I don't buy many vehicles. The truck I'm driving is 20 years old and I plan on driving it for a pretty good while yet. My son has been working his tail off and saving money for a down payment and he can cover about half of a new truck in cash. I'd like to help him get the best deal possible. Where I work, anything over a certain amount, we send out for bids. Would that work buying a truck? I thought about having him make a list of what he wanted in a truck and sending an email to several dealerships asking for an out the door price on a truck that meets or exceed his criteria. Would this be a valid plan?

We are in Florida. When I bought my side by side, I saved around $2500 driving to Alabama and buying it there. What's the chance that would be the same with a vehicle also? I don't mind driving several hundred miles if it saves him several thousand dollars.

Any other advice, besides don't buy a new truck? He's been working his tail off and has given it a couple years of thought and that's what he wants to do. He's probably a month or so out, but he's got the itch.

Thanks in advance fellas

A guy i work with just bought a new Chevy. He shopped around a got a much better deal at Donahoo in Ft Payne. You can get better deals if your flexible on the truck you want to buy.

Worth a try? Keep us posted as what route he takes and if the bid process works. Get the bid price walk the dealership and see how they deal in person? Good luck.

I have bought quite a few vehicles. And I drove out of town for most. Yes, it pays to shop around!

Does he have a particular truck in mind?

Lota people buy that way now . I'd narrow down a brand and trim level , then figure a mileage radius and start e-mailing. Dealerships now have internet sales people. Contact them all and make sure you're dealing on the exact truck , trim and options.

DONT BUY A FORD OR CHEVY.

I had to go out of state... Like three states over.. Look far and wide... Its worth the drive since you can literally save thousands and thousands..
I have done what you said on the emails.. I told them the truck I wanted. I copied multiple dealerships in the email. That way each one knew they were
competing for a sale.. In saying that, some will want you to come in but forget that.. If you get a dealer that does alot of internet then they wont care..
Good luck..

I found it’s best to get it in writing also. I almost got burned by taking the word/text message of a salesman. Drove to north Tennessee for a new Jeep, when I got there the sales manager said he wouldn’t honor the price, we ended up making the deal but it wasn’t pleasant. My son bought a truck out of Ga and got a signed sales agreement beforehand. Easy peasy

Buy GMC and for damn sure don't buy a Dodge.

Congrats to your son, that is awesome man

This is how I buy vehicles. Just bought an Acura MDX and Florida dealers would not come off sticker or not by much. Sent emails to dealers in AL, GA and ended up purchasing from Jackson Acura just North of Atlanta for $7000 off and no extra add-on dealer BS. I don't mind driving for around $6000 savings over local dealers.

Friend bought his Chevy truck in Tampa and he flew down to buy due to good deal.

Laura for GMC and Granger for Ford. I would start by pricing from them. If nothing else, that should give you an idea of target price and you can adjust accordingly for local dealers. Both are well known on the Internet forums to consistently have the best prices nationwide. No hassle huge volume dealers that specialize in fly in and drive home.

You can build truck online and email them the build sheet. They will reply with out the door price usually within a day or so.

My daughter bought a new MDX a little while back and thats the nicest vehicle I ever drove/rode in....The O.P. ought to get his son to buy one of those new 2025 Accura pickup trucks out this year... I bet they are gonna be some fine trucks...

I guess the grin is for "I'm kidding" GMC = Chevy /Chevy = GMC.

I've been shopping for a newer truck as well. I've been considering a 2015 or so F250 with the 6.2 gas engine. I'm seeing pricing in other states 5-10k cheaper for the same truck. I don't know why the pricing in Alabama are so high. And trying to deal with a dealer is impossible. I seen one dealer with a $900 doc fee. Stupid %^&(^&*(

He wants a Chevy/GMC 1500 4wd. Thanks for the suggestions and I'll let yall know how it works out.

Thanks. I'm pretty proud of the man he has become and is becoming. His work ethic and ability to save money is something I wish I would have had at his age. He started working @ 16 in an outside job in the Florida heat after school and weekends. Then after he graduated he has been working 45-50 hours a week at a feed mill and is going to college online in the mornings before work. I don't know where he will end up but he will go places.

I was looking at some of the new Tacoma's and all that I looked at where built in Mexico, didn't care for that one bit!

The current gen GMC with the chrome wheels , bumpers , grill and other accents are the sharpest trucks on the road . The silver and the black with all that chrome are sharp!

My Ram was several thousands less in Florida.