Shoppers in the market for a used car find themselves in quite the pickle. The ongoing pandemic, supply line delays, and semiconductor shortages have made new cars hard to find. That means the used car market is more competitive than ever. That means higher prices for vehicles that are supposed to help you save.
While used car prices are starting to stabilize, they are still at record highs. That means people are willing to go to great lengths to find an affordable mode of transportation. To help find the best options, some shoppers are looking out of state to find a great deal on a used car.
Shopping From Home Is Easier Than Ever
It used to be that shopping with a car dealership in another state was too difficult to be a prudent option. You would have to make multiple visits to learn about the vehicle, fill out paperwork, and bring the vehicle home. Even the most stingy shoppers don’t have the time to spend shopping for a car from far away until now.
A small silver lining from the pandemic is that more companies embraced doing things online. Modern dealerships have their complete inventory available right on their websites. You can even search for a specific used car model, year, and color from the comfort of home.
On top of that, you can now easily apply for financing, explore a vehicle’s history, and complete a purchase online. Some dealerships will even deliver your new vehicle right to your door if you don’t live too far away.
Is Shopping Out of State Worth It?
You might be wondering if it’s really worth the extra work to buy a used car from another state. The website iseecars.com looked at the list prices for a number of popular pre-owned cars and then compared them with the prices found in different parts of the country.
Here are just some of their findings:
- The Nissan Rogue can cost as much as 32.5% more in Alaska versus Texas
- The Jeep Grand Cherokee costs 27.8% more in Alaska versus Louisiana
- The Ford Explorer costs 25.8% more in Alaska versus Indiana
- The Toyota Tacoma is 23.5% more expensive in Alaska than in Florida
- The Ford F-150 is 22% more costly in Alaska than in Louisiana
It’s easy to accept that a used car for sale in Alaska would cost more than options in the continental U.S., but the state up north isn’t the only state with higher prices.
- The Ford F-150 is 26.8% more expensive in Montana than in Ohio
- The Subaru Forester is 22.5% pricier in Mississippi than in Wisconsin
- The list goes on
Where Are Some of the Biggest Discounts
Finding the best deal depends on the supply and demand in a certain area. There’s no one place that is cheaper for every kind of used car, but there are some things to consider. Bigger cities tend to have higher prices on everything, not just vehicles. At the same time, small towns that are in the middle of nowhere are likely to have lower inventories. The perfect storm tends to be in midwestern states in areas that aren’t far from major cities, but that’s not foolproof.
Your best bet, if you are looking for a used car, is to comparison shop with dealerships located in a larger radius than you may have considered before. You can even use websites like Autotrader, Edmunds, and more to find specific makes and models and compare prices.
Ultimately, when prices continue to be this high, it’s worth the extra time to check out of state. In some cases, it can save you thousands of dollars.
This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning a commission is given should you decide to make a purchase through these links, at no cost to you. All products shown are researched and tested to give an accurate review for you.
