‘It won’t even start’: Colorado man flies to Texas to buy a Ford truck. Here’s what you need to do before buying a car out of state
If you're looking for a particular vehicle make and model, extending your search across state lines may seem like a good idea. However, buyers should beware. Buying your dream car in another state might turn into a nightmare.
That's what a customer of Dave's Auto Center in Centerville, Utah, found out as he drove his newly purchased Ford pick-up back to his home state of Colorado.
Dave (@davesautocenter) posted the harrowing details to his shop's TikTok account on Monday. The video has 1.6 million views and counting as of this writing.
In the video, which is captioned "Used Cars. Dreams to Nightmares," Dave states to his viewers, "This man just bought this truck in Texas, was driving it home, and he's got a problem."
"It's made me think. … I've got to do a list that I can give [so that] when they buy these used cars, they got some type of list that they can go over and do a check that they can make sure if their purchase is good," he continues.
Dave claims the customer "flew into Texas to buy this truck, bought it, was driving it home to Colorado, and it started making a terrible noise. It won't even start."
In a follow-up video, Dave reveals that he found metal in the vehicle's oil filter that probably indicated engine bearing failure, a serious problem.
Some of Dave's viewers chimed in with suggestions for what the customer should have done before driving back to Colorado.
"Always get a third party pre-purchase inspection," user9238467481219 (@rschutze) wrote.
"Should have called lemon squad. $300 bucks and they check it out thoroughly," another person commented.
Many viewers were enthusiastic about the idea of Dave putting out a checklist for buyers to look at before purchasing an out-of-state vehicle.
PetDoc (@boofitt) wrote, "Dave's Prepurchase Check List!! Yes please."
"Checklist is a great idea," another viewer commented.
One viewer added, "Not only a list, but a repair list of stuff that should be changed out."
In his follow-up video, Dave stated that he would be releasing a free downloadable list soon.
@davesautocenter Used Cars. Dreams to Nightmares #usedcars #usedcar #autoshop #autorepair #carrepair #enginerepair ♬ original sound - Davesautocenter
What do other experts recommend?
According to Car and Driver, before buying an out-of-state vehicle, you should definitely review the Vehicle History Report. "This report contains information about accidents, recalls, maintenance, and title issues, like a rebuilt title. It will unveil red flags that will either keep you from buying the car or affect your negotiations," the outlet states.
Car and Driver also notes, "It’s a good idea to have the vehicle thoroughly inspected by a mechanic before you agree to buy it. Take the car to an independent auto body shop and ask the mechanic to perform a used car inspection."
A third-party inspection may have revealed the engine issues the customer experienced before he purchased the vehicle.
"If the mechanic finds anything wrong, use that as leverage to negotiate a lower price with the seller, or take it as a sign to walk away from the deal," Car and Driver advises.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Dave via email and TikTok direct message for further comment.
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