“Ask for their flight info.”
A car dealer at Toothman Ford in Grafton, West Virginia, says he got successfully trolled by someone pretending to be an out-of-state buyer.
Jonathan (@spittinbarssellincars) shared the story while explaining why dealerships can be skeptical of customers trying to buy a car from hundreds of miles away.
“Well, this is embarrassing,” he wrote in the text overlay of his clip.
Earlier, Jonathan says, he had been excited because a customer was supposedly flying in from Missouri to buy a Ford on his lot.
Except there was no customer.
“Well, I fell for it,” Jonathan says. “There wasn’t anybody gonna come in and buy this car.”
Jonathan says someone had successfully “trolled” him, leaving the Mustang very much available.
He didn’t lose any money on the nonexistent deal, he says, and at least walked away with material for another video. But Jonathan says there is a less funny side to it.
Situations like this, he argues, are part of the reason dealerships may take an out-of-state buyer less seriously. When someone calls from hundreds of miles away claiming they’re ready to buy, the dealer has to figure out whether that person is actually prepared to make the trip—or wasting everyone’s time.
As of this writing, his video has more than 13,100 views.
Jonathan’s point is less about whether dealers should distrust every out-of-state shopper and more about how much more coordination is required when the buyer is hundreds of miles away.
The Federal Trade Commission recommends doing as much of that work as possible before making the trip. Buyers should ask a dealer to confirm in writing that the exact vehicle is still on the lot and send the full out-the-door price ahead of time. That can help avoid driving—or flying—somewhere for a car that is no longer available or costs more than expected.
Paperwork is an issue, too.
If the supposed Missouri buyer had actually gone through with the purchase, some paperwork would still have been waiting back home. According to the Missouri Department of Revenue, the state gives buyers 30 days from the sale to title the vehicle and pay the sales tax.
In some states, such as Texas, buying a car out of state may also require extra documentation or an inspection.
Missouri, for instance, says a buyer transferring ownership from a title issued by another state may need an identification number and an odometer inspection. If there is a trade-in involved, the buyer also needs documentation from the out-of-state dealer to receive the appropriate tax credit.
None of that makes buying across state lines a bad idea. It just means there are more details to settle before anyone starts booking flights.
Hence why dealerships can get spooked when you don’t live within state lines. While a fake buyer may only waste some time, enough of those interactions can make a salesperson more cautious.
So if you really are prepared to travel for a car, the easiest way to distinguish yourself from a troll is to have the details of the specific car you want ready and make it clear you are prepared to close the deal.
A few commenters said Jonathan’s experience sounded familiar from the other side of the deal.
One viewer suggested a simple way to verify whether someone is actually getting on a plane.
“Just ask for their flight info so you can send someone at the right time if it gets delayed,” they wrote.
Others said they regularly buy vehicles outside their home state and prefer it that way.
“I haven’t bought a truck in my home state since 06. I’d much rather purchase from a dealer who gives a [expletive], and pay to have it shipped. I always save money doing it, [too],” one commenter wrote.
Another viewer described a much more complicated search.
“Buying a car out of state can be very hard. Found the car I liked … in Eugene, Oregon; they would not do business with me because I was out of state, got lucky [and found] another in Utah. They took a deposit. I flew out the next day and drove home,” they wrote.
A few others were more focused on what was still sitting on the Toothman Ford lot.
“I see the funky Bronco is still there lol. That color combo is not a good look lol,” one wrote.
Motor1 contacted Jonathan via TikTok direct message. We’ll be sure to update this if he responds.
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