tired of hav8ng to take my Driver, 3 Wood and two iron out of the bag and put them separately in the back seat and you really can't take more than 2 people other than a few miles because it is so cramped in back seat for adults. Have a 2018 Panamera now, so much better!

My sister and her husband did exactly that. It did not end well.